Alejandra Constante Perez, PhD
***** ******** ***** # ***, ****** Spring, MD, 20902
205-***-**** **********@*****.***
PROFILE
PhD in Materials Engineer with B.S. in Chemical Engineer and research experience in the process development of polymeric composites materials.
Experienced on algae fiber reinforced plastics materials, achieved the improvement on their mechanical performance and durability up to 30 -60%. Secure funding of $70,000 for research work through grant proposals.
Strong written and oral communication skills. Good motivator, flexible, and decision making team worker
Over 5 years of working experience for Oil Refinery and Thermoelectric industries in the area of process development and interaction with manufacturing groups to develop audits and risk assessments by HAZOP and fault tree analysis methodology.
EDUCATION
University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
Ph.D. in Materials Engineering 2015
Universidad de los Andes Bogotá, Colombia
B.S. in Chemical Engineer 2003
Minor in Business Management and Organization
EXPERIENCE
University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
Graduate Research Assistant 2010 – 2015
Successfully wrote funding proposals for $25,000 and $10,000 to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Sustainable Smart Cities Center at UAB respectively.
Publication of three research papers and one conference paper on peer reviewed journals
Improvement of about 40% on the mechanical performance of polymers by the reinforcement with extracted natural fibers. Statistical analysis of single fiber properties and mechanical performance of the algae – thermoplastic/thermoset composites materials.
Development of the chemical process to extract fibers to reutilize at least 80% of the waste biomass at lower cost process
Experienced on design of experiment (DOE) for composite materials development projects
Teamwork member of technical projects to i1ndustry partners such as
oExtrusion- compression molding of polymer blends formulation to improve thermal conductivity at low cost without affect mechanical performance of tape product for oil extraction industry.
oSelection of right matrix to reinforced reclaimed carbon fiber, retaining 90% of the fiber properties and enhancing mechanical and damping properties by 30 – 40%
oDetermination of the recycled glass fiber length with a 95% confidence interval in a range of 0.85 -1 mm by image analysis
oStudy of processing defects in unidirectional carbon fiber-thermoplastic composites by image analysis. The length of the cracks and other defects were defined up to 85% for three variants of fiber.
Software Experience: Matlab, Jmp, CES, Excel, Office, Image J, ImageSpot, PhotoShop, ImagePro Plus
Processing experience on twin screw extruder, plasticator, Haake-mixer, Extrusion compression molding, and long fiber thermoplastics compounding.
Materials Characterization techniques: DSC, TGA, Rheology, SEM, Tensile test, flexural test, IZOD Impact, Environmental degradation, UV degradation, hygrothermal cycling, optical microscopy image analysis, burn off, FTIR, ASTM Standards of plastics and reinforced plastics.
Educated in thermodynamics, annealing, recrystallization, phase diagrams, solidification and mechanical behavior of materials, with emphasis on metallic materials.
Courses: Characterization of thin films, statistical mechanical, polymer chemistry, nanomaterials, physical materials, solidification, advanced mechanics of composites, and non-destructive evaluation of materials.
Schneider Electric Colombia (formerly Invensys) Bogota, Colombia
Service Engineer 2007 - 2010
Invensys is a global technology company focus on software and industrial automation with products such as Foxboro I/A and Triconex. The company was acquired by Schneider
Completed and proofed service of diagnostic reports by $25,000 each on each of the 14 Oil Refinery Units in Colombia
Promoted and delivered the alarm loop management policies for process units in Oil Refinery industry
Coordination of technical workshops with the HAZOP methodology, involving the levels of management, engineer, and operational groups in the alarm management process.
Setting the goals to identify and eliminate at least 300 – 1,000 bad actors in the production process of each process unit.
Hyundai Heavy Industries Bogota, Colombia
Project Engineer 2004 – 2007
Authorized distributor of Hyundai heavy equipment for Colombia
Formulated three sustainable energy projects for Non-Interconnected zones in Colombia, which is about 25% of the country
Customized the pricing policy for Hyundai Equipment in Colombia, for at least 50 heavy duty equipment models. Collaboration in the design of marketing approaches for the introduction of the new brand
Central Termoeléctrica de Paipa Paipa, Colombia
Internship 2001
This company is thermal power station with an installed capacity of 321 MW
Developed a qualitative risk analysis in operation using Fault Tree Analysis to Third Generation Unit of the thermal power station
Planned the standardized procedures for the Environmental laboratory in the power plant, according to the ISO 14000 guidelines.
AWARDS
Scholarship of the Natural Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Graduate Research Scholar Program (GRSP) from 2012 - 2015
2013 Sustainable Smart Cities Pilot Grant Awards ( $10,000) 2013 – 2014
International NSF Travel Grant to the workshop “Polymer and Composite Materials for Renewable Resources and Biorefinery: from Chemistry to Applications” NSF – PASI Workshop, Costa Rica August 2013
DISTINGHISHED MEMBERSHIPS
Tau Beta Pi – Engineer Honors Society, Alabama Chapter
Alpha Sigma Mu – Materials Engineering Honors Society
Society of Women Engineers
LANGUAGES
Spanish – fluent (Native)
English – Fluent. Read, write and speak with high proficiency
CERTIFICATIONS
ISO 9001-Version 2000 Bureau Veritas International (ISO 9000 :2000 Estructura y Lineamiento Documental, Bureau Veritas)
Planning and Control of Projects with Ms. Project (Planeación y Control de Proyectos con Ms Project, Escuela Colombia de Ingeniería, Germán Gutiérrez, Septiembre 2009.)