Nazia Aslam is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Connecticut, where she is pushing the boundaries of sustainability and smart manufacturing through advanced computational modeling. Mentored by Dr. George Bollas, Nazia is developing hybrid models that combine symbolic regression with physics-informed neural networks to forecast membrane fouling in ultrafiltration processes—a key advancement in water treatment and system optimization.

Nazia’s academic path began at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, where she graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Chemical Engineering. As an undergraduate, she explored reactor design and hydroponics system optimization and was recognized with the Armour R&D Fellowship. She also led the Chem-E Car project through the AIChE student chapter, showcasing early leadership that would define her career trajectory.

After graduation, Nazia spent several years in industry, including roles at ExxonMobil in Malaysia and a startup petrochemical plant. At ExxonMobil, she provided technical consultation on complex refining units and helped reduce CO₂ emissions by over 843 metric tons per year. Her diverse responsibilities ranged from process simulation and data analysis to procurement and plant startup, experiences that gave her a holistic view of chemical engineering in action. Eventually, her desire to pivot from fieldwork to computational research brought her to UConn’s graduate program, where she found the perfect fit for her evolving interests.

In 2024, Nazia was awarded the Pratt & Whitney Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering Fellowship, which supports her doctoral work in systems engineering, AI, and model-based design. She has presented her research at the AIChE Annual Meeting and is preparing for the upcoming 5th International Conference on Water Energy Food and Sustainability (ICoWEFS) in Portugal.

To complement her technical development, Nazia joined the John Lof Leadership Academy (JLLA) to further refine her leadership and interpersonal skills. She collaborated with teammates on workshop content development and found the experience both humbling and transformative. “JLLA has shown me many different aspects of leadership that can be challenging,” she reflects, “and taught me strategies to tackle them with confidence.”

Looking ahead, Nazia aims to continue working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and process systems engineering. Her advice to students? “Don’t be afraid to aim high—especially when it’s not the norm. Hard work never goes to waste, and humility will always carry you further.”