Our vision is to influence the chemical engineering profession through the development of graduates, research outcomes, and an educational approach that thoroughly integrates quantitative molecular design and nanoscale principles with the continuum and system-level foundations of the discipline.

 

1. Establish a new chemical engineering curriculum that integrates quantitative molecular design and nanoscale principles so our graduates have unique tools to succeed in growing areas of technology and the economy.
2. Recognize and promote research that successfully integrates molecular design and nanoscale principles with core chemical engineering competencies to foster departmental leadership in areas where the college/university/region has inherent advantages.
3. Create a critical mass of influential and successful alumni (graduate and undergraduate).
4. Become an internationally recognized leader for the integration of molecular design and nanoscale principles into the chemical engineering profession.

Program Educational Objectives

The UW undergraduate chemical engineering program seeks to provide a well-balanced education that prepares students for diverse careers, professional success, creative contributions, and responsible global citizenship. These goals are embodied in the educational objectives below.

Within 3-5 years of graduation, our alumni will:

• Apply knowledge, tools, and skills learned during our program in their chosen professional career path.
• Advance in a career as a chemical engineer in industry or government, and/or succeed in advanced graduate or professional training.
• Contribute professionally to growing areas of technology and the economy. 

Degree Programs

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (BS, ChemE) is the primary professional degree, preparing students  for work in electronics, chemicals and chemical processes, oil production, government, forest products, and other industries; the degree also prepares students for graduate study in Chemical Engineering PhD programs and professional programs in medical, law, or business schools.
• Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (MS, ChemE), non-thesis option, is an intermediate advanced degree intended primarily for students continuing on to a PhD degree.
• Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (MS, ChemE), thesis option, is an intermediate advanced degree intended primarily for students not continuing on to a PhD degree.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering (PhD, ChemE) is the primary advanced degree, preparing individuals for independent and productive professional careers in industry, government, and academia.

Degrees Awarded (2010-11)

• BS: 54
• MS: 17
• PhD: 7

Research Areas

• Molecular Energy Processes
• Living Systems and Biomolecular Processes
• Molecular Aspects of Materials and Interfaces
• Molecular/Organic Electronics
  

Faculty and Faculty Productivity

• 11 professors
• 3 associate professors
• 3 assistant professors
• several joint, adjunct and affiliate professors with the School for Forest Resources and the departments of Bioengineering, Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, and Civil & Environmental Engineering, with CFR, BIOEN, CHEM, MICROM*
• Several post-doctoral research associates

• Faculty awards and honors
  • NAE Members (3)
  • AAAS Fellow (2)
  • 2010 Linford Award from the Electrochemical Society
  • 2010 AVS President
  • 2009 Acta Biomaterialia, Gold Medal
  • 2009 Gates Foundation Award
  • 2009 AiCHE "Top Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era"
  • ASEE: 2008 CACHE Award, Dow Lectureship Award
  • NSF: CAREER Award (2008)
  • Pritzger Distinguished Lectureship Award, BMES
  • Dreyfus Foundation Senior Mentor Award
  • William Hall Award, Society for Biomaterials
  • Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professor

Undergraduate Students (as of Autumn 2010)

• 133 undergraduate students
• 32% women
• 4.5% underrepresented students

Graduate Students (as of Autumn 2010)

• 74 graduate students
• 34% women
• 5.4% underrepresented students
• Several students with external individual fellowships.
• Many internal and external awards, including:
  • American Vacuum Society (AVS): Best Student Presentation (2), Graduate Research Award, Graduate Student Award
  • Science and Engineering Business Association (SEBA): Student Technology Showcase, 1st place
  • Society for Biomaterials: Best Poster Award, Travel and Professional Development Award
  • UW Center for Nanotechnology: Science for Success

Awards and Expenditures (FY09)

• Grant and contract awards: $6,275,078
• Total research expenditures (direct and indirect): $6,776,966
• Federally supported: $6,235,482
• Federal support by agency
  • National Science Foundation (NSF): 49.1%
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): 23.9%
  • Department of Defense (DoD): 16.2%
  • Department of Energy (DoE): 10.3%
  • Other: 0.5%
• State of Washington educational support: $2,021,534
• See the Annual Report of Awards and Expenditures from the UW Office of Research for more information

Gifts and Endowments (FY10)

• Gift support: $1,010,765
• Endowment support: $347,568
• Total endowment value (as of July 1, 2010): $11,890,494
• Endowment distribution:
  • Undergraduate scholarships: 20.6%
  • Graduate fellowships: 21.4%
  • Chairs and professorships: 51.4%
  • Other: 6.6%
• Major endowments (top 5)
  • Rehnberg Chair (John Berg and Hugh Hillhouse)
  • Matthaei Professorship (François Baneyx)
  • Benson Scholarship Endowment
  • Johnson Endowment
  • Thompson Fellowship Endowment
• Available student support
  • Undergraduate tuition scholarships: 30 qtr/yr
  • Graduate tuition and stipend fellowships: 12 qtr/yr

Education and Research Excellence

• Ranked #22 in the 2010 US News Rankings of Graduate Schools
• Currently developing new undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum emphasizing molecular and nanoscale phenomena
• Intellectual property in the following areas
  • Electrochemical printing
  • Non-fouling biomaterials
  • Non-linear electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (NLEIS)
  • Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs)