From ChBE Student to Developer of Your Favorite Foods
If you’ve enjoyed a LifeSavers recently, you’ve tasted the work of ChE alumnus Christine Borwankar (ChE ’84, M.S. ChE ’86). Although she set out to have a career in chemical engineering, Christine never imagined she’d end up in the food industry.As a high school student, Chris always had an interest in math and science. Upon the recommendation of her sister, she decided to pursue a B.S. in chemical engineering. Chris comments, “I honestly wasn’t sure what a chemical engineer did, but I thought if I liked the education that led to a degree I was bound to like the field. I guess that logic worked!”
She came to IIT based on her father’s recollection of the prestige of the university and the current reputation of IIT’s engineering programs. Chris was a commuter student while pursuing her degree, working her way through college and the rigorous demands of the chemical engineering program. After she completed her B.S., she went on for a master’s degree and benefitted tremendously from professors with industry experience. Chris adds, “I think that really helped me appreciate the application of science into the real world and start to envision my future. I started to feel the value of what I learned, and how it could make a difference in the work force.”
Upon completion of her master’s, Chris moved across country to California to work for a small pharmaceutical company. There she worked on encapsulation research with liposomes. Though she enjoyed the culture of the small organization and the camaraderie with her colleagues, her career there was short-lived. She and her husband, another IIT alumnus, soon moved back to Chicago for other career opportunities.
Since returning to the Windy City, Chris has had the good fortune to work for some of the most recognizable food companies in the world – M&M/Mars, Kraft Foods and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. She soon found the food industry fit her perfectly. “I had no idea when I started in chemical engineering that there were so many chemical engineers in food,” remarks Chris. “I was thrilled to find a way to combine my obsession with food, my curiosity for how things are made and my education into a career.”
Throughout her career in food, she’s worked on the start-up of a new chocolate manufacturing line, and improvements to Velveeta, Cheez Whiz, CremeSavers, LifeSavers, meal kits for lasagna, flavored cream cheese, process cheese spreads, hot mustard sauce and nacho cheese sauce. Chris is now a project manager in new product development with the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. In this role, she works closely with cross-functional teams to develop and commercialize new products created by the company. Her current projects focus on Extra and Eclipse Gums. “It’s pretty exciting to work on products that everyone can relate to – and delicious too,” she comments.
Chris’ job gives her exposure to many elements of Wrigley’s operations, including marketing consumer insights, sales and the supply chain. She relates her job to fitting the pieces of a puzzle together to deliver the best products to consumers, a role she enjoys. Her favorite part of her job is attending focus groups to hear consumer reactions to Wrigley’s products. Chris adds, “I feel very passionate about becoming the voice of the consumer and representing their interests – what they say they want - and also trying to understand them well enough to deliver things that they may not even know they want.”
Finding an industry where she could combine her interests with her education was critical to Chris’ success. She advises current and prospective students in chemical engineering to find a field they are passionate about and enjoy learning all aspects of so that they are never bored and continue to grow. She adds, “If you build a solid foundation, and believe in your own abilities, you’ll be able to achieve whatever your heart desires.”
Christine Borwankar, and the hundreds of other chemical engineers, plays a significant role in the food consumed each day. Just another example of the many areas of life touched by chemical engineering, and what a degree from IIT can do for determined and passionate individuals!
