Nicholas Antrasian

Nicholas Antrasian says he finds it exciting that a person with a chemical engineering background can pursue a wide variety of careers.

“Chemical engineering is incredibly versatile and can impact others in countless ways,” he says.

As a student in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, Antrasian worked with Assistant Professor Linqin Mu to advance research on sodium-ion batteries. He also supported efforts to build and implement a plastic processing system to combat plastic waste in Debark, Ethiopia, through the Engineers Without Borders club at ASU.

He says these experiences helped him learn and enhance a range of skills, including welding, 3D modeling, 3D printing and more.

“This past summer I traveled for two weeks to rebuild and implement the shredder in Ethiopia at Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, where students are working to test and improve upon it now,“ Antrasian says. “I am grateful for the experience and aim to continue with the project as long as I can.”

But it didn’t always go smoothly. His first lab session presented a steep learning curve that turned into an “aha!” moment.

“The first time looking at the data it felt like I was looking at incoherent gibberish that didn’t signify anything,” he says.

After some analysis, however, the data began to make sense, and Antrasian was able to write up the lab report.

“It was my first big chemical engineering triumph and a confirmation that I was not only on the right path, but was undeniably capable of being on such a path.”

Antrasian is grateful for the support he received along the bumpy journey.

“Tyler Eglen taught me what it truly means to be an engineer and never failed to lead by example,” he says. “He is unquestionably a fantastic educator and has remarkable patience.”

Antrasian is interning at Intel and plans to enroll in ASU’s Accelerated Master’s degree program after graduation. In the long run, he says he wants to work as an engineering contractor, especially in renewable energy systems.

“I think everyone needs a sense of purpose in their life, and engineering has provided that to me,” he says. “I love the fact that there is always something that can be improved or created.”

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ fall 2024 class here.