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Matthew Ritter

Matthew Ritter
Pennsburg, Pennsylvania
Indian Vally Bulk Carriers, Inc.
Scholarship Won: Truck Writers Scholarship - $2,500

Currently, I am in my senior year at Penn State University majoring in Chemical engineering with a minor in materials science. Throughout my college career, I have taken many important chemical engineering and materials science classes that have greatly increased my knowledge of how chemical engineers influence all industries, including the trucking industry. Chemical engineers, especially those involved with materials science, are always creating new materials and processes that greatly reduce the cost and improve the properties of many common goods. Almost all of these products are then distributed by the trucking industry, and some of them are even used by the trucking industry in various applications. From the tires to the seat belts, almost every single component that makes up a tractor-trailer has been influenced by a chemical or materials engineer. Without chemical and materials engineers, the trucking industry would look extremely different today and might not even be possible. Things such as tires, air bags, and windshield wipers would not even exist without the help of the chemical engineering industry. The world as we know it would be drastically different without the constant discoveries and advancements made everyday by chemical engineers around the world. With every passing semester, I can see myself getting one step closer to reaching my goal of becoming a successful chemical engineer. Looking back on my college career, up to this point, I am very pleased and excited with how I have grown as a chemical engineer. I hope to continue to grow and acquire more knowledge in order to enable myself to become a successful chemical engineer. I am looking forward to my remaining classes in chemical engineering, and I hope to learn more about how chemical engineers are helping people all over the world live healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives.