The APOGEE English Press (AEP) sat down with Aditi Sharma, the Joint-Coordinator of the Chemical Engineering Association (CheA), to gain insight into their work for the upcoming fest.

Aditi explained that ChEA served as a medium to bridge the gap between students pursuing chemical engineering and the faculty members of the department. The Association did this by organising panel discussions and by acting as a channel of communication, to make students feel comfortable going to the faculty for guidance. It helped build meaningful connections with the professors and learn from their experiences.

This year, ChEA would be organising two events– Scentopia and Chem-E-Trade. Aditi elaborated that Scentopia was a paid stall event where participants were provided with the base, ethanol, and a perfume bottle, along with a variety of scents and essential oils. They could  experiment with different top and base notes to create their own signature scent.

Furthermore, the Association would be organising Chem-E-Trade, which was an industry simulation where participants began by bidding for an industry, and then proceeded to further rounds. The participants were met with challenges along the way, where they were required to buy raw materials, trade with other teams, and find solutions to whatever hurdles come their way. The winners were judged on who was closest to building their industry and had the most amount of money left.

Describing her experience as the Coordinator, Aditi shared that she was not someone who liked to leave things to be done until the last moment. As a result, the Association started its process of ideation and obtaining permissions right at the beginning of the semester, giving them plenty of time to ensure everything was smoothly organised. She thanked her fellow batchies and juniors for their immense cooperation during the process, and mentioned how helpful and supportive it was to work with her Joint Coordinator.

As a parting note, she urged the student body to participate in their events and not be too shy to approach the department, as they would be welcomed with open arms.