Student Spotlight / Kawthar Al Janabi '26
Written by Natalie Haase '27
Kawthar Al Janabi '26 (Chemical Engineering - ABET) finds joy in creating things. And not only that, but in collaboration. You’ll often see her around campus, waving to other people from one of her many sects of Yale. From chemical engineering, to comedy, to research, to mentoring first years—her involvement in the Yale community shows a drive to make the community better, and learn as much as possible in the process.
Born in Dubai and from Martinez, California, Kawthar arrived at Yale planning to pursue medicine. But her enduring curiosity about how things work pulled her toward engineering. “When I was little, I’d mix soaps and shampoos in the bathroom, making ‘potions,’” she says with a laugh.
She made the switch from biomedical to chemical engineering, after a summer internship with Pan American Energy, where she looked at many process diagrams. “Even though ChemE is challenging, it’s incredibly rewarding,” she says. “You learn something new every day—and you build things that matter.”
Real-world engineering, from Buenos Aires to Branford to L’Oreal
In the summer of 2024, Kawthar joined Pan American Energy in Buenos Aires, working with engineers and data scientists on process analytics and site operations. She toured oil facilities, analyzed process diagrams, and culminated her work with a technical speech—in Spanish—to the CEOs of eight international companies (CGC, Honeywell, Molinos Arg, Pan American Energy, Techint, Tecpetrol, and Tenaris) and to the United States ambassador to Argentina, Marc Stanley. That experience made engineering feel real, she described, seeing how decisions on paper translate into systems on the ground.
Back at Yale, she applied that same engineering mindset to engineering in public health. In the Peccia Lab, she contributed to wastewater-based disease surveillance in New Haven, tracking COVID-19 outbreaks through viral RNA analysis. Her lab’s work won an Ivy Award for community impact—and even landed a mention on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Kawthar’s love for material science and product development took shape in a 9-month remote fellowship with L’Oréal that blossomed into an in-person summer internship with their Open Clinical and Medical Affairs team. Tasked with creating an entirely new clinical protocol, she wrote a 50-page document in just one week—recruiting her own subjects and building a plan from scratch. “It was intense,” she says. “But exhilarating. I was back mixing potions again—but this time with data, clinical structure, and a team.”
In her downtime, she stepped into the lab to experiment with moisturizers and hair gels—hands-on formulation work that reconfirmed why she loved engineering in the first place. She was also selected as one of two interns to attend a multi-company conference in NYC, and later invited to a fireside chat with the company’s Global VP Talent Acquisition, Michael Kienle, who flew in from France.
Engineering beyond the lab
To Kawthar, engineering doesn’t stop at the lab bench—it extends into how people live, learn, and lead. As co-founder of Yale’s chapter of the Order of the Engineer, she helped bring a national tradition of ethics and professional responsibility to campus for ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) Engineers. “We wanted something that united engineers across disciplines,” she explains. She and co-lead Taylor Burke are excited for the organization's second year, after a successful inaugural year which inducted over 45 students and faculty.
She brings that same systems-building ethos to residential life. As a FroCo in Branford College, former Branford College Council President, and a Branford Aide, Kawthar helps first-years navigate challenges both academic and personal.
Finding joy in the unexpected
Outside of engineering, Kawthar co-directs The Good Show, sketch comedy group she runs with fellow student Eden Feiler ‘27. “It’s one of the best outlets I have—and it builds a kind of community you can’t find anywhere else.” She’s also a member of Dabke, Yale’s Arab traditional dance troupe, where she connects with her culture and shares it with others.
What fuels her?
“Learning. Solving real problems. And an iced vanilla chai from The Elm,” she grins. Her favorite part of Yale? The freedom to take electives across disciplines and meet people who think differently. “That’s what makes Yale Engineering special—it’s not siloed. You learn to solve problems from multiple angles.”
Kawthar Al Janabi is more than a chemical engineer—she’s a builder of protocols, programs, and people. A true Yale Engineer, she blends curiosity, rigor, and heart to engineer a better world.
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Published Date
Dec 10, 2025
