This is a guest student blog about Angel Prado Calderon, written by Hansini Ramachandran.
Angel is a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering from Orange County, California. He was always interested in biology and chemistry, but had a passion to make a career and help others out of it. After taking AP chemistry in his junior year of high school, Angel was inspired by his teacher and knew that he wanted to become a chemical engineer. He loves how broad the field is, with applications ranging from petroleum to material science to biology and pharmaceutical development. Currently, he is taking PHYS 152, CHE 350, ANTH 371, EIS 499, and CHE 444 AL.
Like many students, Angel got involved in research on campus early. He participated in the Viterbi Summer Institute (VSI) program during the summer before his freshman year. Through the connections he made with peers, mentors, and professors, Angel was able to shift labs and get funded through a program called CURVE. When people say connections are everything, they really mean it! He is currently a student researcher at the McCain Lab (Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering) where he is working on microfluidic systems that can help cure neurodevelopmental diseases like autism.
Apart from research, Angel is an E-board member of USC’s AICHE chapter, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. As a member of the academic committee, he helps students get connected to professors and research opportunities by organizing coffee chats, conferences, and other major events. He says, as a low-income and first generation student, AICHE helped him find a place at USC, supportive upperclassmen, and a sense of community in the chemical engineering department. Angel is an active member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), which aims to connect students to industry by holding national conferences, speaker events, and career preparation workshops.
Busting the myth that engineers cannot be passionate about arts, Angel is a part of the Trojan Marching Band where he plays the mellophone. He grew up playing the violin and trumpet; music was always a part of his life. He admits that school does get a little crazy sometimes — with classes, homeworks, and labs. However, as someone who likes to keep himself occupied, Angel uses marching band as a break from engineering and an opportunity to pursue his musical interests.
Angel hopes to complete his masters at USC through the progressive degree program, likely in a more biological field. While he is keeping the option to pursue a PhD open in the future, his goal is to work in the intersection of chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, and technology — at companies like Abbott and Amgen.
