Senior Roberto Arzuaga receives AIChE McCormack Award
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UIC’s Chemical Engineering Department selected Roberto Arzuaga to receive the 2025 Henry McCormack Award Outstanding Senior Award. The honor is given out each year by the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).
Arzuaga is one of the department’s top senior students, graduating in May with a 3.97 GPA. During his time at UIC, Arzuaga was very active in research in Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Brian Chaplin’s lab electrolyzing, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from local wastewater using reactive electrochemical membranes, designing electrochemical cells for enhanced removal and improved energy efficiency. He also assisted Clinical Assistant Professor Betul Bilgin with the Engineering Experience Outreach Program, developing and delivering learning modules to fourth through 12th graders, using key chemical engineering principles and knowledge to enhance understanding of what chemical engineering entails.
“Roberto was in my senior unit operations lab this year and was an excellent student; a hands-on problem solver with excellent analytical abilities and a strong team leader,” said Alan Zdunek, clinical associate professor and director of undergraduate studies. “As an active member of the AIChE student chapter, he helped initiate the diversity, equity and inclusion committee that has strengthened the chemical engineering community at UIC. It has been a pleasure having Roberto in our program!”
Arzuaga has been an active AIChE member, serving on the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee of the organization, highlighting the importance of D.E.I. principles in engineering through website design and in-person interviews.
He has also served as a mentor for the STEM Mentor Network for new chemical engineering students at UIC and helped with coursework.
He received the Henry McCormack Outstanding Senior Award at the second annual chemical engineering end-of-the-year banquet in April.
With a job already lined up after graduation, Arzuaga will work for Epic Systems as a technical solutions engineer. In his new position, he will aim to gain valuable experience in technical project design and tracking, developing customer relations, and performing in-depth troubleshooting.