How to Convince Your Advisor to Send You to the National AIChE Student Conference

By: Bill Elmore

Each fall, our local AIChE student chapter kicks off with a full slate of exciting and interesting activities. A featured event is always the national AIChE Student Conference. Incoming freshmen quickly learn that this is a premier venue for meeting fellow aspiring chemical engineers from across the country (and around the world)! It is also a very important conference for gaining invaluable experience to enlarge your perspective on the world of chemical engineering practice and research.

As a faculty advisor for a local AIChE student chapter for over twenty-three years, I have enjoyed seeing the energy and enthusiasm built around attending student conferences. But why should I let YOU attend the national AIChE student conference?

Here are eight reasons you might try on me to win my support for attending:

  1. Dr. E, you remember how I participated in all those service and leadership projects last year? The workshops at the national conference are full of new, fresh ideas for bringing home to try with our chapter.

  2. I'm committed to this major, Dr. E! I need this opportunity to attend professional development and career-building workshops.

  3. Dr. E, you know how many hours I spent in the labs on that research project! The national paper competition/poster competition is critical to my plans for graduate school.

  4. The Chem-E-Car team is counting on me! You know I developed that top secret formula for stopping on a dime!

  5. Doc, I helped with all our fundraisers and even organized the dunking booth last spring! (I won't hold that against you, I still have sloshing in my inner ear).

  6. I promise I'll attend as many events as possible and bring back a full report to our chapter. (OK, now I'm almost convinced!)

  7. Dr. E, you just gotta send me! I'll bring you back a Terry Bradshaw bobble-head! (Note: PLEASE don't grovel.)

  8. I'll contribute to my costs to attend! (I'm sold!)

Seriously, each of these reasons (excluding number 7) are truly valuable, legitimate reasons that you should be at nationals. If you haven't convinced your Advisor yet, I'd get started today!