A cherished member of the UH Cullen College of Engineering, chemical engineering senior Abraham Aboiralor, died unexpectedly on June 17. Aboiralor was a popular Cullen College student who will be remembered for his hard work, his perseverance, and his contagious smile.
Aboiralor moved to Houston to study chemical engineering at UH in 2012, after receiving his chemical engineering diploma from the University of Lagos in Nigeria. As a UH Cougar, he excelled both socially and academically. Aboiralor even landed a position as a research assistant for Lars Grabow, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering – a position he took very seriously. Grabow’s research involves identifying catalysts which can turn methane into something rarer and more valuable, such as methanol, ethane or ethylene, all of which have dozens of uses, mostly involving the creation of plastics and polymers. For Aboiralor, the research hit close to home.
“Dr. Grabow’s work really interested me because it tackles the problem of gas flaring, which is a big problem for my country of Nigeria, where we have a lot of natural gas but must use flaring because we don’t know what to do with it,” Aboiralor said during an interview in April. He said he hoped his contributions to Grabow’s research, and Grabow’s contributions to the research community at large, will open the door for more collaborations and research projects which will eventually provide a solution for ending the gas flaring problem. He said that he hoped to take what he learned at UH back to Nigeria after graduation to give back to his home country. “Hopefully, thanks to Dr. Grabow’s research, there will be no more gas flare in my country and they will be able to use natural gas to make higher value chemicals.”
Grabow, who rarely utilizes undergraduate researchers in his lab, said it was Aboiralor’s vision that made him stand out. “Abraham was always optimistic, motivated and full of positive energy. He accomplished great things in his short career and had the vision to make the world a better place. As his research advisor, I couldn’t be prouder and only wish I could support him longer throughout what would have been a very successful career. His hard working attitude and constant smile on his face was a great inspiration for all of us who worked with him every day.” Friends say Aboiralor looked up to Grabow so much, he had mentioned possibly pursuing a post-graduate degree at Grabow’s alma mater, the University of Wisconsin.
Earlier this spring, Aboiralor took his research from Grabow’s lab on the road when he competed in the American Chemical Society (ACS) post contest in Dallas. While he was there, he won the best undergraduate poster award in the Computers in Chemistry division as well as a $100 cash prize. The ACS is the largest scientific society and organizes two annual meetings for chemists and other closely related disciplines. Over 13,000 researchers were in attendance at the 2014 spring meeting. Aboiralor competed against hundreds of other undergraduate student posters to secure his win for the best overall poster.
“I was surprised because this was my first ACS conference and it’s a really big deal for even graduate researchers to win a poster award at the conference, so I was really surprised and happy at the same time,” Aboiralor said.
Mike Harold, chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the Cullen College, also reflected on Aboiralor’s impact on the college and the ChBE department. “Abraham embodied all that we, as faculty, hope to see in our students. He was energized by his studies. He had a sense of urgency, and he was innately curious. Abraham was an important contributor in Dr. Grabow’s research group; and he was an undergraduate working with a group of doctoral students. It is with sadness that such a gifted student with so much potential was taken from us.”
Elizabeth D. Rockwell Professor and Dean of the Cullen College of Engineering, Joseph W. Tedesco, stressed that the Cullen College community must rally around one another during this emotional time.
“Abraham was an inspiring student. He was operating at a very high level at such a young age, and it is nothing short of a tragedy for him to be taken so soon,” Tedesco said. “I ask that all of us in the Cullen College be there to comfort one another as well as Abraham’s family and loved ones as we try to navigate through this grief. I know that our community will do just that.”
Among his friends, Aboiralor was also known for his work ethic and his ingenuity. Jose Sachango, a chemical engineering student who worked with Aboiralor on the Chem-E-Car team, said his experience working alongside Aboiralor was unforgettable.
“As a Chem-E-Car member, Abraham made working on this project one of the most memorable experiences I have had. His work ethic and positive attitude got us through so much, and he was a role model for me and many others. It's because of him we've been able to come as far as we have,” Sachango says. At this year’s regional competition, the placed second and will compete on the national level in the fall. “All I can say is I am thankful for having known someone like Abraham. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones, and I hope they can take pride in that fact that Abraham was an outstanding individual who touched many people's lives.”
Rishabh Mahajan (BSChBE ’14) also worked with Aboiralor on the 2013 Chem-E-Car team. “It was truly a tragedy to lose a soul like him, and at such an early stage in life,” he said. Paul Abraham, a chemical engineering senior who heads up this year's Chem-E-Car team said the loss hit hard, both personally and as a team. "Abraham was a valuable teammate, a bright classmate, and above all, a dear friend. He was that rare combination of intelligence, determination, motivation, and sincerity that it takes to truly impact the world," Abraham said.
Clint Kirchhoff, another student in the chemical engineering department who studied alongside Aboiralor for several semesters, marveled at his energy. “There will always be plenty of engineering students who will study endlessly and get A's, but do nothing after class except drive home and never otherwise involve themselves with their university. But that wasn't Abraham,” he said. “Abraham was always ready to make new friends at organization meetings or attend UH games. It seemed like every month, he had some new hobby or scheme he wanted his entire social circle to get involved with, from coding to instant coffee sales to photography… To me, Abraham represented the best our college had to offer.”
As a student in the Cullen College, Aboiralor served as one of the founding board members as well as the Telecommunications Chair of the Subsea Engineering Society at UH. Nebolisa Egbunike is the founding president.
“Abraham was a friend, a mentee, and a younger brother to me. I never had a younger sibling, so from the first day I met him, he became family to me,” Egbunike said. “I really respected his desire to succeed, his patience to understand and his courage to take on new challenges… Of all the time I knew him, he never had a sad day, which is something to rejoice about.” Egbunike said Aboiralor’s legacy will live on through the SES website, which he developed.
Friends and family of Aboiralor have created a website in his honor to help raise transportation and funeral funds for his family in Nigeria. View the website here.
Read more about Aboiralor’s successes at UH
VIDEO: Chemical Engineering Undergrad Wins Big at ACS Poster Competition
Chem-E-Car Team Takes 2nd at Regionals
Engineering Students Claim Third Place in National Chem-E-Car Competition
Students Start First Subsea Engineering Organization