The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez (UPRM) successfully hosted the second edition of the Chemical Engineering and Related Fields Symposium (ENGICHEM) under the theme “The Future of Research and Academia.”
Organized by students and for students, this year’s event was coordinated by AEGIQ (Graduate Chemical Engineering Student Association), AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers, UPRM Student Chapter), ALEIQ (Latin American Association of Chemical Engineering Students), and PESS (Pharmaceutical Engineering Student Society).
Building on the success of its first edition, ENGICHEM 2025 expanded its reach by welcoming participants from other academic institutions, including Universidad Ana G. Méndez (UAGM), Interamerican University – Metropolitan Campus, and the University of Notre Dame. The symposium gathered over 280 participants from academia, industry, and the community.
The program featured more than 55 research posters, showcasing innovative projects by undergraduate and graduate students in various areas of chemical engineering and related disciplines. Notably, women represented 53% of the poster presenters and 55% of total attendees, highlighting the growing diversity and inclusion in the field.
A series of inspirational lectures enriched the academic agenda. Dr. Lorenzo Saliceti-Piazza opened with “From Sugarcane to DNA: 100 Years of Chemical Engineering,” followed by Dr. David Suleiman-Rosado’s “InQu Graduate Program: 25 Years of Contributions.” Dr. Yomaira Pagán-Torres presented “Catalysis for a Sustainable Future,” while engineer Nicole Pagán-Aponte offered an industrial perspective with “Trends in the Pharmaceutical Industry.” The symposium concluded with Dr. Rose Cersonsky’s “AI in Chemical Engineering,” exploring the transformative role of artificial intelligence in process design and optimization.
One of the most anticipated moments was the F.I.R.E. Panel (Future of Industry, Research & Engineering), moderated by graduate student Gabriela del Valle. The panel featured experts including Dr. Hansel Montalvo and Dr. Camilo Mora (UPRM faculty), Luz Irizarry (Rum Blender, Bacardí), and Dr. Fernando Camino (Brookhaven National Laboratory). Panelists discussed challenges and opportunities shaping the future of chemical engineering in academia, industry, and research.
The symposium concluded with an award ceremony recognizing outstanding student posters at both undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition, Dr. Nelson Cardona was honored for his years of dedicated service to the department as a professor and researcher.
ENGICHEM 2025 was made possible through the generous support of the Autonomous Municipality of Mayagüez, Eli Lilly, Amgen, Mitel, the Puerto Rico Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIQPR), and with the collaboration of PREM and the Department of Chemical Engineering.
