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Students Workshop - EPCA Annnual Meeting - Berlin, October 2011

In the context of the IYC, EPCA invited 14 award winning students in chemistry and related fields to join its Annual Meeting in Berlin from 2 until 4 October 2011. Students came from Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Brazil, India and the USA. The purpose of this initiative was to not only bridge the gap between the academic world and the business environment but also to motivate young talented people to join the chemical industry and to improve the overall public image of the chemical industry. During the Meeting, students had the opportunity to meet with senior representatives of EPCA members companies and participated in the EPCA Annual Meeting business sessions program, the logistics round table discussion forum and the closing session with Her Majesty Queen Noor. Students appreciated the opportunity to learn “from within” about the objectives, strategies and structure of the chemical industry and learned that this industry includes companies with very different activities ranging from extraction of raw materials to production of chemical products and sales. The workshop opened new horizons for their careers as the students understood that they could enjoy wide-ranging and varied careers in the chemicals sector.

Participants of EPCA Students Workshop with her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan

From left to right :

Baptiste Haddou, France, ENS (Ecole Normale Supérieur) of Paris
David Rodriguez, Spain, Universidad Autonoma Madrid
Sara Mohammed Al-Dhaheri, United Arab Emirates, Petroleum Institute of Abu Dhabi
Alex Blokhuis, The Netherlands, Eindhoven University of Technology
Daniil Khokhlov, Russia, Moscow State University
Shruti Khatri, India, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
Aqeel Alrajhi, Saudi Arabia, Ohio State University, USA
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan
Alberto Lena, Italy, University of Pavia
Iryna Barodzich, Belarus, Belarusion State University
Dr. Arvind Anant Natu, India, Indian Institute of Science, Education & Research – Mentor of the students at the EPCA Workshop
Robert Pollice, Austria, Vienna University of Technology
Petra Vizjak, Croatia, University of Zagreb
Levindo Garcia Quarto, Brazil, State University of Ceara (UECE)
Julia Batki, Hungary, Eotvos Lorand University
Martin Strebl, Germany, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich

  • Read about the students’ key findings of the workshop

  • Quotes from senior executives from EPCA member companies :

    • "The aim of the workshop was to bridge the gap between universities and industry ... and show that the chemical industry offers a range of great careers extending beyond research and development."

    • "The industry always needs leadership, and young people joining its workforce – regardless of the function they are in – should think about building their teamwork and team-leadership skills to progress to senior management."

    • "Science and engineering graduates can enjoy wide-ranging and varied careers in the chemicals sector, ranging from R&D and operational roles to logistics, sales, marketing and the highest senior management roles."

  • Feedback students on the Meet & Greet with a senior supply chain professional

    • Students were keen to hear the process that gets products to customers quickly and efficiently and safely. Feedback was very positive, with students reporting the discussion opened a window into an unfamiliar but fascinating aspect of the business.

  • 2011 EPCA Annual Meeting Report