Carolyn Ramirez
Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas
Research Area: Nanotechnology, specifically perovskite photovoltaics
Why I chose to study Chemical Engineering: After taking Chemistry my sophomore year in high school, I realized my passion for the subject and the environmental side of energy, and my teacher told me about the practicality of engineering. I found that I could do research, solve problems, and have a lot of freedom with my career via engineering, so here I am.
What I love about Austin: Austin really is the greatest city in the country — it has everything! I especially love the music scene and attend way too many concerts and music festivals for my budget, but it’s worth it. Austin also has every kind of food you could ever want — especially queso.
My advice for incoming freshmen: Get involved! The worst thing you can do is sit in your dorm room and stay in your comfort zone. Jester may seem cool at first, but there is so much more that UT and the city of Austin have to offer. Join organizations, go to quirky new events, explore this awesome city — college is a time to meet interesting new people and learn a lot about yourself and your new home: UT.
Student involvement: I am a member of Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity, my sorority Alpha Xi Delta, and I edit for The University of Texas at Austin Undergraduate Research Journal. Getting involved in lots of engineering organizations introduced me to my best friends, and getting involved outside of engineering broadened my network and has diversified my UT experience.
Three things most people don’t know about me:
1. I have a twin brother.
2. I am published in ACS Nano.
3. I have a strong disdain for ketchup.