Emma Whitmer

Hi! My name is Emma Whitmer and I am a sophomore at UC Davis studying Chemical Engineering.

I was mainly drawn to my major because I've always been interested in the problem solving aspect of engineering. Learning about the way things operate/work has always fascinated me as a child. Also, AP chemistry was one of my favorite classes in high school so it was only natural to combine the two.

Unfortunately, chemical engineering is more physics than it is chemistry.

Chemical Engineering has such a vast array of industries to go into that I'm still unsure of what I would like to pursue. As of right now, I am very interested in the more mechanical side, such as semiconductor production or automation engineering. I'm also hoping to learn more about pharmaceutical production because many companies need chemical engineers to scale the production process and make medicine for people with certain conditions. Even though I don't know exactly what I want to do yet, I'm excited to learn about the industry opportunities that await me.

I didn't always feel this way but nowadays, I actively find ways to be more involved in activities on campus. One of my involvements is being a sophomore representative for the UC Davis AIChE Chapter, which is a club to provide resources for chemical engineering students. As a sophomore rep, I plan socials for my peers and communicate information about upcoming events to club members.

Another activity I recently started is archery!

I don't have a lot of experience repairing things, but I have successfully repaired the inner tube of my bike tire (with the help of a friend of course). Most of my enjoyment comes from building models or fun contraptions from kits but I'm always willing to learn a new skill. I'm particularly interested in learning more about bike repairs because of how big the bike culture is in Davis.

In my free time, I like playing the piano and baking. I've also taken ballet lessons for most of my life, which I still try to do as a college elective on occasion.

My favorite hobby is building paper models and various other kits I can get my hands on.

A book nook kit I assembled. The lighting was also installed by me!

A Kumamoto Castle paper model I made a while back.

I have one cat named Suki and she loves exploring the great outdoors.