Chemical engineering senior awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
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When choosing his college major, UIC chemical engineering senior Karim Al Zahabi knew he could choose whatever major he wanted and focused on finding one he could enjoy. Based on his love of math and physics, he decided to pursue chemical engineering.
Al Zahabi got involved with Associate Professor Vivek Sharma’s optics, dynamics, elasticity, and self-assembly (ODES) lab to research how fluid mechanics can help understand medical issues as Al Zahabi’s initial goal was to pursue medical school post-graduation. Therefore, the first project he worked on involved contrasting the rheological behavior of saliva substitutes designed for dental and medical research and to provide relief to dysphagia patients. This research experience changed Al Zahabi’s perspective and inspired him to explore diverse aspects of chemical engineering education and research.
Throughout his time at UIC, he benefited from a variety of research opportunities, including funding from the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award, and the Honors College Travel and Research Grants. He presented his research at the UIC UG research forum and won the first prize in the engineering category.
After that, Sharma involved him in several additional projects, including on rheology and foamability of animal and plant milks. Al Zahabi presented his research at various conferences, including two American Physical Society March Meetings and AIChE regional meetings, and was selected for NCSU’s Future Leaders symposium in Chemical Engineering.
Al Zahabi was also able to explore computational research as a part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program under the mentorship of Professor Juan de Pablo at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago.
Al Zahabi received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) and will pursue a PhD in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The NSF GRF program provides three years of financial support to some of the most promising scholars in the nation. Al Zahabi plans to integrate computational and experimental approaches to better understand protein and macromolecular engineering for food and health applications.
“UIC makes it really easy to get involved with research,” Al Zahabi said. “Most professors are very open to anyone who wants to learn and get research experience. Don’t be afraid to reach out to labs and apply for grants or research opportunities.”
He recommended other students connect with their professors and not underestimate the power a single great connection can have.
“Whether it’s talking to them during office hours or getting as much interaction with them during research, every professor has insights about science and career, and those conversations could help you out a lot,” Al Zahabi said.
He aims to continue applying fundamental chemical engineering principles to applications such as medicine, public health, and sustainable foods.