What is the Unit Ops lab course like?

The Unit Ops lab course is similar to chemistry labs that we take earlier in our ChBE curriculum, but with a much more practical and industrial feel. This course provides you with hands-on understanding about equipment that you have conceptually learned about all throughout your core ChBE classes. You have the opportunity to design and perform experiments on different unit operations and learn how to safely and efficiently operate the equipment. After each rotation, you share your findings with the class via a presentation and submit a report, aiding in your technical communication skills!

What technical knowledge and skills have you gained from the course?

I have appreciated the emphasis on theoretical understanding of each of the unit operations in this course. There is a heavy focus at the beginning of each experimental rotation on the theory behind the equipment to ensure each group understands what their unit operation is supposed to do and why. This has greatly helped my technical understanding of each unit operation I have used and has guided me on how to think when approaching a new piece of equipment. I have also appreciated the emphasis on practical safety knowledge in the course. We developed an emergency shut down procedure, and this has helped me think critically about how the equipment works and how to safely shut it down in the event of an emergency. Understanding the theory behind how equipment works and how to safely operate and shut it down have been major takeaways that I will remember from this course.

 

 

Has working in the unit ops lab helped you with your other research?

My experience in the Unit Ops lab has greatly helped the way I approach my research. The Unit Ops lab encourages you to plan out your experiment before you begin: know what results you want, how you can achieve those results, and how you will determine if the data you obtain matches the result you expected. This foundation for experimental planning has aided me in developing ideas for research experiments. It has given me a concrete way to critically think through what I am doing in lab and what results I desire to obtain from an experiment, and how to pivot when the results are unexpected.

How has your experience in the Unit Ops lab helped you prepare for a career?

The Unit Ops lab has been one of the most useful courses in the curriculum for me for technical career preparation. Coming into my last year of college, I was feeling unsure about how ready I was for a career. I knew I had been well-equipped in terms of theoretical chemical engineering knowledge, but I was also very aware of the gap between understanding how something should work and confidently and safely operating that same piece of equipment. The Unit Ops lab bridged this gap and addressed these fears and concerns. Even though the equipment I will see in a live manufacturing process won’t be the exact same as what I learned to operate in this course, I now understand the process of how to become familiar with a new piece of equipment and what information is necessary to know before safely operating the equipment. I also understand how to design an experiment to produce a specific outcome I desire, and how to communicate the outcome I obtain to peers. This course has taught me how to connect the theory and problem-solving skills that are built up in the earlier years of the ChBE curriculum with the practical and hands-on knowledge required in any next step after a ChBE degree.

Overall, do you think the Unit Ops lab course is a valuable experience for undergraduates?

I absolutely think the Unit Ops course is incredibly valuable for undergraduates! This course addresses the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge and builds your confidence and competence for a successful career in chemical engineering! The Unit Ops lab touches everything from experimental design, to theoretical understanding, to communication and presentation skills, and knowledge in safety, so it develops you for whatever your next step may be.

What are your next steps after graduation?

After graduation, I will be starting a job with Eli Lilly as a quality control scientist at their new site in Lebanon, Indiana! I am excited to take what I have learned both at the University of Illinois and in the Unit Ops course and apply it to my passion in pharmaceutical manufacturing!