NCERC

Blas Quiroga III

Visiting Research Fellow, January-October 2022

How would you describe your fellowship experience at NCERC?

My time as a Visiting Research Fellow at NCERC was a positive experience. From the time the position was available, I knew it was the right opportunity for my career pathway. At NCERC, I was able to transition from academia to industry and from my previous background doing bacterial fermentation at benchtop scale. During my fellowship, I gained hands-on experience in anaerobic yeast fermentation at the pilot scale integrated with the plant distributed controller system for process controls and data acquisition.

What was your favorite assignment during your 9-month fellowship?
My favorite assignment involved working with the senior engineer to utilize the 150L fermenter for a client project. From using the DCS to troubleshooting the vessel, I was able to apply my engineering skills in real time. It was a firsthand view of how pumps, heat exchangers, hand valves, mass flow controller, etc work. Those same principles carry over to other bioprocessing equipment, such as the double planetary mixers, the vacuum tray dryer, and other fermenters, which helped me to expand my skillset using equipment.

Would you recommend the fellowship program to another engineer?
I highly recommend the Visiting Research Fellowship to any aspiring scientist or engineer interested in a career in biofuels or other similar industries. The fellowship allows a prospective candidate to apply what they've learned as a student in an industrial setting and allows the fellow to work in a multidisciplinary team of research scientists and engineers on client projects.

About the Fellowship Program:

The Visiting Research Fellowship and Postdoctoral Research Fellowship programs are an unrivaled learning opportunity for recent graduates of a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD program who are interested in pursuing a career in research in the bioeconomy. Fellows work under the guidance of two supervisors who provide them with the technical expertise needed to thrive in their research environments and the leadership skills they need to ramp up the trajectory of their careers. This joint supervisory model ensures the connection of theory to practice and builds upon the Fellow’s academic degree through applied, hands-on learning in an industrial setting. This program is designed to prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists for work in high-skill jobs in the bioeconomy. Learn more on our Workforce Training & Education webpage!