The Chemical and Biochemical department hosts professional seminars each semester for students in the program who want more information about all the possibilities and opportunities their degree can help them achieve. Annemarie Weber, a graduate from the department, credits these seminars as a resource that aided her career discovery. She currently works in Chicago as an engineering consultant.

How did you choose to attend the University of Iowa?

My mom asked me to visit the University of Iowa and I was convinced I would hate the school and that it would be a waste of time. On the day of my first tour, we ended up spending 20-minutes driving around campus which is when I felt like I wanted to go to school to here. The campus really felt like home even though it was my first time in Iowa City. I chose chemical engineering because of how much I loved math and chemistry in high school.

Describe your career path and the work you are currently doing.

I really wasn’t sure of my career path when I was in college so when it was time to start applying for jobs, I applied to anything and everything. It wasn’t until after I interviewed with a consulting firm that I quickly realized that was the path I wanted to go.

I am currently an engineering consultant at a firm called cGMP Consulting Inc. We mainly provide technical writing, validation and project management assistance for pharmaceutical companies around Chicago.

How did the ChemE Department prepare you for your future career?

The department really taught me to manage my time wisely. I would say organization and time management are key to success in any career.

What advice would you want to share with current or future undergraduate students?

Pick your EFA wisely. Students may think that picking a difficult or more impressive EFA is beneficial for your career, but I would argue that a more simplistic EFA such as business or entrepreneurship would probably benefit students in the long run. I also wish I had taken more project management classes as they pertain more to the path I am currently on.