Grove Tech

Introduction :The Grove School of Engineering located in Steinman Hall at the campus of the City College of New York (CCNY) is the house of engineering majors of the school. It offers bachelors, masters, and doctorate training for all of its majors. These majors include Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science. The school currently enrolls over 2,300 full-time students, 700 part-time students, and contains about 180 faculty members.

Each of these students and faculty use a form of technology in order to complete their work for their classes. Whether it is to check Blackboard or to use other programs, such as MATLAB, C++, Python, AutoCAD, and more, they all require easy access to a computer and to the Internet. Although CCNY does have a few rooms with access to some of these programs, it does not have one that is accessible to all majors of Grove.

One of the most successful schools that every engineer has considered is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT has one of the best computer labs along with Harvard University and Columbia University. MIT computer labs are secured rooms containing workstations, pharos printers, and collaborative spaces. These rooms are available to students and staff 24 hours a day. They also provide third-party programs, for example MATLAB, Maple, and Mathematica. Athena is MIT’s academic computing environment, which powers computer clusters and all the other programs. This computing environment is provided in 38 Debathena workstations throughout the whole campus with 21 printing stations. Another computer lab that is provided by MIT, especially for graduate students, is MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, which is one of the most advanced informational technology research labs in the world.

After surveying 80 engineering students, 89% said that it is imperative to them to have computer labs readily accessible in order to excel in class (Fig. 1). In addition to computer labs and the programs necessary for class, students believe that including printers and group spaces are important as well.  The survey also shows what programs students would like to be available to them at Grove Tech, with MATLAB, Java, and C++ being the most favorites. (Fig. 2)

In this proposal, the creation of a new technology room for Steinman Hall is shown. The plan will take an approximation of $81,000 and 3 months for completion. Not only will it help students perform better in their classes, it can also help professors better prepare for their lessons, provide necessary class materials on a timely manner, etc.

Action plan

Goal: Establishment of Grove Tech as a new technology center, with free access to engineering students of Grove School of Engineering CCNY. All steps, responsibilities, and timeframe have been described at the following table.

The target timeline for completion of the project: 3 months.

Implemented Software on each desktop will include MATLAB, C++, Java, Simulink, Python, Microsoft Office, Graph Pad Prism, Mathematica and AutoCAD. The Student Government Association, Grove School Dean Gilda Barabino, and the President of the College, Vincent Boudreau, will take support on the importance of the event/project. For any suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

 Costs & Benefits

An estimate of the project’s costs was calculated by the Grove Tech Executive Board and presented at the table below.

Student Technology Fee ($125 for full-time, $62.50 for part-time) can be used to cover some of the expenses of the project’s implementation. In this case, for one semester, the school collects $287,500 per semester, $575,000 in a year, only from Student Tech Fee. Our project cost estimate would comprise only 14% of the yearly student fee money collected by the school. The Grove Tech Executive Board, in collaboration with Grove Academic Affairs and Grove School Dean’s Office, will manage all the money received for funding and maintaining the project.

The project will benefit students and faculty at Grove, the most vibrant technology oriented setting at City College of New York and CUNY. Almost all major curriculums at Grove require some computer programing, design, MATLAB, Prism graphing, etc. Grove Tech will provide these students access to its facilitates 12 hours a day (8am to 8pm), 7 days a week. A technology assistant will welcome and assist students and/or faculty on any technology related issue. A rapidly growing City University of New York deserves a technology center like Grove Tech for the only public engineering school in New York City. Figure 3 shows a preliminary map of how each of the six rooms of the Grove Tech Center is projected to look like. The room will be under security surveillance at all times of operation and each computer will ask students to log in through their personal CityMail account in order to access services. Even faculty members will be allowed to use the computers for some quick check-ins or printing extra copies for exams or class assignments. Research students would also benefit from Grove Tech by having another better and quickly accessible way of analyzing, modeling and printing their data for publication purposes.

Experience

The Grove Tech Executive Board is comprised of 4 engineering students Mitra Asadi, Anjali Gaba, Arlind Kacirani, and Jasmin Ponio.

Mitra Asadi is a third year chemical engineering student at the City College of New York. Mitra has an Associate degree in Biology from Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). She is currently employed in a dental office and soon, Mitra will start as a new position as a research assistant at CCNY. She is trilingual student who is fluent in English, Persian and Turkish. She also has a strong passion for travelling and learning different cultures.

Anjali Gaba is a third-year chemical engineering student at the City College of New York. She holds an Associate degree in Engineering Science from Queensborough Community College (QCC) and is also minoring in chemistry. Anjali has experience working in research laboratory at QCC Chemistry Department, with the Chemistry Professor Dr. Moni Chauhan, on nanomaterials project focused on green synthesis of Poly Rhodamine nanospheres. She is proficient in using Microsoft office and programming languages like C++, MATLAB, Simulink, and Maple. Also, she aspires to get a PhD in the future and work at NASA.

Arlind Kaciraniis a third year chemical engineering student at the City College of New York. Arlind has an Associate degree in Chemistry from Queensborough Community College and is double minoring in chemistry and mathematics here at CCNY. Arlind also works in the Research Lab of CCNY distinguished professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Dr. Ruth Stark, on a biochemistry/biophysics project focused on enzyme reactivation and therapeutic protein targeting and engineering. He enjoys tutoring and loves learning new languages. In the future, Arlind aspires to get a PhD in chemical engineering and teach at a University/College.

Jasmin Poniois a second year student at the City College of New York pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. Jasmin graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in the Summer of 2017 where she took a few architecture courses. She’s had a few jobs as a tutor and as a waitress. Working with kids and customers has taught her to be a patient person. Jasmin hopes to graduate with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.

Conclusion

Grove Tech is a facility center that would provide a computing environment open to all majors at Grove School of Engineering CCNY with services to engineering students. A total of 6 rooms with 30 computers and 2 printers each, will provide students at Grove with the most efficient, easy accessible, and with the most used softwares in the engineering and science community. Students in collaboration with Grove main administrative offices will run the center.

Reference

Best Buy (2018) “Personal Computers, Desktops, Printers, etc.”

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?st=pcpc+desktop&_dyncharset=UTF-8&id=pcat17071&type=page&sc=Global&cp=1&nrp=&sp=&qp=&list=n&af=true&iht=y&usc=All+Categories&ks=960&keys=keys

CCNY Website (2018) “Student Tuition & Fees” https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/bursar/tuition-and-fees-fall-2018-spring-2019#overlay-context=bursar/tuition-and-fee-information

The Grove School of  Engineering at The City College of New York (2018) “Annual Report Fiscal Year 2017” https://www.dropbox.com/s/8qur19a6krlq330/GroveSchool_report_2017_final_spread.pdf?dl=0

Athena at MIT: Clusters. http://ist.mit.edu/athena/clusters

Biodiesel: An Environmentally friendly fuel.

What is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is a renewable substitute for petroleum diesel which is produced reaction of vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol (methanol or ethanol). Chemical engineers address it as long chain fatty acid methyl (or ethyl) esters, while most people just say biodiesel. The oils that are used in the formation of biodiesel are called triglycerides, as they have three long chain fatty acids (tri-) connected to a glycerin molecule (-glyceride). The kind of oils used for the formation in united states are soybean, recycled cooking oil, and animal fat.

Why Biodiesel?

With the development of this fast-growing world is also growing the demand for energy, which leads to import of energy resources from other countries. Everyone who thinks about biodiesel to a good alternative for diesel comes from different backgrounds. While some are concerned about the environment; others find it to be economical; whereas, some want to support agriculture; and some want to make their nation energy independent.

Environmentally friendly

A study by the U.S. Department of Energy has showed that biodiesel produces 78.5 percent less Co₂emissions in comparison to regular diesel. Carbon dioxide produced is used by crops such as soybeans which are used to make biodiesel and then emitted when biodiesel is combusted. Biodiesel is the fuel that offers the greatest reduction of atmospheric carbon and leads to a cleaner air to breathe.

Agriculture

Farmers are second highest consumers of fuel and they would want a fuel that has more benefits for them other than just powering the engine. Biodiesel may cost them a little extra which is worth paying for the benefits that come along. The most important benefit of biodiesel is lubricity that doesn’t only make the engine quitter but also leads to less maintenance which means less expenses. Also, biodiesel is produced from feedstock, so farmers will not only have a long-lasting machine but also more demand for their produce. Three main feedstocks are soybean, animal fat and recycled cooking oil. Recycling of cooking oil also helps to treat a major problem of disposing these oils.

Production of biodiesel

There are several techniques that are used for the production of biodiesel such as ultrasonication, microwave irradiation, oscillatory flow reactor and supercritical technology etc. the common method of the production of biodiesel remains the same the process called transesterification. Transesterification is a process in which triglyceride (fat/oil) reacts with an alcohol to produce esters and glycerol. The reaction is a green reaction as it is the reaction of oil and alcohol. Also, in some situations a catalyst can be used to speed up the production of biodiesel. Different ratios of reactants, different techniques , change in temperature are all the variables that affect the production. Figure 1 shows the mechanism of reaction involved in forming biodiesel.

Figure1. Transesterification reaction ^[1]

Additional Characteristics of Biodiesel

• The fuel mileage of B20(20% biodiesel and 80% regular diesel) is similar to regular diesel whereas, the petroleum diesel has 1-2%more energy content. Most field evidence show that they have similar results.
• During winters petroleum diesel can get frozen and takes time to heat up and get the machine running, whereas biodiesel can be treated so that it doesn’t freeze at low temperatures.
• Flashpoint of petroleum diesel is 117^oF whereas biodiesel has a higher flashpoint of 260^o This makes biodiesel safer to transport with less probability of catching fire.
• In May 2000, Biodiesel became the only alternative fuel to clear EPA’s Tier 1 and 2 of health effects testing under Clean Air Act.
• Biodiesel degrades about four- times faster than petroleum diesel making it more environmentally friendly.
• Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that is biodegradable, non-toxic and has no bad effect on human health.

References

1. SANDHYA, R., VELAVAN, R., & RAVICHANDRAN, J. (2018). Transesterification of Waste Cooking Oil Assisted by Ultrasonication for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil Using Copper Doped Zinc Oxide Nano catalyst. Journal of the Balkan Tribological Association,24(3), 571–577
2. Hatcher, C. L. (2004). Biodiesel as a Renewable Energy Source: A New Direction? Spectrum: Journal of State Government,77(3), 13–16.

Hello everyone, my name is Anjali Gaba. I was born in India moved to United States 4 years ago . I finished my high school in South Carolina and then moved to New York 3 years ago. I sometimes still miss India and get emotional about the fact. I am a fun loving person, always up for adventures and crazy things. My friends say I have  solution to everything including technical issues or some personal problems. i am a good listener as I have the patience to listen to what others say. I love to meet new people and get to know about different culture and all this is what makes me what I am.

A reflection on Chemical Engineering :An interview with Chemical Engineer Dr. Richard Lieberman

          “I loved Chemistry, but engineering got me a job”; these few words by Dr. Richard Lieberman motivated me even more. Chemical engineering is a relative new field of engineering  which has lot of job opportunities and is open to discoveries and exploration. Stanford university explains chemical engineering in a motivating way, they say, “engineering is a discipline influencing numerous areas of technology. In broad terms, chemical engineers conceive and design processes to produce, transform and transport materials — beginning with experimentation in the laboratory followed by implementation of the technology in full-scale production.” Being an undergraduate pursuing bachelor’s in Chemical engineering it was a great opportunity to interview Dr. Lieberman who is a Dr.Eng. in chemical engineering .

          I always admired Dr. Lieberman ever-since I came to know about him. He is brother of my former Physics professor at Queensborough community college . My professor used to talk about Dr. Lieberman a lot. Knowing his educational background and work experience always delighted me. So, when I got this assignment to interview a chemical engineer their was no better name than Dr. Lieberman. I have always wanted to meed him and get more inspired by him. I couldn’t meet him to do the interview because of his busy schedule and his residency in New Jersey , so I decided to interview him over a Skype call. Interviewing him was a great experience and the details are shared as the paper goes. 

Dr. Richard Lieberman graduated from Cooper Union with his bachelor degree in chemical engineering in 1972 and then graduated with his doctorate degree  from Princeton University in 1980. Upon asking the reason for him to go for a P.H.D his reply was humorous according to me. He says, even though I was good in academics and had a great job experience  but, one of my main reasons to go for graduate school was to escape from the military responsibilities that every young male had to go to Vietnam war. The news of him getting into Princeton was the best news till date , Dr. Lieberman exclaims. When asked the reason for chemical engineering in general he gave a short and simple answer “I loved Chemistry, but engineering got me a job”. These words are so relevant even in todays word as at the end of the day everyone needs a job. 

Everyone’s first job is special especially when its directly related to one’s field .He mentions that at that time chemical engineering was a small and emerging field of engineering so getting a degree would assure a job. Job opportunities were available petroleum industry or in material and polymer – research and development departments. After his graduation Dr. Lieberman was hired by a small R & D firm in New Jersey, where he worked as a catalyst developer. His responsibilities included  analysis of process rates and kinetics of different polymerization reactors, writing weekly reports, process optimization of catalysts, etc. 

writing is an important way of communication and has always been ever since . Upon asking the importance of writing in professional world he states that his communication skills were one of the important skills as an engineer . One of the most important  reasons for using technical communication and not just English was because if so many non-english speakers in the industry at that time. A lot of communication was done using bullet points and short memos that could be understandable to everyone, with time it changed to powerpoint presentations , posters and excel spreadsheets . He also mentions that now 905 of the communication is done via e-mails and the remaining 10% over phone-calls ,mails ,and typed reports. 

Ph.D may not be the end goal for everyone  but, it is for me ; to know about the importance of Ph.D in the industry is really important . When asked about how having a Ph.D makes a difference he answered it in an elegant way. He states that , “master’s is enough to get you a job but Ph.D is required to get a better job.” He also explains that a masters degree with additional  skills can help in getting a higher post in the industry . While considering high yield research , professorship ,a Ph.D would be more helpful. Also, Ph.D opens door for many opportunities; for instance ; someone works in the industry and gets a Ph.D would be a step towards leadership, high salary , better positions . But, at the same time a non-experienced Ph.D student will have a hard time to find a job as most of the entry look for college graduates. At the same time its hard to get a Ph.D while working as it can be exhausting .

When asked for a piece of advice for future Chemical engineers he gave some precious tips and valuable knowledge that is missing in todays generation. He said it is more important to be sound on fundamental principles rather than computations.He also states, “there are enough technicians around, there is need for thinkers.” He also says it is very essential to be open to changes and challenges. As companies hire chemical engineers different fields like, financial consultancy. Also, looking for a wider variety of jobs might be helpful as being rigid about a particular field may not be beneficial. Contradictory, he says that staying true to what you are most passionate about is critical. Also, stay informed about  recent discoveries in design of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, applications in medicine, non-fossil fuel energy production, green chemistry, etc. “For it is design that differs an engineer from a scientist, a chemical engineer from a chemist.” These words by him are so inspiring that helps you value yourself as an engineer.

In Conclusion , this interview was like a delight for me as it helped me get motivated and inspired to work even harder toward my goal. This was once in a lifetime experience as an undergraduate as I don’t get to talk to Chemical engineers everyday. And the advice that being open to everything even though I have goal to work toward is going to be my motto from now on. As even working in different fields would help me become a better candidate for future leadership positions . And being open to change is life, if things won’t change there would be no discoveries .

Creative, Hardworking and intellectual  junior at city college of New York with lab and technical skills ,and research experience seeks chemical engineering internship.

Experience:
Undergraduate Researcher , Chemistry department of Queensborough Community College   – Fall, 2016 -Summer ,2018

My responsibilities were to perform the synthesis using Microwave and analyze the products using UV-vis Analysis , FT-IR, SEM,TEM. Also, being creative by trying different procedures of synthesis and other lab skills to improve yield and quality of the produce.

Learning Centre Assistant , Student learning Center  of Queensborough Community College   – Fall,2017- summer,2018

My responsibilities were to tutor Chemistry and Calculus Physics to tutees and help them achieve their goals and make learning process easier for them. Also Held Classroom workshops for Organic Chemistry which was similar to recitation for students who needed help with Organic Chemistry .

Sales representative , T-mobile , Fresh Meadows NY – July,2017-  October,2017

My responsibilities were to convince customers to connect to T-mobile network and explaining them what were the advantages  of switching and about different plans. Also, to meet the targets for the month. And I always met all my targets for the time I was working there.

Education:
City College of New York  pursuing  Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering – June, 2020

Queensborough Community College , Associates In Science, G.P.A -3.6,— June 2018

Skills:
— Multilingual – English, Punjabi, Hindi
— Leadership
— Time-Management
— Conflict Resolution
— Adaptability
— efficient using Microsoft Office and other programming languages like C++, Maple, Matlab.
— A great presenter.

Awards/ Research:
— Chauhan, M.; Gaba, A.; Hong, T.; Esperance, E.; Johnson, Q.; Longia, G.; Chauhan, B. P. S. Convenient and Template-Free Route to One-Pot Green Synthesis of Polyrhodanine Core–Shell Nanoparticles. ACS Omega 2018, 3 (9), 10974–10979.
— Second Place winner for Undergraduate Research Symposium at William Patterson University , 2017.
— Presented my research at prestigious Conferences , like: ACS Nation Conference, ACS New York section, CSTEP New York Section.
— Senator of IEEE- Robotics Club, QCC                                                 Fall,2016-Spring,2017
— Senator of Chemistry Club. ,QCC                                                        Fall,2017-Spring,2018

Cover Letter

Anjali Gaba    

10/02/18

Regeneron

777 Old Saw Mill River Road 

Tarrytown, NY 10591 

Dear recruitment officer for Chemical engineering internship:

I am writing in response to your internship posting on Indeed regarding Chemical engineering internship with Requisition Number: 14163BR. I have been following your company for quite a bit and I really like the projects your company is involved in.  I am interested in being a Purification Development Intern at Regeneron as this internship is involved with the pharmaceutical side of chemical engineering , and is a great opportunity for me to work with different types of engineers. I am a good candidate for this position because of my involvement in leadership, research and hardworking nature. 

During my Associate Degree I was involved with different clubs and was on the e-board of the clubs. This includes leading everyone in the club and organizing different events and working together as a team with other students. Also. Being involved in research gives me upper hand over the students who haven’t . As, being involved in research makes me responsible and knowledgeable about the conduct of lab and also helps me with time management; as I would manage time for research and study. I am passionate about being in the lab and being able to learn and interact with different kind of people.

I would really love to be part of this project with your company as it will bring more knowledge  and experience in the industry.Please consider me for this position. Looking forward to meeting you for an interview. Would be eagerly waiting to meet you soon. My contact information is: (929) 291-9212. Thank you so much for your time. Looking forward to this. 

Sincerely, 

Anjali Gaba