Officers

2024 ChEGSA Officers
 
President: Cheick Dosso
Vice President: Robert Maligon Querimit
Communication and Branding Chair: Julia Reynolds
Symposium Chairs: Charlotte Tausche, Owen Gerdes, Anna Witte
GSA Representatives: Ali Asger, Edwin Lebron Perez
Outreach and Community Chairs: Kacie Carrier, Rawia Marafi, Sydney Butikofer, Khantey Lim
Social Chairs: Emerson Uhlig, Maryam Ali, Natalie Burton, Rebecca So, Kyle Smith, Lia Milionis
Webmaster: James Sturgill

President

CheickDosso

Cheick Dosso

Hi, I’m Cheick. I am from Côte d’Ivoire, where I was born and raised. I got my bachelors in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and I am currently a fourth year PhD student under Grigorios Panagakos and Larry Biegler. My research is on carbon capture and refinery optimization and couples Computational Fluid Dynamics and Process Systems Engineering. Outside of school, you could find me at the gym, playing soccer, or making music.

Contact: cdosso@andrew.cmu.edu


Vice President

Robert Maligon Querimit

Robert Maligon Querimit

Hi, I’m Robert! I’m from Singapore, where I took my Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. I’m currently a second year PhD student in Prof. Torres’ group. In my free time I read and play games. Occasionally, I’d play volleyball too!

Contact: rmaligon@andrew.cmu.edu



Communication and Branding Chair

Julia Reynolds

Julia Reynolds

Hey everyone! I’m Julia and I’m from New Jersey. I graduated from Bucknell University in 2025 as a double major in chemistry and environmental science. Now, I am a first-year PhD student in Prof. Hamish Gordon’s group, where I do atmospheric modeling of dust. When I am not working, I love to exercise, bake, and go to concerts!

Contact: jareynol@andrew.cmu.edu


Symposium Chairs

Charlotte Tausche

Charlotte Tausche

I’m Charlotte, and I’m a second-year student in the Schneider Lab working on creating analytical methods for biotech applications. I’m originally from Atlanta, did my undergrad at Princeton University, and before coming to CMU I worked for three years in gene therapy process development in Boston. Outside of classes and research, I’ve picked up running as my most recent hobby, but I also appreciate finding new restaurants, baking sweets with my roommate, and hosting tabletop role-playing games.

Contact: ctausche@andrew.cmu.edu


Owen Gerdes

Owen Gerdes

Hey, I’m Owen! I’m a second year PhD student working with Larry Biegler and Carl Laird on methods for Dynamic Control and Optimization. I grew up in Morgantown, WV, and graduated from West Virginia University with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics. In my free time I enjoy playing basketball, running, and listening to music.

Contact: ogerdes@andrew.cmu.edu


Anna Witte

Anna Witte



Contact: awitte@andrew.cmu.edu


Social Chairs

Emerson Uhlig

Emerson Uhlig

Hi, I’m Emerson Uhlig. I studied chemical engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and I am now a second year PhD student studying transport processes at fluid-fluid interfaces with Professor Khair’s group. In my spare time I enjoy playing and listening to music, watching movies, cooking, rock climbing, hiking, playing pickup sports, spending time with my friends, and planning the next ChEGSA shindig.

Contact: euhlig@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Natalie Burton

Natalie Burton

Hi! I am Natalie Burton (or Nat), a second year student in Neil Donahue’s group studying aerosol behavior. Before coming to Pittsburgh, I lived in California, and in my free time I read or go on walks. If it was nutritionally feasible, I would live off of olives and dates, and I have thoughts about Febreze.

Contact: nburton2@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Maryam Ali

Maryam Ali

Hi, I’m Maryam! I’m a third-year PhD student working with Bob Tilton and Lynn Walker on sustainable reformulations. I did my undergrad at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in Chemical Engineering, minoring in Chemistry and Applied Maths. It’s also where I developed my appreciation for live music, home-brewed rice wine, and museums with free admission.

Contact: msali@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Rebecca So

Rebecca So

Hi, my name is Becky! I grew up in California and I studied chemical engineering at the University of Michigan. I am a first year PhD student co-advised by Professor James Schneider and Professor Huaying Zhang in the Biological Sciences Department. In my free time I enjoy ceramics, baking, exploring new cafes, watching documentaries, and traveling!

Contact: rso2@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Kyle Smith

Kyle Smith

Hi, I’m Kyle! I am from Seattle, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Washington. I am a first year PhD student working on photocatalysis. Outside of research, I enjoy exercising, playing magic the gathering, watching anime, listening to music, and putting as many animals into my pockets as I can while hiking.

Contact: kyles2@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Lia Milionis

Lia Milionis

Hey everyone! My name is Lia Milionis, and I am a first-year student studying electrocatalytic CO2 utilization in Professor Aisulu Aitbekova’s group. I’m from Nashville, TN, and received my bachelors degree in chemical engineering at Vanderbilt University. In my free time, I love playing and listening to music, reading, cooking, and spending time with my friends and family.

Contact: lmilioni@andrew.cmu.edu

 

GSA Representatives

Ali Asger

Ali Asger

Contact: aasger@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Edwin Lebrón Pérez

Edwin Lebrón Pérez

Hi, I’m Edwin, and I am a third-year Ph.D. student working with Professor Daphne WY Chan on block copolymer self-assembly behavior and processing. I grew up in Puerto Rico, but I moved to Houston to complete my BS in Chemical Engineering at Rice University. Some of the things I enjoy outside of research include anything music-related (playing bass guitar, listening to all kinds of music, making my own, etc.) and exercising.

Contact: elebronp@andrew.cmu.edu

 

 

Outreach Chairs

Kacie Carrier

Kacie Carrier

Hi! My name is Kacie, and I am a first-year PhD student from Pittsburgh! I earned my Bachelor’s degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering from New York University, and now I am a student in Professor Derin Sevenler’s lab. In my free time, I enjoy reading and going to the gym!

Contact: kcarrier@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Rawia Marafi

Rawia Marafi

Hi, I’m Rawia! I’m from Kuwait and I earned my bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Syracuse University. I’m a first-year PhD student studying the gut microbiome in Professor Tagbo Niepa’s lab. In my free time, I enjoy practicing yoga and playing Tsum Tsum.

Contact: rmarafi@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Sydney Butikofer

Sydney Butikofer

Contact: sbutikof@andrew.cmu.edu

 

Khantey Lim

Khantey Lim

Hi everyone! My name is Khantey Lim, and I am proudly from Cambodia! I completed a combined BS/MS program in Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University. I then worked for about a year as a process engineer before coming to CMU. I am a 2nd-year PhD student working with Professor Gabe Gomes and Stefan Bernhard! My happy places include watching movies, doing random karaoke, playing sports, and doing community service!

Contact: khanteyl@andrew.cmu.edu

 


Webmaster

 
James Sturgill

James Sturgill

Hello, I’m James Sturgill! I’m originally from Northwestern Kansas. I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. I’m a first-year PhD student working on differentiable flowsheeting with Professor John Kitchin and Professor Carl Laird. In my free time, I enjoy board/card games (particularly chess and contract bridge), fiction writing, and being involved with the campus ministry.

Contact: jsturgil@andrew.cmu.edu