Chemical Engineering
Research activities in the department include: computational nanoscience and biology; biomolecular engineering and biotechnology; catalysis, combustion, kinetics and electrochemical engineering; biofuels and renewable energy technology; green chemistry and engineering; innovative textiles, polymers and colloids; nanoscience and nanoengineering; and thermodynamics and molecular simulation.
Master of Science Degree Requirements
The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. A set of four core courses is required. Two options are provided. In the thesis option, the thesis must be defended in a final public oral examination. In the non-thesis option, the student must satisfactorily complete a total of 10 graduate courses. A unique feature of the non-thesis option is the availability of a Distance Education Masters in which the students can complete all 30 credit hours remotely through online courses offered via streaming videos without being on campus.
Master of Chemical Engineering Degree Requirements
The M.Ch.E. degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. A set of four core courses is required. A three-credit project is also required.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements
Students normally take a set of five core courses, two advanced courses and at least 6 credits of dissertation research. A thesis is required; this must be defended in a final public oral examination. In addition, the candidate must: (1) submit and defend an original written proposition in any area of chemical engineering, and (2) submit and defend a proposal to perform his/her thesis research.
More Information
Admissions Requirements
Students admitted to the graduate program normally have a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or its equivalent. Students with undergraduate degrees in chemistry, physics or other engineering disciplines may be admitted but will be required to make up undergraduate course work deficiencies in chemical engineering without graduate credit. The most promising candidates will be accepted up to the number of spaces available.
Applicant Information
Chemical Engineering (MR and PhD)
- Delivery Method: On-Campus
- Entrance Exam: None
- Interview Required: None
Chemical Engineering (MS)
- Delivery Method: On-Campus, Online, Hybrid
- Entrance Exam: None
- Interview Required: None
Application Deadlines
- Fall: March 15
- Spring: November 15 (admitting distance education students only)
Faculty
Full Professors
- Milad Abolhasani
- Ruben G. Carbonell
- Michael David Dickey
- Peter S. Fedkiw
- Jan Genzer
- Harvinder Gill
- Christine S. Grant
- Carol K. Hall
- Jason M. Haugh
- Hasan Jameel
- Robert M. Kelly
- Saad A. Khan
- Fanxing Li
- Gregory N Parsons
- Walter James Pfaendtner
- Behnam Pourdeyhimi
- Balaji M. Rao
- Sindee Lou Simon
- Richard J. Spontak
- Orlin Dimitrov Velev
- Phillip R. Westmoreland
Associate Professors
- Adriana San Miguel Delgadillo
- Chien Ching Lilian Hsiao
- Albert Jun Qi Keung
- Stefano Menegatti
- Erik Emilio Santiso
- Qingshan Wei
Assistant Professors
- Nathan Crook
- Artem Rumyantsev
- Wentao Tang
Practice/Research/Teaching Professors
- Cristina Boi
- Lisa G. Bullard
- Matthew Ellis Cooper
- Kirill Efimenko
- Gary Louis Gilleskie
- Hassan Golpour
- Gregory McKenna
- Luke Neal
- John H. van Zanten
Adjunct Faculty
- Anthony L. Andrady
- Orlando J. Rojas
Emeritus Faculty
- Joseph M. DeSimone
- Richard M. Felder
- Michael Carl Flickinger
- Keith Gubbins
- Harold B. Hopfenberg
- Harold Henry Lamb
- Phooi K. Lim
- Steven W. Peretti
- Hubert Winston
Courses
Dynamic analysis and continuous control of chemical engineering processes. Process modeling; stability analysis, design and selection of control schemes. Solution of differential equations using Laplace transform techniques. Credit for both CHE 425 and CHE 525 is not allowed.
Prerequisite: CHE 312
Typically offered in Spring only
This online/hybrid chemical engineering bridging course is part of a comprehensive two-course sequence (three credits each) consisting of core undergraduate level chemical engineering topics. This homework-intensive course is designed to prepare students with backgrounds in chemistry, biology and other non-chemical engineering subjects for graduate study in chemical engineering. It is not equivalent to a four-year degree in chemical engineering, but the proposed course is designed to help students obtain the additional knowledge and skills to successfully undertake graduate classes offered by a chemical engineering program.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This online/hybrid chemical engineering bridging course is part of a comprehensive two-course sequence (three credits each) consisting of core undergraduate level chemical engineering topics. This homework-intensive course is designed to prepare students with backgrounds in chemistry, biology and other non-chemical engineering subjects for graduate study in chemical engineering. It is not equivalent to a four-year degree in chemical engineering, but the proposed course is designed to help students obtain the additional knowledge and skills to successfully undertake graduate classes offered by a chemical engineering program.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
Typically offered in Spring and Summer
Concepts and techniques for polymerization of macromolecules. Structure, properties, and applications of commercially important polymers.
Prerequisite: CHE 223, CHE 316
Typically offered in Fall and Summer
This course is offered alternate years
Characterization and measurement of rates of homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Design and analysis of chemical reactors. Credit for both CHE 446 and CHE 546 is not allowed.
Prerequisite: CHE 316
Typically offered in Fall only
This course will cover critical aspects of bioreactor design, including design of reactors for enzyme-catalyzed reactions, fermentation of microorganisms, and scale-up considerations for bioreactors. Hands-on experiments involving fermentation of microorganisms and scale-up of bioreactors will be included. Students cannot get credit for both CHE 448 and CHE 548.
Typically offered in Spring only
Enzyme and microbial kinetics and reactor designs for processes involving enzymes and single and mixed cultures. Samples drawn from full range of applications: food processing, single cell proteins, tissue culture and vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, recombinant DNA and hybridomas, artificial organs, biological waste treatment and environmental processes.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course will cover modern methods in biomolecule design, including gene expression regulators, RNA structure, protein structure, and metabolic networks. Current methods in genetic engineering and 'omics-based analysis will be discussed, followed by a critical review of current literature on the applications of these methods to engineering microbes, cells, and multi-species communities. Hands-on assignments involving computational design will be included.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is an introduction to electronic materials, chemical processes used in their fabrication, and basic physical principles of electronic device operation and function. The course will address how principles of chemical engineering are applied to design and fabricate current and emerging electronic systems. We will also discuss emerging areas of electronic technologies, including organic semiconductors, advanced energy conversion, and quantum computing and related systems. Credit for both CHE 460 and CHE 560 is not allowed.
Prerequisite: CHE 446 or permission of instructor
Typically offered in Spring only
Concepts of nanotechnology are applied in the synthesis, characterization, recognition and application of biomaterials on the nanoscale. Emphasis will be given to hands-on experience with nanostructured biomaterials; students will also be familiarized with the potential impact of these materials on different aspects of society and potential hazards associated with their preparation and application.
Typically offered in Spring only
Students completing this course will be able to conduct small-scale fermentations of recombinant microorganisms as well as having an understanding of ways to approach optimization of such processes. One of the focus areas of this course is on protein production and factors that affect gene expression and recombinant protein yield.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Conventional and emerging nano-manufacturing techniques and their applications in the fabrication of various structures and devices. Review of techniques for patterning, deposition, and etching of thin films including emerging techniques such as an imprint and soft lithography and other unconventional techniques. Electronic and mechanical properties of 0 to 3-D nanostructures and their applications in nano-electronics, MEMS/NEMS devices, sensing, energy harvesting, storage, flexible electronics and nano-medicine. Credit for both ECE/CHE 468 and ECE/CHE 568 is not allowed.
Prerequisite: E 304
Typically offered in Fall only
The course discusses conventional and advanced drug delivery methods and systems and modern practices in drug delivery manufacturing.
Typically offered in Spring only
Design of industrial processes which minimize or eliminate wastes. Regulations and the corporate organization of current pollution prevention efforts. Current pollution prevention research. Product life cycle analysis and the application to design of more efficient processes.
Typically offered in Spring only
Overview of biomanufacturing using microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, fungi), eukaryotic cells (hybridomas, insect, plant, CHO) and recombinant enzymes focusing on methods used in industry. Course will emphasize process design for optimization of heterologous protein expression, metabolic/cell line engineering, metabolomics, protein engineering to alter enzymes and antibodies. Pathway engineering strategies include developing microbes to produce new therapeutic compounds or overproduce primary metabolites, antibiotics, biotherapeutics, therapeutic enzymes, diagnostics, recombinant vaccines, and biopharmaceuticals. Utilization of immobilized biocatalysts, and microbial kinetics are covered.
Graduate standing in engineering or life-science graduate program
Typically offered in Spring only
Design and operation of animal cell culture bioreactors for therapeutic protein production. Topics include: batch, fed-batch and perfusion bioreactors, agitation and aeration for mixing and oxygen mass transfer, bioreactor monitoring and control, optimizing bioreactor performance, single-use [disposal] bioreactors, and the production of gene therapy vectors. This is a half-semester course. Time outside of the regularly scheduled class time may be required.
Prerequisite: BEC 463 or CHE 563 or BEC 363 or BEC 440/540 or BEC 441/541 or equivalent; or consent of instructor.
Typically offered in Spring only
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Independent study of some phase of chemical engineering or related field.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Weekly seminars on topics of current interest given by resident faculty members, graduate students and visiting lecturers.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall only
For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all credit hour requirements for their degree but need to maintain full-time continuous registration to complete incomplete grades, projects, final master's exam, etc. Students may register for this course a maximum of one semester.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Spring and Summer
Thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
Independent study of some phase of chemical engineering or related field.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in CHE
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
Introduction to graduate research guidelines and practices. Topics include research ethics, electronic literature searching, research proposal structure, technical writing styles, research problem identification, advisor expectations, intellectual property and patents, laboratory notebooks, proposal creation and oral presentation. Graduate standing in chemical engineering or permission of instructor.
Typically offered in Fall only
Preparation of a professional quality chemical engineering research proposal. Includes selecting a novel research topic, drafting and finalizing the proposal according to NSF formats, and orally presenting and defending the proposal to a faculty advisory committee. Ethics in proposal preparation.
Prerequisite: CHE 701
Typically offered in Spring only
Applications of methods of mathematical analysis to formulation and solution of problems in transport phenomena, process dynamics and chemical reaction engineering.
Typically offered in Fall only
In-depth coverage of chemical engineering thermodynamics principles. Application of non-ideal fluid-phase chemical potentials to problems in phase and chemical reaction equilibria. Relations of molecular structure and intermolecular forces to macroscopic thermodynamic properties.
Prerequisite: CHE 316 or equivalent
Typically offered in Fall only
A theoretical unified study of transport of momentum, energy and matter. Introduction to diffusional operations including coupled heat and mass transfer in light of the theory.
Prerequisite: CHE 311 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring and Summer
Rates and mechanisms of homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Design, analysis and scale-up of batch and continuous chemical reactors.
Typically offered in Fall only
Topics relating to design, analysis and operation of homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical reactors.
Prerequisite: CHE 717
This course is offered alternate years
Electrochemical thermodynamics, electrochemical kinetics and catalysis, coupled charge and material transport in an electric field and electrophoretic effects. Design and analysis of electrochemical reactors. Survey of electrochemical industry.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate years
Definition and engineering analysis of major bioseparation techniques useful in product isolation and purification. Solid-liquid separation, crystallization, filtration, extraction, chromatography, membrane processes, distillation, drying, combined operations and process economics.
Prerequisite: CHE 721 or CHE 551
This course is offered alternate years
Thermodynamics, morphological characteristics and properties of multiphase polymer systems composed of homopolymers or copolymers. Interfacial characteristics and modification of multicomponent polymer blends through emulsification and reactive blending. Microphase ordering in block copolymers, and emerging technolgies employing these nanostructured materials. Conformational properties and dynamics of macromolecules constrained near an interface.
Prerequisite: CHE 316 or MAT 301
Typically offered in Fall only
This course is offered alternate odd years
Current methods for modeling liquids, soft matter (polymers, surfactant solutions, colloids, liquid crystals, etc), nano-structured materials (nanoparticles, nano-composites, nano-porous materials, etc.), biomolecular systems, and reacting systems at the electronic, atomistic, meso-scale and continuum levels. Graduate level thermodynamics and differential and integral calculus required.
Prerequisite: Graduate level thermodynamics, and differential and integral calculus
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate even years
Directed reading of chemical engineering literature, introduction to research methodology, and lectures and seminar discussion on topics which vary from term to term.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Independent study of some phase of chemical engineering or related field.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall only
Independent study of some phase of chemical engineering or related field.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in CHE
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Weekly seminars on topics of current interest given by resident faculty members, graduate students and visiting lecturers.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall only
For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Spring only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Dissertation research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer