Cheryl Chan

Experience

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  UC San Diego ChemE Car

  Sept 2014 - Jun 2015

  Research And Development Engineer

  ChemE Car is a student run organization concentrated on building a small chemically-powered car to be competed in an annual regional conference. My team, which consisted of 6 other undergraduate engineers, researched into a zinc-air battery propulsion system. For the first 3 months, I performed intensive research on the system. The remaining 6 months consisted of weekly experimental trials. The zinc was submerged in a solution with electrolytes (sodium hydroxide) to act as an anode while oxygen acted as a cathode, creating a setup that formed hydroxyl ions. The hydroxyl ions, along with the carbon paste, released electrons to the cathode. I analyzed data on a weekly basis, evaluating circuitry, voltage, distance travel, and time. Our car ranked 4th out of several other universities in the western region at the annual regional conference. Show less

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  Global TIES - Teams in Engineering Service

  Apr 2015 - Sept 2016

  I had to design a lyophilization process and test it for functionality. While I worked with a team to design the process, we kept notes on protocol and conducted failure analysis after every trial. With up-to-date protocols, I often was responsible for conducting experiments on my own, following the constructed procedure, and taking note of details that were of importance for possible future failure analysis. Experiments were done within a self-made vacuum chamber that was placed in a cooling bath. Many cooling mechanisms and chemical reactions were explored. By the end of the three month intern period, a functioning process was developed and was able to be used for greater purpose as part of a HIV testing medical device for a community in Mozambique, Africa. Show less The project focused on the development of a HIV testing medical device. My primary role was to design an innovative RNA extraction method that costs less than $100. I proposed a method utilizing magnetic nanobeads. I collaborated with the team’s supervisor to run the proposed method at a laboratory workbench for proof-of-concept. Once establishing the method, I proceeded to explore other areas of the project and manufactured a silicon microwell chip through soft lithography, curing, hot embossing, and plasma treatment. Show less

  • Summer Intern

    Jun 2016 - Sept 2016

  • Research And Development Engineer

    Apr 2015 - Sept 2016
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  AIChE - American Institute of Chemical Engineers

  May 2016 - Jun 2018

  I was a project manager for a water purification device project whose aim was to develop a cost-efficient, cryogenic process to desalinate ocean water, converting it into potable water. I conducted interviews to build a team of 10, set up weekly meeting times, and updated members on research and previous designs. I produced a Gantt chart to maintain progress and identify key milestones. I wrote proposals for funding applications, gaining over $300 within the first month. Use of Arduino UNO, SolidWorks, and soldering successfully aided in the development of prototypes. Show less I designed a desalination process flow diagram (PFD) integrating an innovative, cost-efficient cryogenic method. My primary role was to research into chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of 3D printing materials for material selection for the first prototype. I prepared a presentation for 8 team members, outlining the print temperature, bed temperature, ductile-to-brittle transition temperature, and cost of 3D printing materials such as ABS, PLA, PET, PETG, TPC, nylon, and polycarbon. PLA proved to be the best choice for our needs and SolidWorks was used for the first design. The prototype parts were 3D printed using Prusa i3 MK3 and the first prototype was successfully constructed. Nine months into the project, I was promoted to Project Manager. Show less As an active member for 2 years, I was elected Vice President of Finance for which I was responsible for budgeting thousands of dollars for weekly events, providing counsel on logistical issues at weekly meetings, and filling out paperwork to obtain sufficient amount of funding for each and every event. I also coordinated and budgeted thousands of dollars for the 2017 AIChE annual conference where I raised over $20,000, meeting all expenses and profited with $1,000 to donate to next year's hosts. Show less

  • Project Manager

    Apr 2017 - Jun 2018

  • Materials Specialist

    Jun 2016 - Apr 2017

  • Vice President of Finance

    May 2016 - Apr 2017
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  Department of Nanoengineering, UCSD

  Jun 2016 - Dec 2016

  Research Assistant

  I worked under a Postdoctoral student whose research focused on developing a controlled microscale drug delivery system. I was responsible for synthesizing a variety of metal nanowires through electro-deposition, assembling a three-electrode system. Every week, experimental trials were conducted in the hopes of successful bonding and release of proteins between nanomotors based on the pH conditions in which the nanomotors were placed in. I analyzed these nanomotors by observing mobility using imaging with a biological microscope. Failure analysis frequently occurred, leading to iterations of design and procedure. Show less

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  Arcturus Therapeutics

  Nov 2017 - Jul 2018

  Analytical Development Intern

  I originally was hired as a part-time intern while I attended my final and fourth year as an undergraduate at UC San Diego. After graduating, I began working full-time with the Analytical Development team to perform daily analysis of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) by applying analytical chemistry. Routine duties included quantification of RNA and proteins by binding and reading fluorescent markers, quality control (QC) mRNA analysis by capillary electrophoresis, evaluation of the pKa of LNPs by the commonly known TNS assay, and lipid analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analyzing chromatograms. I read through multiple standard operating procedures (SOPs), successfully performed these analytical assays with precision, and inputted 40-100 data entries in a master Excel database on a daily basis. Show less

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  University of California, Berkeley

  Aug 2018 - May 2019

  I was in the Product Development Program (PDP) at the University of California, Berkeley, obtaining my M.S. in Chemical Engineering. The program focuses on innovation, product adoption, and risk management. Case studies of real-world new product development challenges are used to simulate the managerial challenges that will most likely be confronted in the field. I was working on projects that require analysis of business models, development of a societal, economic, and technological (SET) model, market research, product adoption analysis using Roger's Five Factors, and analysis of other elements of implementation for new product development. Show less

  • Graduate Student Instructor

    Jan 2019 - May 2019

  • Graduate Student

    Aug 2018 - May 2019
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  Givaudan

  Jan 2019 - May 2019

  Student Consultant

  As a field project for my Master's program, I worked with a team to conduct market research for Givaudan, a global flavors and fragrances company. We cultivated a competitive landscape of plant-based proteins for nutritional beverage application. Based on our research, we wrote a proposal advocating the commercialization of 6 new plant-based proteins to be used in nutritional beverages, taking into account functionality and applicability in consumer products, regulatory assessment, and new product development. Our client was highly impressed with our work and showcased it in Givaudan’s media campaign: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2019/06/26/Berkeley-researchers-identify-six-up-and-coming-protein-game-changers Show less

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  Cardinal Health

  Sept 2019 - Apr 2020

  • Senior Manufacturing Engineer

    Jan 2020 - Apr 2020

  • Manufacturing Engineer

    Sept 2019 - Dec 2019
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  Abbott

  Apr 2020 - Oct 2021

  • R&D Engineer II

    Mar 2021 - Oct 2021

  • Manufacturing Engineer

    Apr 2020 - Mar 2021
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  Edwards Lifesciences

  Oct 2021 - now

  • Sr. Engineer, Textiles & Materials Science

    Apr 2024 - now

  • Engineer II, Textiles & Materials Science

    Oct 2021 - Apr 2024