Alina Rwei is an assistant professor of Chemical Engineering at TU Delft. She moved from the USA to The Netherlands in 2020, after receiving a PhD-degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed her postdoctoral training at Northwestern University. Here, she is researching the combined application of precision medicine and chemical engineering in order to help develop novel biomedical technologies. She was nominated by the NPT as a Netherlands delegate to the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE).
What drives you professionally?
"I love physics and biology and felt attracted to the bio-chemical engineering program that was being researched and developed at MIT. At the same time, the knowledge base of chemical engineering offers a solid foundation on which to pursue the kind of innovation I want to pursue. There is so much still unknown regarding the complexity of living systems, the human body in particular. Chemical engineering principles can really help us approach that complexity analytically and provide mechanistic and engineering insights that invite innovation in biomedical practice."
Do you prefer an academic job to one in industry?
"Well, being an academic gives me the freedom to delve deep into things that interest me. But I think I would be quite happy working in industry. I certainly realise that collaboration with industrial partners is crucial in order to tackle important problems in the design, development and production of actual products that benefit society."
"Due to my joining the EFCE Section on Chemical Engineering as Applied to Medicine, I have had the opportunity to engage with and learn from senior colleagues whom I greatly admire"
Are you well connected to industry?
"As a young professional I am making an effort to build up a network of industrial connections. By leading a research consortium involving thirteen pharmaceutical, engineering and knowledge utilization companies, for example, ranging from startups to established businesses. With an educational background rooted in the USA, I definitely want to expand my relations inside and outside of academia in Europe."
Does an NPT membership help in any way?
"Yes. Although I joined only last year, I have already established new contacts at other universities. This is due to my joining the EFCE Section on Chemical Engineering as Applied to Medicine, which I have found to be a highly motivated and collaborative network. Through this Section, I have had the opportunity to engage with and learn from senior colleagues whom I greatly admire. Visiting Warsaw following an invitation from a fellow Section member was a great experience. I am also promoting a workshop I am organizing within this community: AI in Drug Delivery. Sure enough, these experiences are enhancing my professional visibility."
Author: NPT Procestechnologie
Comments