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A group of Chemical Engineering students from the University of Tulane visited Nunez’s Process Technology program on April 25 to tour Nunez’s methanol plant. The visit marks Tulane’s first return to Nunez since the coronavirus pandemic. The two programs partnered to establish the methanol plant at Nunez in 2012.
Nunez Community College’s Process Technology (PTEC) program has rekindled an old relationship with Tulane University’s Chemical Engineering program.
Approximately 15 Chemical Engineering students from Tulane visited Nunez on April 25 to tour the PTEC facilities, including the functioning methanol plant on the Nunez campus that was constructed in partnership with Tulane in 2012. The visit was Tulane’s first to the Nunez campus in four years, resuming a relationship between the two programs that had been dormant since the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Under the guidance of Nunez’s then-PTEC instructors Raymond Frey and Don Hoffman and Dr. Katie Russell, Senior Professor of Practice in Tulane’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the two programs met annually so students in each program could learn from one another.
“(Tulane students) get all the theory on how chemical processes occur in their classes,” said current Nunez PTEC Program Chair Kyle Steib. “Then they come here to see how those processes play out in a real-world, industrial setting. And our students get to pick their brains about the engineering side.”
Tulane Chemical Engineering student Brenda Ellis said the experience at Nunez “gave physical representations to the diagrams (she) studies for exams.”
“As someone interested in pursuing a career in the cosmetics industry, it was interesting to see how a process engineer would work together with technicians to uphold safety and quality standards, whether it be for methanol or moisturizers,” said Ellis. “My classmates and I were excited to put on hard hats, gloves and safety glasses and finally turn some valves! This gave a clearer picture of what the light at the end of the tunnel looks like.”
Enrollment is currently open for the Summer and Fall 2024 terms at Nunez.edu. The full lineup of PTEC courses will be available in the fall.
PTEC also offers a Fast Track program for students who already hold an associate degree or higher. Eligible students can earn their Associate of Applied Science Degree in PTEC in a single semester.
For more information on Nunez’s PTEC program email Program Chair Kyle Steib at ksteib@nunez.edu.
About Nunez Community College
Nunez Community College is a student-centered institution that delivers relevant and innovative curriculum integrating the arts, sciences, and humanities leading to academic credentials and workforce opportunities. Nunez serves a vital role in the community by engaging with partners to support student success and personal growth. Nunez Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Nunez Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org). Nunez is located at 3710 Paris Road, Chalmette, LA. For more information, visit www.nunez.edu.
