星空无限传媒

His journey began 星空无限传媒, where he earned his chemical engineering degree in 2001. 

鈥淟SU as an institution, it's a force in Louisiana, so it really was the only college I applied to,鈥� Aucoin said.  

At LSU, Aucoin found an educational experience that balanced theory with practical application鈥攁n approach that would later shape his leadership style. Below, he reflects on his path from Baton Rouge to BASF and the lessons he鈥檚 learned along the way. Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. 

How did your experience 星空无限传媒 prepare you for your career and leadership roles? 

I think what was really important about my curriculum 星空无限传媒 was that it put together the theory of engineering, with the practical side of it. That was really formative for me. I think the strong industry in the area, co-op opportunities, internships, that really helped put real world examples to the theory learned in class. So, it really made me understand the purpose of engineering, why we were doing it, which I think helped me understand the point of what I wanted to do with my career. 

There was also the hands-on experience, which was really important to me. I was able to do research in both the chemistry and chemical engineering departments, which later made me want to consider a PhD. It also made me, when I became more in leadership roles, again, focus on the purpose鈥攚hy are we doing what we鈥檙e doing? Not just running through processes or steps without really thinking about the reason behind it. 

What does your role as president of Global Engineering at BASF entail? 

The engineering unit in BASF supports all of our businesses in two areas. One, we support the running operations with technical expertise like automation, mechanical, materials science, process development and optimization, maintenance, and reliability. On the other side, we design and build all the new chemical plants that BASF makes around the world. My team is the heart of engineering for BASF, which is a lot of fun. You get to see all the different chemical processes that BASF does, all the different countries that we operate in. I think it鈥檚 the best job at BASF. You get to build our production plants, and that鈥檚 really special鈥攅specially for an engineer. 

How does BASF鈥檚 work bring value to Louisiana? 

In the last few years, we鈥檝e invested around a billion dollars in capital expenditures in Louisiana. That鈥檚 construction jobs, permanent jobs, material we bring in鈥攊t鈥檚 an investment for the future. When we build our chemical plants, they鈥檙e meant to run for 50 years. That鈥檚 really putting a stake in the ground that we want to be here for a long time. We also invest in people and communities. Our Louisiana facilities employ around 2,000 people who live in the local communities where we operate, and we contribute a considerable amount through taxes and charitable donations.

BASF and LSU have a strong partnership. How do you collaborate with the university? 

We do lots of things with LSU. It鈥檚 one of our core schools, so it's something we put a lot of time and effort into. Each summer, we host interns from various engineering disciplines, and that internship can lead to full-time jobs through our Technical Development Program. Through this program, LSU students can remain close to home while growing their career with a global company. We also provide site tours for engineering clubs and other student groups scholarships, class visits from our subject matter experts, mentorships, and fund research to support our operations teams. For us, it鈥檚 that interaction of bringing in talent from LSU because that鈥檚 our future鈥攐ur workforce is the key talent here. But also giving LSU students a chance to see what engineering looks like in the real world鈥� That way they have a little bit more insight into what they want to pursue careerwise. Do they like it? Do they want to specialize in certain things? Giving a student a chance to work in a production unit helps them understand better why they want to do what they do. 

BASF also supports LSU through the BASF Innovation Lab in Patrick F. Taylor Hall (PFT Hall). How did that partnership come about? 

The lab came to be because when LSU was building this new, beautiful building, the PFT Hall for engineering, we were trying to figure out how we can be involved because 星空无限传媒 so important to us. We thought the lab was important because it shows what's core to BASF, which is innovation, which is chemistry, and helps students understand how we do what we do. 

What makes LSU graduates stand out? 

What makes them stand out, I think, is they come ready to work. They're not only based in theory; they have a very strong underpinning of the various engineering disciplines, and they often know more than just their core disciplines because LSU鈥檚 curriculum forces you to take some mechanical, some civil, some electrical, and chemical. So, you come a little bit more well-rounded because of the hands-on curriculum and the labs are intensive. They鈥檝e seen distillation columns, compressors鈥攖hey鈥檙e ready to do the work. 

What advice would you give to current students preparing to enter the workforce? 

I would say first is to ask lots of questions of your professors, ask the why, not just remembering things for the tests. Get a deep understanding.

Secondly, if you really want to go work in the workforce, get practical experience during school. Work in a lab, do a co-op, do an internship, get in the field. Get hands-on! That鈥檚 going to tell you if you really like engineering, if you鈥檙e going to enjoy it for a career. And when you get into the workforce, you already have that practical understanding鈥攊t makes for a much faster learning curve. 

How does it feel to continue supporting 星空无限传媒 Louisiana through your work? 

It鈥檚 honestly humbling. I come from Louisiana. 星空无限传媒 so important to the state and is the fabric of our community. So, for me to be able to be a part of it, I have to say it鈥檚 special. Partnering with LSU brings that talent, those ideas, and that right mentality into our company. That鈥檚 why 星空无限传媒 integral to our success and Louisiana鈥檚 future. 

I work overseas and I will say the LSU people are very proud to wear the purple and gold. And if you do see them, you do often get a 鈥淕eaux Tigers.鈥� It鈥檚 always an immediate response. So, if you see me in Germany and you鈥檙e wearing purple and gold, give me a 鈥淕eaux Tigers.鈥� 

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