The document discusses trends in chemical engineering education in the US. It notes that while bioengineering is seen as a "hot" area, the job market for biomedical engineers is uncertain. Many departments have added "biomolecular" or "biological" to their names. Core subjects are being reduced to make room for new courses, and process control is no longer required at some universities. New areas of focus include energy, sustainability, and innovation. The document advocates modernizing curricula while keeping core chemical engineering knowledge and emphasizing fundamentals, flexibility, and professionalism.

1. Trends in Chemical
Engineering Education:
a U.S. Perspective
Ignacio E. Grossmann
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
U.S.A.

2. Industry Hiring 2007 (AIChE)
~ 42% chemicals/fuels

3. Diversity of jobs for
B.S. Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

4. Chemical engineers are highest paid!
Average
Bachelors Degree Salary
(2009)
Chemical Engineering $65,466
Mechanical Engineering $58,648
Computer Science $58,419
Electrical/Electronics & Communications
$57,404
Engineering
Construction Science/Management $52,837
Civil Engineering $50,785
Finance $49,794
Logistics/Materials Management $49,389
Accounting $48,334
Nursing $46,655
~ $15,000 more than Civil Engineering

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. Plan for undergraduate education in
Chemical Engineering at CMU
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.

11. Curriculum Carnegie Mellon
4yrs (8 semesters)
Intro to ChemE
Calculus I, II, III
Physics I, II
Computer Science
Seminar
Modern Chem I Thermo ChemE Math
Lab
Modern Chem II Fluid Mech
Adv Phys Chem ChemE Thermo Lab
Chem Lab Lab Heat & Mass
Seminar
Organic I Rxn Eng Unit Ops
Process Design Lab
Biochemistry
Optimization Control
Product Design
Math. & Basic Sci. (1.25 yrs) Chemical Eng. Topics (1.5 yrs)
5 Free Electives (0.5 yrs) 8 Humanities/S. Sci (0.75 yrs)
http://www.cheme.cmu.edu/

12. 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 12

13. 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

14. Gap analysis of courses

15. 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

16. Minnesota ChE Curriculum (new)
Year 1 Year 3
Chemistry 1, 2 Organic lab
Physics 1, 2 Biomolecular engineering
Calculus 1, 2 Momentum and heat transfer
Writing Thermodynamics
Biology Process analytical chemistry
Mass transfer and separations
Computational methods
Kinetics and reactor engineering
Liberal ed, elective 3
Year 2 Year 4
Organic chemistry 1,2 ChE lab (1.5 sem.)
Physical chemistry 1,2 Process design
Multivariable calculus, vectors Polymers and biopolymers
Linear algebra, diff. eq. Process control
Materials science Product design (0.5 sem.)
Mass and energy balances Technical electives 1,2,3
Liberal ed electives 1,2 minor: MatS, Chem, Bio, Business
Liberal ed. electives 4,5
35 courses in 4 years (8 semesters)

17. Princeton ChE Curriculum (new)
Year 1 Year 3
MAT (Calculus 1) ChE (Transport)
PHY (Physics 1) H&SS
ChM Program Elective
H&SS Program Elective
MAT (Calculus 2) H&SS
PHY (Physics 2) ChE (Laboratory)
ChM ChE (Reactors) 35 courses in 4
Computer Requirerement H&SS years (8 semesters)
Writing Requirement
Year 2 Year 4 • 1 Transport course
MAT (Multivariable Calculus ChE (Design) (Fluid, Heat and Mass)
ChE (Material & Energy) ChE Lab • 5 Electives (ChemE)
ChM (Organic Chem) Program Elective and 2 Open electives
MAT (Linear Algebra) H&SS • No Control
H&SS ChE (Senior thesis)
ChE (Thermodynamics) Program Elective
MOL (Biology) Open Elective
MAE (Diff. Eqns) Open Elective
ChE (Separations Process)
H&SS

18. New Curriculum Project Council for
Chemical Research (Bob Armstrong, MIT, 2006)
New Core Organizing Principles

19. Envisioned Integrated Curriculum
Freshman Soph Junior Senior
Enabling Molecular-Scale Transformations
Molecular Basis Molecular Basis of Reactions Special Topics
Courses of Thermo Molecular Basis of Properties (Electives)
- Physics Classfctn of Molecules and Constitutive Eqns
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Math Multi-Scale Analysis
Beaker to Plant:
- Mat’ls Sci Interfaces and Assemblies Multi-Scale Descriptions Principles of Product &
- Eng/Comm Homogeneous Reactor Eng of Reactive Systems Process Des.
- Bus/Mgt
Systems
Intro to Systems Intro to Molecular Systems Systems &
Chem Eng:
The Marketplace
The Frosh
Experience

20. The Business Connection
One trillion dollar industry!

21. Remarks
1. Need to keep core Chemical Engineering Knowledge
2. Need to emphasize fundamentals: basis life-long learning
Forecasts are almost always wrong
3. Need to introduce flexibility in curriculum
4. 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