Chemical Engineering junior Tim Ballai has just been granted a scholarship by the 2011 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) Scholars Program.  This program has a broad objective to advance the sciences of applied chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit, which includes promoting public awareness of the contributions of industrial chemistry, promoting fellowship, celebrating achievement, and inspiring students to enter technical careers.  In an effort to encompass all of this, the SCI joined with the American Chemistry Society (ACS) and several other professional organizations to develop the SCI Scholars Program. 

The SCI Scholars Program is unique, as it is a scholarship resulting in a summer internship as opposed to simply a cash prize.  It encourages undergraduate sophomores and juniors majoring in chemistry or chemical engineering to apply for a ten week internship.  The SCI selects scholars and assigns them to a company designated by the student based on application strength, statement of interest in an industrial internship, and letters of recommendation.  For the summer of 2011, 29 SCI scholars were selected from 28 different universities around the country to work for one of 15 companies involved.  This program both recognizes the accomplishments of these students as well as provides the students with an experience that will catapult them into the chemical industry.  Tim will complete his ten week internship this summer with Honeywell UOP in Geismar, Louisiana.