Abe Wiletsky
Major
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Award
Distinguished Peer Mentor Award
Post-graduation plans
Pursuing a master's degree in Life Sciences engineering at the École Polytech
Why did you receive this award?
I think I received this award because of my efforts to personally connect with and support my mentees, students and peers. I have been a course assistant for three different courses, and I am a course assistant for two classes this semester. I am an ambassador for the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and I have been a peer mentor for two years. It is extremely important to me that my mentees and students not only succeed in chemical and biological engineering but also do not feel discouraged from asking questions or struggling. Finally, I try to communicate with as many of my peers as I can so that I can be a good link between students and professors as an
ambassador.
What are some interesting things about you that others might not know?
I've had a really great experience at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ. I've been a course assistant for several ChBE courses including Thermo I & II and Separations, which I've genuinely loved because I get to keep learning while helping others work through tough material. Outside the classroom, I've been lucky to have some incredible experiences: I volunteered in Thailand after my freshman year, did research at University of California, Santa Barbara, and spent a summer studying abroad in Spain. Each of these experiences taught me something different about how I want to engage with the world.
Tell us about a moment when you felt like you were "officially" an engineer.
I used to think being an engineer meant acing exams, but my "official engineer" moment came somewhere between troubleshooting my Aspen simulation over the weekend and seeing fugacity click for a student as I was explaining it to them. Engineering started feeling real when I was actually doing it; troubleshooting, teaching, figuring things out in real life or in the lab, not when I was being graded on it. When I stopped waiting for a score to tell me I was an engineer, that's when I felt like one.
What is your favorite ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ memory?
I don't have a specific favorite memory, but I really enjoyed getting to know everyone in my major during my time here. As chemical and biological engineers, we spend most of our days in the same building, and you really form a strong community after spending all that time together. Watching those around me—and myself—grow and become closer over the years has been a lot of fun.
What is your best piece of advice for other students?
To all future students, my advice would be to keep pushing forward and lean on the community around you. Chemical and biological engineering are incredibly difficult and demanding majors, but they can also be very rewarding. You may feel discouraged at times, but do not give up. Build friendships with peers you can study with, ask your professors and course assistants for help and create a supportive environment around yourself where you can thrive. Remember that there are many people around you who want you to succeed, and you can, as long as you keep pushing forward.