2009-2010 Members at Large

Kara Vossler
Hi, my name is Kara Vossler and I am one of the AICHE Board Members at Large for the 2009-10 school year. My job is to assist all of the other AICHE leaders with anything they may need help with. This will be my second year with the club.  Right now I am a Junior. I am from Troy, MI and went to Troy High School. I really enjoy playing golf and tennis in my spare time. This summer I did research at MSU on converting biomass to value-added chemicals using fast pyrolysis and catalysis.  Hope to get to know everyone better and see you around the EB!

Crystal Alton
Hey there, my name is Crystal. I'm a sophomore in chemical engineering at MSU. Currently, I'm working as a co-op for DuPont in Tennessee, but will be back second semester. I'm learning a lot, and meeting a bunch of really cool people! However, my ultimate goal is to work for a fuel company and work towards green energy. Other than AIChe, I'm involved in SWE, the Honors College, and the Outdoors Club. I'm a big fan of anything outdoorsy--backpacking, biking, hiking, skiing, running, sledding, whatever! Oh, and since I've been in TN I've also picked up knitting! I also love travelling, mostly to places where I get to see naturey things-like New Zealand or the Canadian Rockies. Oh, did I mention I like moonlit walks on the beach, looking at the stars, and laying in hammocks?

Nathan Hanna
My name is Nathan Hanna and I am a junior majoring in chemical engineering with concentrations in polymers and bioenergy.  I was originally majoring in civil engineering but decided to change my major to chemical engineering half way through my sophomore year. 

Over the previous summer I worked as a research assistant for Dr. Miller, working on a reactive distillation column.  Our project consisted of running experiments in the column to synthesize diethyl succinate from succinic acid and ethanol.   I will be continuing this experience into the school year; we are currently in the process of relocating and expand the reactive distillation column.  Our goal is to increase the height of the column to improve the yield and selectivity.

I have studied abroad to Ireland and Australia.  Both of these trips focused on sustainability and alternative energy.  While in Ireland we stayed in two of the major cities, Cork and Galway, we listened to our professor and guest speakers talk about the country and sustainability.  The trip to Australia started in Sydney; we then flew to Adelaide and then drove through the outback to Alice Springs and Port Douglas.  Once the program was over my family flew to Port Douglas and we traveled down the east coast of Australia, visiting the major cities, the Gold Coast, and the Great Barrier Reef.

Back in high school I took woodshop for four years, this taught me how to deal with material and gave me a unique sense of how to visualize ideas.  While I was a civil engineer I participated in activities with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), particularly the steel bridge team which allowed me to continue doing one of my favorite hobbies while making new friends and gaining experience in working with new materials.

Scott Johnson
My name is Scott Johnson, and I am a board member-at-large for AIChE.  My story starts in Troy, Michigan, where I graduated from Troy High School in 2007.  Ever since I was a kid I have always been interested in how things work, so I knew engineering was for me when I arrived at Michigan State.  First, I was thinking that Civil engineering was going to be my career path, but I later I decided on chemical engineering. This stems from my interest chemistry and love for learning how things work. This is going to be my first full year in AIChE, and I am really excited about the group.  I really look forward to learning all about all the different disciplines you can get involved in with a chemical engineering degree, and I hope to use this as a mechanism of finding exactly what field I want to specialize in and study.  I haven’t had an internship of any sort, but this year I’m looking extra hard!  I have spent my previous summers lifeguarding at the Troy Family Aquatic Center.  This last summer I was given the chance to represent my pool in a lifeguard competition.  This consisted of several events, including a “monster” athletic event, a dive and retrieval event, and several other events in which I had to demonstrate lifeguard skills.  Surprisingly enough, me and my partner received first place in this competition!  All that said, I’m glad to be aboard, and looking forward to contribute and meet everyone!

John Kutz