- Major: Chemical Engineering
- Company: American Accessories International, Kimberly Clark
- Graduation Year: 2024
- E-mail: awhit129@vols.utk.edu
Profile
My name is Abbie White and I am senior studying chemical engineering with a minor in business administration. I grew up here in Knoxville, so some of my favorite things to do include Crossfit, scuba diving (which UT offers!), eating in Market Square with friends, and going to UT football games!
On campus, I am involved in organizations like Society of Women Engineers (SWE), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Cook Grand Challenge Engineering Honors Program, The Walk, and Christian Students. I am also a teaching assistant for the honors engineering fundamentals (EF) first year courses.
My first internship was at American Accessories International in 2021 working in product development as well as accounting. My time there was a unique opportunity to use my interests and what I have learned in engineering and business courses to contribute to current projects for Fortune 500 companies. This was my first time interning with a company, and I was grateful that my advisor in the Engineering Professional Practice office helped me feel prepared going into the interview and internship.
My second co-op was 2 terms with Kimberly Clark in Loudon where I worked as a process engineer on their fiber lines. Some of my projects here included reducing bleaching costs by conducting color and bleach testing across varying stages of fiber lines to improve color and brightness across the process, assisting in the startup of a printed broke processing system including calibration and flake removal efficiency testing, and assisting in vendor defoaming trials by comparing foam height, entrained air, and cost of defoamers to identify the best defoamer for all fiber lines.
I continued with Kimberly Clark for another 2 terms in Roswell, Georgia as an R&D engineering co-op in their corporate offices. This role was definitely my favorite part of being with Kimberly Clark and fit well with my personal interests in business and the product development side of engineering. Some of my project here included creating a flushable towel following IWSFG flushability guidelines, developing a quantitative standard for embossing quality through data analysis and conducting a visual test panel, and prototyping the usability of a new disposable mop pad.
