Tuesday, March 24, 2015

AIChE National Capital Section Dinner Meeting
Featuring Dr. Maria Burka and Ms. Courtney Johnson

Public Affairs and Information Committee: Serving Society and Interacting with Government

The Public Affairs and Information Committee (PAIC) is working to expand AIChE’s interaction
with government, prioritize issues that impact chemical engineers, and develop tools for
members conducting outreach at the grassroots level. Learn about the PAIC process, and the
issues that are currently receiving the most attention.

About the Speakers:

Maria K. Burka is the current Chair of the AIChE Public Affairs and Information Committee. Dr.
Burka is the director of the Process and Reaction Engineering (PRE) program at the National
Science Foundation. Her responsibilities include evaluation and management of research and
educational grants to academic institutions in the areas of chemical and biochemical reaction
engineering, process control and process design.

She received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and M.A.
and Ph.D. degrees from Princeton University, all in chemical engineering. She has been active in
a number of professional organizations including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
(AIChE), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the
American Association of University Women (AAUW), and was the President of AIChE for 2011.

Courtney Johnson, formerly with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Democratic
staff, joined the Alpine Group after nearly five years on Capitol Hill. She is currently engaged in a
diverse work portfolio, which includes issues primarily within the healthcare, energy, and
environment sectors. She has an extensive network on the Hill and in-depth knowledge of the
legislative process.

Prior to joining the Alpine Group, Ms. Johnson worked in various capacities on the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce Democratic staff. During her tenure on the Committee, she
focused primarily on issues associated with energy policy, but was familiar with the myriad of
matters under the purview of the Committee. Ms. Johnson was involved with the numerous
iterations of legislation which evolved into the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Ms. Johnson
developed and has maintained strong relationships with staff on the both sides of the aisle on
the Committee and in personal offices.

Event Program
5:30-6:30 pm Networking/social hour (hors d’oeuvres, cash bar)
6:30-7:30 pm Dinner (Formal program begins at 6:30 pm)
House salad
Chicken, manicotti, meat lasagna, or vegan entree
Tiramisu, Italian layered cake, black forest cake
Coffee, tea, iced tea, sodas
7:30-8:30 pm Speaker presentations

Dinner Cost
$40 for members and their guests
$30 for young professionals*
Free to first ten students*
*Special Note to students and young professionals: Please email [log in to unmask] to
receive your discount code BEFORE registering as required below.

Advance Registration Required
Please RSVP at http://www.ncsdinnerpaic.eventbrite.com by Monday March 23, preferably by
Tuesday March 17, to allow the restaurant adequate planning. Electronic prepayment is required
to guarantee and complete your reservation.

Location
Positano Ristorante Italiano
4948 Fairmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-1717
www.epositano.com

Parking and Directions
Montgomery County parking Garage 11 (Woodmont Corner Garage, 7730 Woodmont Ave,
Bethesda, MD) is behind Positano, with entrances on Old Georgetown Rd and Woodmont Ave.

Driving from I-495 Capital Beltway - Exit at Rte 355 Bethesda, MD. Take Rte 355 (Wisconsin Ave)
south toward downtown Bethesda. Make right on Woodmont Ave. Turn right on Old Georgetown
Rd, and then make first right on Fairmont Ave at the BP Gas Station. Positano is on right.
Driving from Washington, DC - Take Wisconsin Ave to Bethesda, MD. Turn left on Old
Georgetown Rd. Make your third right on Fairmont Ave.

From Bethesda Metro Station - Go up Old Georgetown Rd three blocks and make right on
Fairmont Ave at the BP Gas Station.