Trends in Chemical
Engineering Education:
a U.S. Perspective
Ignacio E. Grossmann
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
U.S.A.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Population: 350,000 (City)
1,200,000(Greater metropolitan area)
Major corporations: Alcoa, Bayer, Heinz, Nova Chemicals, PPG, USSteel
(Gulf Oil, J&L Steel, Rockwell Intl., Westinghouse)
Major universities: University Pittsburgh (Univ. Pittsburgh Medical School),
Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne University
Carnegie Mellon
3
Marcellus deposit might contain more than 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
Pittsburgh
If 10% recoverable could supply the entire United States consumption for about two years
$200 billion (2010 prices)
Price of natural gas has decreased from $12/MMBtu to $4/MMBtu
Carnegie Mellon
4
Carnegie Mellon University
1900: Carnegie Institute of Technology (Engineering, Drama)
1968: Carnegie Mellon = Carnegie Institute, Mellon Institute,
Margaret Morrison College
10,000 Students (6,000 undergraduates, 4,000 graduates)
Colleges: Engineering (Biomed, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Matls., EPP)
Computer Science, Business, Science, Art, Humanities, Govt. Affairs
Very strong interdisciplinary culture
Carnegie Mellon
5
100 Years in October 2005
16 faculty, 220 undergraduates (2nd, 3rd, 4th), 110 graduates
Trend: Increasing enrollments
Carnegie Mellon
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Graduate Program
110 graduate students: 90 PhD students, 20 MS or MChE
8 courses are required:
4 core: choose from Fluids, Heat & Mass, Thermo, Kinetics
Process Systems, Advanced Math
2 electives in Chemical Eng.
2 electives outside Chemical Eng.
Research: Bioengineering (3), Complex Fluids (4), Envirochemical(1)
Process Systems Engineering (4), Catalysis/Surface(4)
Center for Advanced Process Decision-making (22 companies)
Center for Energy Solutions (NETL)
Center for Complex Fluids Engineering
Center for Atmospheric Particles
Carnegie Mellon
7
International growth engineering degrees
Bachelor degrees awarded in the US
in the various engineering
5th place
Chemical
Engineering
Cyclic
during the
last three
decades
Recently
significant
growth in
ChemE due to
Energy &
decrease in ECE
Industry Hiring 2007 (AIChE)
~ 42% chemicals/fuels
Diversity of jobs for
B.S. Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Chemical engineers are highest paid!
Bachelors Degree
Chemical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical/Electronics & Communications
Engineering
Construction Science/Management
Civil Engineering
Finance
Logistics/Materials Management
Accounting
Nursing
Average
Salary
(2009)
$65,466
$58,648
$58,419
$57,404
$52,837
$50,785
$49,794
$49,389
$48,334
$46,655
~ $15,000 more than Civil Engineering
U.S. Employment in 2008 (1,600,000 jobs)
2% of total
Bureau Labor Statistics 2010-2011 Report
Bureau Labor Statistics
Predicted decrease in ChemE employment 2% 2008-2018
Major trends (cont.)

Chemicals/Petrochemicals no longer dominant industries
Many retirements are expected next decade (2% growth in jobs is
expected) but effect of shale gas may revitalize petrochemicals

Bioengineering area poses opportunities and challenges:
- Perceived as “hot” area: most new faculty in bio area
- Biomedical Engineering Depts, are “stealing” students and
faculty
(Whitaker Foundation provided funding to establish many
new Biomed Depts.)
Job market biomedical engineers?

Many departments (~50%) have been renamed as:
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
(e.g. Cornell, U. Penn., Illinois, Georgia Tech)
Chemical and Biological Engineering
(e.g. Colorado, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Wisconsin)
Major trends (cont.)
 Nanotechnology is another “hot” area
 Increasing emphasis on Science in Chemical Eng.
Departments
- Many professors are not chemical engineers
and do not regard AIChE as their primary
organization
- Has increased multidisciplinary approach
- Decreased emphasis on chemical engineering
fundamentals
- Process Design courses largely outsourced to
retired industry people
- Process Control no longer required at many
universities
New major emphasis: energy and
sustainability
Growing World Energy Demand
Most Energy Growth in Developing Nations
Sheppard, Socolow (2007)
New areas: Energy and Sustainability

Fossil fuels with low CO2 impact (petroleum, natural gas,
coal)

Biofuels (biodiesel, bioethanol, biorefineries)

Improved energy efficiency of chemical processes
Will require advances in catalysis, reaction
engineering and process engineering

Challenge: Environmental area was “lost” to Civil Eng.
Renamed as Civil and Environmental Eng Departments
 Remark: Recent interest in Innovation
Innovation courses at CMU:
Process Design, Product Design, Transport Lab, Unit Ops Lab
Impact of trends on curriculum

Fewer courses (promoted by deans)

Displacement of core subjects to make room for new
courses:
- 1st & 2nd Law and Phase/Chemical Equilibrium in
one Thermo course
- Reduction in Transport Phenomena
- Elimination of Process Control as required course

New courses: biology, biomolecular eng., product design

More electives courses: both free / technical
03-232. Biochemistry I
Spring: 9 units
This course provides an introduction to the application of biochemistry to
biotechnology. The functional properties of amino acids, nucleotides, lipids, and
sugars are presented. This is followed by a discussion of the structural and
thermodynamic aspects of the organization of these molecules into higherorder structures, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and membranes. The kinetics
and thermodynamics of protein-ligand interactions are discussed for noncooperative, cooperative, and allosteric binding events. The use of mechanistic
and kinetic information in enzyme characterization and drug discovery are
discussed. Topics pertinent to biotechnology include: antibody production and
use, energy production in biochemical systems, expression of recombinant
proteins, and methods of protein purification and characterization.
06-463. Chemical Product Design
Spring: 6 units
Computer-aided design of a chemical product. Course involves design
of molecular structure, microstructure, or devices/processes that effect
chemical change. This is a project-based course, for which an extensive
report must be submitted
Product Design Syllabus: 6 week course
Date
Tu 3/17
Th 3/19
Tu 3/24
Th 3/26
Tu 3/31
Th 4/2
Tu 4/7
Th 4/9
Tu 4/14
Tu 4/21
Th 4/23
Tu 4/28
Topic
Syllabus; Introduction to chemical product design
Innovations in product design—History and approaches.
Chemical product design ideas
Design of automotive refrigerants—Problem statement;
formulation of design objectives; physical property
prediction via group contribution methods; structural
feasibility constraints; case study
Design of refrigerants (automotive and secondary)
Group contribution techniques; Joback’s formulae; polymer
design
Product selection presentations
Solvent design—solubility; bioconcentration factor, LC50,
flash point; ozone depletion potential; blanket wash design
Database searches; Property prediction
Design of experiments
Design of experiments
Intellectual property
Product design presentations
Undergraduate Curriculum
ABET
Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology
Old ABET system:
- Rigid
- Bean counting (number of hours for various courses)
- “Design experience”
New ABET (2000):
- Flexible
- Requires vision, plan, metrics (strategies)
- Process for changes (metrics, surveys)
Plan for undergraduate education in
Chemical Engineering at CMU

VISION (2000)
Students who study Chemical Engineering at Carnegie
Mellon learn engineering and science relevant to the practice
and research of chemical products and processes. Emphasis
is placed on fundamentals, problem solving, self-confidence
for developing creative solutions, and techniques for
communicating clearly and effectively. The aim is also to
make students aware of modern tools and industrial needs,
and gain an appreciation of broader societal issues.

VISION (2006)
Graduates in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon will
obtain employment or attend graduate school, will advance in
their chosen careers, and will be productive and fulfilled
professionals throughout their careers.
Curriculum Carnegie Mellon
Intro to ChemE
Physics I, II
Calculus I, II, III
Computer Science
Thermo
Modern Chem I
Seminar
ChemE Math
Lab
Modern Chem II
Chem Lab
Adv Phys Chem
Fluid Mech
ChemE Thermo
Lab
Heat & Mass
Lab
Seminar
Organic I
Rxn Eng
Unit Ops
Process Design
Biochemistry
Lab
Control
Optimization
Product Design
http://www.cheme.cmu.edu/
5 Free Electives
8 Humanities/S. Sci
Undergraduate Curriculum at
Carnegie Mellon
384 units in 4 years (8 semesters)
121 units (1.26 years) of Math and Basic Sciences
55 units are Chemistry
15 units Chemistry laboratory experience
146 units (1.52 years) of Chemical Engineering Topics
15 units Chemical Engineering lab experience
18 of Fourth Year “Capstone Design” courses
45 units (0.47 years) Electives
72 units (0.75 years) General education
Students usually use free electives to pursue minors
Minors:
Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces
Environmental Engineering
Supply Chain Management (offered by Business School)
Double major Biomedical/Health Eng. (unique in United States)
Double major Engineering and Public Policy
Chemistry
Computer Science
Business Administration
English, French
Philosophy
Multidisciplinary courses
Product Design and Innovation
Carnegie Mellon
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Program outcomes (motivated by ABET)
A. Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering
B. Ability to design experiments and analyze and interpret data
C. Ability to design a chemical process
D. Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
E. Ability to use modern engineering tools
F. Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
G. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
H. An ability to communicate effectively
I. Ability to understand engineering in global/societal context
J. Appreciation and capability for life-long learning
K. Knowledge of contemporary issues
Gap analysis of courses
Constituencies /Info gathering tools:
Students
SAC (Student Advisory Council
Senior Survey
FCE (Faculty Course Evaluations)
Parents/Guardians
Informal
Faculty
Faculty Course Review (Gap Analysis)
Alumni
Advisory Board, Alumni Survey
Recruiters (Industrial, Academic)
Recruiter Surveys
Examples of changes due to above tools (1994-2008):
New Physical Chemistry Course
Introduce mini-course Product Design
Five Unrestricted Electives
Exchange Programs (Aachen, Imperial)
PISCES (industrial internship)
MChE degree (integrated masters)
Minnesota ChE Curriculum (new)
Year 1
Chemistry 1, 2
Physics 1, 2
Calculus 1, 2
Writing
Biology
Year 2
Organic chemistry 1,2
Physical chemistry 1,2
Multivariable calculus, vectors
Linear algebra, diff. eq.
Materials science
Mass and energy balances
Liberal ed electives 1,2
Year 3
Organic lab
Biomolecular engineering
Momentum and heat transfer
Thermodynamics
Process analytical chemistry
Mass transfer and separations
Computational methods
Kinetics and reactor engineering
Liberal ed, elective 3
Year 4
ChE lab (1.5 sem.)
Process design
Polymers and biopolymers
Process control
Product design (0.5 sem.)
Technical electives 1,2,3
minor: MatS, Chem, Bio, Business
Liberal ed. electives 4,5
35 courses in 4 years (8 semesters)
Princeton ChE Curriculum (new)
Year 1
MAT (Calculus 1)
PHY (Physics 1)
ChM
H&SS
MAT (Calculus 2)
PHY (Physics 2)
ChM
Computer Requirerement
Writing Requirement
Year 2
MAT (Multivariable Calculus
ChE (Material & Energy)
ChM (Organic Chem)
MAT (Linear Algebra)
H&SS
ChE (Thermodynamics)
MOL (Biology)
MAE (Diff. Eqns)
ChE (Separations Process)
H&SS
Year 3
ChE (Transport)
H&SS
Program Elective
Program Elective
H&SS
ChE (Laboratory)
ChE (Reactors)
H&SS
Year 4
ChE (Design)
ChE Lab
Program Elective
H&SS
ChE (Senior thesis)
Program Elective
Open Elective
Open Elective
35 courses in 4
years (8 semesters)
• 1 Transport course
(Fluid, Heat and Mass)
• 5 Electives (ChemE)
and 2 Open electives
• No Control
New Curriculum Project Council for
Chemical Research (Bob Armstrong, MIT, 2006)
New Core Organizing Principles
Envisioned Integrated Curriculum
Freshman
Enabling
Courses
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Math
- Mat’ls Sci
- Eng/Comm
- Bus/Mgt
Junior
Soph
Senior
Molecular-Scale Transformations
Molecular Basis
of Thermo
Classfctn of Molecules
Molecular Basis of Reactions
Molecular Basis of Properties
and Constitutive Eqns
Multi-Scale Analysis
Interfaces and Assemblies Multi-Scale Descriptions
Homogeneous Reactor Eng of Reactive Systems
Special Topics
(Electives)
Beaker to Plant:
Principles of Product &
Process Des.
Systems
Chem Eng:
The Frosh
Experience
Intro to Systems
Intro to Molecular Systems
Systems &
The Marketplace
The Business Connection
One trillion dollar industry!
Remarks
1.
2.
3.
4.
Need to keep core Chemical Engineering Knowledge
Need to emphasize fundamentals: basis life-long learning
Forecasts are almost always wrong
Need to introduce flexibility in curriculum
Need to modernize curriculum
•
Increase exposure molecular level
•
Increase exposure to energy (alternative/renewable) and sustainability
issues
•
Reflect current technology
•
Introduce product design but only as complement of process design
•
Emphasize process operations, enterprise planning
•
Increase link to other industrial sectors (pharma, electronics)
•
The curriculum must also emphasize professionalism and ethics
•
5.
Need to recognize that “bio-area”, while important, will not be dominant force in
Chemical Engineering, and emphasis should be on bioprocessing
6.
Environmental Engineering will be increasingly important and requires chemical
engineering (water use efficiency, pollution control, etc.)
7.
Need to provide excitement to recruit the very best young people to join the
Chemical Engineering