Department of Chemical Engineering

Carl Laird, Interim Department Head
Office: Doherty Hall 2100B
www.cheme.engineering.cmu.edu/

Chemical Engineering is a broad discipline that combines chemistry, mathematics and physics with its own unique principles of chemical engineering science and process systems engineering to develop new products and manufacturing processes. Chemical engineering science refers to the material properties and models that help the chemical engineer understand and predict the transformation of chemical compounds at all stages of their conversion from raw materials to value added products. Process systems engineering provides methodologies for the systematic design, optimization, control, operation and analysis of a system of operations by which a product is manufactured, as well as the economic, safety, sustainability and environmental assessment of these processes.

Modern chemical engineering practice brings together a deep understanding of molecular properties and process design to not only develop more energy-efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes for currently existing products but also to develop new consumer and industrial products that provide enhanced functionality while making more efficient use of resources. As a result, the Chemical Engineering profession offers challenging and well-compensated careers in industries across the economy. Nearly all aspects of modern life use the products of chemical engineering. The pharmaceutical industry recruits chemical engineers to use their knowledge of chemical reaction engineering and separation processes to produce pure and effective pharmaceutical agents and drug delivery systems, and the biopharmaceutical industry attracts chemical engineers who can apply this expertise to biomanufacturing systems based on microbiology and biochemistry. In the chemical and energy sectors, chemical engineers develop catalysts and processes to improve yields in the production of commodity and specialty chemicals and fuels, and they develop new battery systems, fuel cells and biofuels to help build the renewable energy economy. Material manufacturers hire chemical engineers to develop large scale processes to synthesize polymers as resins for formulated products or as fabricated device components. The semiconductor industry seeks the chemical processing expertise of chemical engineers to manufacture chips, integrated circuits, and photovoltaic cells. Chemical engineers in the consumer products industries use their knowledge of chemical transformations to formulate and manufacture nearly all the products that people use in their everyday lives. Consulting companies seek chemical engineers for evaluation of the economic feasibility, environmental impact, and sustainability of industrial projects and to develop software for the design, analysis and operation of manufacturing processes. Finally, the curricular emphasis on the analysis and optimization of complex systems makes Chemical Engineering an excellent preparatory major for students interested in medical or business schools.

The Chemical Engineering curriculum develops deep problem solving skills through challenging, open-ended problems in chemical engineering science, process systems engineering, process system design and product design. Computing is integrated throughout the curriculum. The department supports extensive use of mathematical modeling and simulation software. Students in the Robert Rothfus Laboratory and Lubrizol Analytical Laboratory learn to use computerized data acquisition and control systems as they develop experimental tests of chemical engineering theory or process design alternatives. With its focus on complex chemical and biochemical processes, Chemical Engineering is a natural pairing with the Additional Major in Biomedical Engineering or the Biomedical Engineering minor. Chemical Engineering students pursue many different minors. It is particularly well aligned with the CIT Designated Minor in Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces and the University’s Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies.

Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes

Program Educational Objectives

The Carnegie Mellon University Chemical Engineering Bachelor of Science degree program strives to produce graduates who:

possess deep knowledge of chemical engineering fundamentals and the ability to combine them with advanced modeling and computational strategies to solve complex problems;
strive for excellence in their professional activities, with a commitment to safety and ethical practices;
understand the impact of their work in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context, which includes valuing the perspective of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences;
are excellent communicators;
excel both as leaders and as members of working teams; and
are well prepared for immediate success in either professional employment or advanced education.

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University will acquire:

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors;
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts;
an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions; and
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

The department offers a number of special programs for students majoring in Chemical Engineering. In addition to the additional majors offered by the College of Engineering such as: Biomedical Engineering (BME), Engineering Design, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (EDIE), and Engineering & Public Policy (EPP), students may choose from a variety of minors in technical areas offered by the College of Engineering. Undergraduate research projects are also available in the areas of bioengineering, complex fluids engineering, environmental engineering, process systems engineering, and catalysis & surface science. The department offers the Chemical Engineering Summer Scholars (ChESS) program to support undergraduate research within the department. Students may participate in study abroad programs during their Junior year. In addition to the University Study Abroad programs, the department provides its own exchange programs with: RWTH Aachen in Germany, Imperial College in London, Great Britain, Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Argentina, and Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. A summer exchange program in Dortmund, Germany is also available. Students may also participate in Practical Internships for Senior Chemical Engineering Students (PISCES), a one-year industrial internship program offered between the Junior and Senior years. Finally, qualified students may enroll in our Master of Chemical Engineering program. This degree is typically completed in the fifth year. However, depending on the number of advanced placement courses and course load at Carnegie Mellon, this degree could be awarded during the B.S. graduation, or after one additional semester.

Curriculum for Class of 2025 and Beyond

Minimum units required for B.S. in Chemical Engineering391

The program in chemical engineering within the Department of Chemical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular, and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

First Year

Fall		Units
21-120	Differential and Integral Calculus	10
76-xxx	Designated Writing/Expression Course	9
99-101	Core@CMU	3
06-100	Introduction to Chemical Engineering	12
09-105	Introduction to Modern Chemistry I	10
		44

Spring		Units
21-122	Integration and Approximation	10
xx-xxx	Introductory Engineering Elective (other than ChE)	12
33-141	Physics I for Engineering Students	12
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
		43

Second Year

Fall		Units
21-254	Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers	11
06-223	Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics	12
06-222	Sophomore Chemical Engineering Seminar	1
09-106	Modern Chemistry II	10
xx-xxx	Computer Sci./Physics II ^*	10-12
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
39-210	Experiential Learning I	0
		53-55

Spring		Units
06-261	Fluid Mechanics	9
06-262	Mathematical Methods of Chemical Engineering	12
09-221	Laboratory I: Introduction to Chemical Analysis	12
xx-xxx	Physics II/Computer Sci. ^*	12-10
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
39-220	Experiential Learning II	0
		54-52

*: Computer Science/Physics II: Students should complete 15-110 Principles of Computing or 15-112 Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science as well as 33-142 Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students by the end of the Sophomore year. The recommended sequence is 33-141 /33-142 for engineering students, however, 33-151/ 33-152 will also meet the CIT Physics requirement.

For those students who have not taken 06-100 as one of the two Introductory Engineering Electives, 06-100 should be taken in the Fall Semester of the Sophomore year. The General Education Course normally taken during that semester may be postponed until the Junior year. These students should consult with their advisor as soon as possible.

At the end of the Sophomore year, a student should have completed the following required basic science and computer science courses:

09-105	Introduction to Modern Chemistry I	10
09-106	Modern Chemistry II	10
09-221	Laboratory I: Introduction to Chemical Analysis	12
15-110	Principles of Computing	10-12
or 15-112	Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science
33-141	Physics I for Engineering Students	12
33-142	Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students	12
99-101	Core@CMU	3

Third Year

Fall		Units
06-325	Numerical Methods and Machine Learning for Chemical Engineering	6
06-326	Optimization Modeling and Algorithms	6
06-322	Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar ^**	2
06-323	Heat and Mass Transfer	9
09-217	Organic Chemistry I	9-10
or 09-219	Modern Organic Chemistry
06-310	Molecular Foundations of Chemical Engineering	9
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
39-310	Experiential Learning III	0
		50-51

Spring		Units
06-361	Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering	9
06-363	Transport Process Laboratory	9
06-364	Chemical Reaction Engineering	9
xx-xxx	Advanced Chemistry Elective/*	9
xx-xxx	Unrestricted Elective	9
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
		54

Fourth Year

Fall		Units
06-421	Chemical Process Systems Design	12
06-423	Unit Operations Laboratory	9
xx-xxx	Unrestricted Elective	9
xx-xxx	Unrestricted Elective	9
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
		48

Spring		Units
06-463	Chemical Product Design ^****	9
06-464	Chemical Engineering Process Control	9
xx-xxx	Unrestricted Elective	9
xx-xxx	Unrestricted Elective	9
xx-xxx	General Education Course	9
		45

**: For students pursuing Chemical Engineering with an Additional Major in Biomedical Engineering, the 06-322 Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar is replaced by 42-201 Professional Issues in Biomedical Engineering. Students pursuing Chemical Engineering with an Additional Major in Engineering and Public Policy are waived from taking the Advanced Chemistry Elective. They will take 36-220.
***: Advanced Chemistry Elective may be any technical course offered by the Department of Chemistry for at least 9 units at the 200-level or above, or one of the following: 03-232 Biochemistry, 06-607 Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces, or 06-609/09-509 Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules. Students may petition the Undergraduate Committee to approve other chemistry-focused courses offered by other departments on a case-by-case basis.
****: The 06-463 Chemical Product Design requirement is waived for BME Additional Major students completing 42-401 Foundations of Biomedical Engineering Design (6 units, fall) AND 42-402 Biomedical Engineering Design Project (9 units, spring).

Notes:

In addition to the graduation requirement of an overall QPA of 2.0 (not counting the First Year), the Department of Chemical Engineering requires a cumulative QPA of 2.0 in all chemical engineering courses (all those numbered 06-xxx).
Minimum number of units required for graduation: 391.
All mathematics (21-xxx) courses required for the engineering degree taken at Carnegie Mellon must have a minimum grade of C in order to be counted toward the graduation requirement for the BS engineering degree.
A minimum grade of C must be achieved in any required mathematics (21-xxx) course that is a pre-requisite for the next higher level required mathematics (21-xxx) course.
Overloads are permitted only for students maintaining a QPA of 3.5 or better during the preceding semester.
Electives: To obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, students must complete 06-100 and one other Introductory Engineering Elective. There are also five Unrestricted Electives.
Undergraduate Research: Independent research projects are available by arrangement with a faculty advisor. Many students conduct these research projects for elective credit by enrolling in 06-200, 06-300, or 06-400 (Sophomore, Junior, or Senior Research Projects) or 39-500 CIT Honors Research Project for eligible Seniors.
Advanced undergraduates may also take Chemical Engineering graduate courses (600 or 700 level).

Additional Major in Engineering and Public Policy (EPP)

Students may pursue an Additional Major in Chemical Engineering and EPP. This Additional Major is built around electives in Social Analysis, Probability and Statistics courses, and projects. Specific course choices should be discussed with the student's advisor and an EPP advisor.

Additional Major in Engineering Design, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (EDIE)

Students may pursue an Additional Major in Chemical Engineering and EDIE. Specific course choices should be discussed with the student's advisor and an EDIE advisor.

Additional Major in Biomedical Engineering (BME)

Students may pursue an Additional Major in Chemical Engineering and BME. Specific course choices should be discussed with the student's advisor and a BME advisor.

Minors with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering students are eligible for any CIT Designated Minor. Those minors that are especially well suited to Chemical Engineers include: Additive Manufacturing, Audio Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Colloids, Polymers & Surfaces, Electronic Materials, Global Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering and Mechanical Behavior of Materials. The minor requirements may be fulfilled with electives. Other minors, such as the Supply Chain Management minor in association with the Tepper School of Business or the Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, are also available outside of CIT. These should be discussed with the student's advisor.

Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces Minor

Professor Robert Tilton, Director of CPS Minor
Location: Doherty Hall A207C

The sequence of courses in the Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces (CPS) designated minor provides an opportunity to explore the science and engineering of fine particles and macromolecules as they relate to complex fluids and interfacially engineered materials. These topics are very relevant to technology and product development in industries that manufacture pharmaceuticals, coatings and paints, pulp and paper, biomaterials, surfactants and cleaning products, cosmetics and personal care products, food, textiles and fibers, nanoparticles, polymer/plastics, composite materials.

Course Requirements

Minimum units required for minor:45

This minor requires a total of five classes with a minimum of 45 units. The following four courses are mandatory:

06-609/09-509	Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules	9
06-607	Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces	9
06-426	Experimental Colloid Surface Science	9
06-466	Experimental Polymer Science	9

In addition, the student must take one CPS related elective course from the following list:

06-612	Formulation Engineering	12
06-610	Rheology and Structure of Complex Fluids	9
09-502	Organic Chemistry of Polymers	9
27-565	Nanostructured Materials	9
27-477	Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering	9

Other CPS electives are possible but must be approved by the Director of the CPS minor, Professor Tilton

Practical Internships for Senior Chemical Engineering Students (PISCES)

Chemical Engineering students may apply in the fall of their Junior year for a salaried, one-year PISCES internship with a partner company. Admitted students begin their internships after completion of the Junior year. Following the internship, students return to complete their Senior year. There are several advantages of a one full-year internship, including the opportunity to gain a breadth of professional experience that is not generally possible in a shorter program, more opportunity to make important contributions to the partner company, and the opportunity to complete Senior year courses in their normal sequence with no need for curriculum rearrangements. Interested students should consult with their advisor.

International Chemical Engineering Exchange Programs

Chemical Engineering students may apply during their Sophomore year to spend their Junior year at RWTH Aachen in Germany, Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Argentina, or at Imperial College in London, Great Britain. A summer exchange program in Dortmund, Germany is also available. These exchange programs provide a great opportunity for students to obtain international experience while taking courses very similar to those offered at Carnegie Mellon. Students considering any of these programs should consult with their advisor, and students considering the Aachen program in particular are advised to take at least one introductory German course before or during their Sophomore year.

Fifth Year Master of Chemical Engineering (MChE)

The CIT Integrated Masters/Bachelors (IMB) Degree program provides the opportunity for qualified undergraduate students to obtain a master's degree in Chemical Engineering with one or two extra semesters of study. The goal is to deepen our graduates' understanding of the fundamentals of chemical engineering, and to provide them with a broader set of professional skills or to expose them to other technical disciplines.

The MChE program is a 96 unit course work degree aimed at undergraduate students from Carnegie Mellon and candidates from other universities. No financial support is available. For Carnegie Mellon students, the degree typically would be completed in their fifth year. Depending on advanced placement and semester overloads, however, CMU students can complete the degree at the time of the B.S. graduation or with one additional semester. All students must have graduate status once they have completed their B.S. degree; beyond eight semesters, degree program students must have full-time graduate student status in at least one (e.g., their final) semester whether or not they have already completed their BS degree. Upon graduating from this program, students seek industrial positions or placement in graduate programs at other universities.

A minimum of five completed semesters in residence as an undergraduate student and an overall QPA of 3.0 is required for eligibility. Taking the GRE and recommendation letters are not required. The application fee is waived for currently-enrolled undergraduate Chemical Engineering students.

The MChE program differs from the MS program because the MChE program does not require a project report or thesis.

Course Descriptions

About Course Numbers:

Each Carnegie Mellon course number begins with a two-digit prefix that designates the department offering the course (i.e., 76-xxx courses are offered by the Department of English). Although each department maintains its own course numbering practices, typically, the first digit after the prefix indicates the class level: xx-1xx courses are freshmen-level, xx-2xx courses are sophomore level, etc. Depending on the department, xx-6xx courses may be either undergraduate senior-level or graduate-level, and xx-7xx courses and higher are graduate-level. Consult the Schedule of Classes each semester for course offerings and for any necessary pre-requisites or co-requisites.

06-100 Introduction to Chemical Engineering: Fall and Spring: 12 units
We equip students with creative engineering problem-solving techniques and fundamental chemical engineering material balance skills. Lectures, laboratory experiments, and recitation sessions are designed to provide coordinated training and experience in data analysis, material property estimation for single- and multi-phase systems, basic process flowsheet, reactive and non-reactive mass balances, problem solving strategies and tools, and team dynamics. The course is targeted for CIT First Year students.

06-150 First Year Research Project: Fall and Spring: 6 units
Research projects conducted by first year undergraduate students under the supervision of a Chemical Engineering faculty member. The nature of the project and the criteria for grading are to be determined between the student and the faculty supervisor. A final written report or an oral presentation of the results may be required. A commitment of six hours effort on the project per week is expected. Registration will be by permission only.

06-200 Sophomore Research Project: Fall and Spring
Research projects under the direction of the Chemical Engineering faculty. The nature of the project, the number of units, and the criteria for grading are to be determined between the student and the faculty supervisor. The agreement should then be summarized in a one-page project description for review by the faculty advisor of the student. A final written report or an oral presentation of the results is required.

06-222 Sophomore Chemical Engineering Seminar: Fall: 1 unit
This course provides an overview of the chemical engineering profession. It discusses the rationale for the curriculum, career paths, resume writing, written communication skills, and ethics, and also involves a project on the use and manufacture of chemicals.

06-223 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics: Fall: 12 units
This course introduces students to thermodynamic state variables and the analysis of phase and chemical equilibrium in single- and multi-component chemical systems. Key topics include application of mass, energy and entropy balance equations to analyze processes with change of state and interconversion of energy between heat and work in open or closed systems; state property changes associated with phase change; equations of state to represent the pressure-volume-temperature relationship for pure materials and mixtures; Gibbs phase rule; phase equilibrium criteria; ideal and non-ideal mixtures; fugacity and prediction of pure liquid vapor pressure; fugacity and activity coefficients to predict multi-component vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid phase equilibrium; analysis of flash and other processes involving multi-component phase change; equilibrium constants and equilibrium conversions in chemically reacting systems.
Prerequisites: 06-100 and (33-141 or 33-151 or 33-121)

06-261 Fluid Mechanics: Spring: 9 units
The principles of fluid mechanics as applied to engineering, including unit operations, are discussed; examples include flow in conduits, process equipment, and commercial pipes, flow around submerged objects, and flow measurement. Microscopic mass and momentum balances are described, including the continuity and Navier-Stokes equations, and modern solution techniques will be explored. Microscopic flow structures will be determined for flow visualization. Boundary layer theory, turbulence, and non-Newtonian fluids are also discussed. A case-study project based on new technological advancements is also required.
Prerequisites: 21-254 and (33-151 or 33-121 or 33-141) and 06-223

06-262 Mathematical Methods of Chemical Engineering: Spring: 12 units
Mathematical techniques are presented as tools for modeling and solving engineering problems. Modeling of steady-state mass and energy balance problems using linear and matrix algebra, including Gaussian elimination, decomposition, and iterative techniques. Modeling of unsteady-state engineering problems using linear and nonlinear differential equations. Analytical techniques, including Laplace transforms, and numerical techniques for the solution of first-and higher-order differential equations and systems of differential equations arising in engineering models. Finally, the modeling of processes affected by chance and subject to experimental error; statistical and regression techniques within the context of experimental design and analysis of experimental data.
Prerequisites: 21-254 and 06-223

06-300 Junior Research Project: Fall and Spring
Research projects under the direction of the Chemical Engineering faculty. The nature of the project, the number of units, and the criteria for grading are to be determined between the student and the faculty supervisor. The agreement should then be summarized in a one-page project description for review by the faculty advisor of the student. A final written report or an oral presentation of the results is required.

06-310 Molecular Foundations of Chemical Engineering: Fall: 9 units
Students will learn to use the tools of molecular engineering that define the modern development of chemical engineering, using a combination of theory and computation. The theme throughout the course is the use of molecular engineering tools to specify alternative compositions and conditions for chemical engineering design. Applications will include the prediction of macroscopic transport properties and equations of state, and the ability to tune them via judicious specification of system composition; rate laws and rate constants for complex reacting systems, including multi-step heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions; and principles of non-covalent association and self-assembly in the context of sustainable chemical engineering product design. Students will investigate contemporary molecular engineering case studies focused on renewable energy, human health or solutions to environmental problems.
Prerequisites: 09-106 and 06-223

06-322 Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar: Fall: 2 units
This course discusses career choices for chemical engineers, professional practice, including alternate career paths, global industry, and graduate studies. It also emphasizes writing, interview skills, and oral presentations. Safety, environmental and ethical issues are illustrated in projects and via invited lectures.

06-323 Heat and Mass Transfer: Fall: 9 units
This course presents the fundamentals of heat and mass transfer, including steady-state and transient heat conduction and molecular diffusion, convection of heat and mass, and thermal radiation, with application to heat and mass transfer processes. Development of dimensionless quantities for engineering analysis is emphasized.
Prerequisites: 06-261 and (06-262 or 21-260) and (33-122 or 33-142 or 33-152)

06-325 Numerical Methods and Machine Learning for Chemical Engineering: Fall: 6 units
This course will focus on applying numerical methods and machine learning to chemical engineering problems. Students will learn how modern programming environments (on laptops and in the cloud) can run python code. Programming concepts such as defining functions and plotting quantities will be reviewed. Students will learn how to apply and debug numerical integration techniques to systems of ODEs. Solving systems of nonlinear equations and black-box optimization will be covered. Machine learning will be introduced starting with the statistics of linear and non-linear regression with regularization. Polynomial fitting and interpolation will be covered. With this base, students will learn how to apply machine learning techniques such as gaussian process regression and neural networks to regression tasks. A small project will be included near the end to encourage creative applications to chemical engineering problems.
Prerequisites: 06-262 and (15-112 or 15-110)

06-326 Optimization Modeling and Algorithms: Fall: 6 units
Formulation and solution of mathematical optimization problems with and without constraints. Objective functions are based on economics or functional specifications. Both discrete and continuous variables are considered.
Prerequisite: 06-262

06-361 Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering: Spring: 9 units
This course comprises many of the standard operations in chemical plants such as gas absorption, heat exchange, distillation and extraction. The design and operation of these devices is emphasized. A project dealing with a novel unit operation is also investigated.
Prerequisite: 06-323

06-363 Transport Process Laboratory: Spring: 9 units
Develop skills for proposing, designing, planning, implementing, interpreting, and communicating the results of experiments in fluid flow and heat and mass transfer. Oral and written reports are required.
Prerequisites: 06-261 and 06-323

06-364 Chemical Reaction Engineering: Spring: 9 units
Fundamental concepts in the kinetic modeling of chemical reactions, the treatment and analysis of rate data. Multiple reactions and reaction mechanisms. Analysis and design of ideal and non-ideal reactor systems. Energy effects and mass transfer in reactor systems. Introductory principles in heterogeneous catalysis.
Prerequisites: 06-323 and 06-310

06-400 Senior Research Project: Fall and Spring
Research projects under the direction of the Chemical Engineering faculty. The nature of the project, the number of units, and the criteria for grading are to be determined between the student and the faculty supervisor. The agreement should then be summarized in a one-page project description for review by the faculty advisor of the student. A final written report or an oral presentation of the results is required.

06-421 Chemical Process Systems Design: Fall: 12 units
Screening of processing alternatives. Computational strategies for preliminary material and energy balances in large chemical processes. Preliminary sizing of process equipment. Cost estimation, economics, and evaluation for chemical plants. Strategies for synthesizing energy networks and separation sequences. Preliminary design of a large industrial project.
Prerequisites: 06-364 and 06-361

06-423 Unit Operations Laboratory: Fall: 9 units
Open-ended laboratory projects illustrate the principles of unit operations in Chemical Engineering. In this course students select, with course staff review, current societal problems to which chemical engineering subject knowledge can be applied. Students work in teams to design and implement an experimental plan to evaluate proposed solutions. Teams must work together to identify constraints and relationships between the unit operations they work on. Students must document implementation feasibility (cost, scheduling, analytic capability, etc.) and clearly identify the criteria and methods for assessing experimental results. Oral and written reports are required.
Prerequisites: 06-361 and 06-364

06-426 Experimental Colloid Surface Science: Fall: 9 units
Laboratory exercises will deal with preparation and stabilization of colloids, flocculation, micellar aggregates, surface tension, contact angle, spreading and adsorption. Basic concepts will be related to practical problems of wetting, lubrication, foaming, adhesion, coatings and corrosion.
Prerequisites: 09-221 and 06-607

06-463 Chemical Product Design: Spring: 9 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.
Prerequisite: 06-421

06-464 Chemical Engineering Process Control: Spring: 9 units
This course presents basic concepts of process dynamics and feedback control. Included are selection of measurements and manipulated variables, definition of transfer functions, creation of block diagrams and closed loop configurations. The course also covers concepts of open loop and closed loop stability, and tuning of PID controllers.
Prerequisite: 06-325

06-466 Experimental Polymer Science: Spring: 9 units
Macromolecular behavior in bulk and in solution will be explored in experiments on tensile strength, elasticity, swelling of networks, solution viscosity, melt flow, and polymerization reactions. Particular reference will be made to aspects affecting production and fabrication of polymeric materials.
Prerequisites: 09-221 and (06-609 or 09-509)

06-606 Computational Methods for Large Scale Process Design & Analysis: Spring: 9 units
This course deals with the underlying computer-aided design techniques for steady-state and dynamic simulation, numerical solution and decomposition strategies for large systems of sparse nonlinear algebraic equations, stiff ordinary differential equations, strategies for mixed algebraic/differential systems and computer architectures for flowsheeting systems.
Prerequisites: 06-262 and 06-361
Course Website: http://numero.cheme.cmu.edu/course/06606.html

06-607 Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces: All Semesters: 9 units
Thermodynamics of surfaces; adsorption at gas, liquid, and solid interfaces; capillarity; wetting, spreading, lubrication and adhesion; properties of monolayers and thin films; preparation and characterization of colloids; colloidal stability, flocculation kinetics, micelles, electrokinetic phenomena and emulsions.

06-609 Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules: Fall: 9 units
This course develops fundamental principles of polymer science. Emphasis is placed on physio-chemical concepts associated with the macromolecular nature of polymeric materials. Engineering aspects of the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of these materials are discussed in relation to molecular structure. Topics include an introduction to polymer science and a general discussion of commercially important polymers; molecular weight; condensation and addition synthesis mechanisms with emphasis on molecular weight distribution; solution thermodynamics and molecular conformation; rubber elasticity; and the rheological and mechanical properties of polymeric systems. Students not having the prerequisite listed may seek permission of the instructor.

06-610 Rheology and Structure of Complex Fluids: Fall: 9 units
This course will cover the basic concepts of rheology and mechanical behavior of fluid systems. Both the experimental and theoretical aspects of rheology will be discussed. The basic forces influencing complex fluid rheology and rheology will be outlined and discussed; including excluded volume, van der Waals, electrostatic and other interactions. Methods of characterizing structure will be covered including scattering techniques, optical polarimetry and microscopy. Examples will focus on several types of complex fluids including polymer solutions and melts, gelling systems, suspensions and self-assembling fluids.

06-612 Formulation Engineering: Intermittent: 12 units
Students will learn the scientific and design principles needed for careers in complex fluid formulation-based industries such as consumer products, pharmaceuticals, paints, agrochemicals or lubricants. The essential science and engineering principles of colloids, surfactants, interfaces and polymer solutions will be introduced. Students will learn to use these principles in combination with experimental measurements and statistical design of experiments tools to design effective liquid product formulations within specified economic, material and even aesthetic constraints. The lecture portion of the course is complemented by weekly lab sessions where student teams will design, prepare, test and improve their own formulations for a commercial complex fluid product, such as a detergent or an ink, that meets performance goals within specified constraints.

06-614 Special Topics: Atmospheric Nanoparticles and Climate: Fall and Spring: 12 units
This course will examine the physicochemical properties of atmospheric nanoparticles and the chemical processes that form these particles. We will also cover basic techniques for characterizing atmospheric nanoparticles using fundamentals of aerosol physics and chemistry. The last portion of the course will explore how atmospheric nanoparticles affect the Earth's radiative budget and ultimately climate. Students will apply their atmospheric nanoparticle knowledge to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of various atmospheric geoengineering techniques proposed in literature. Though this course targets atmospheric nanoparticles, it is also broadly applicable to anyone interested applications of aerosolized nanoparticles. Prerequisites: undergraduate chemistry and physics

06-623 Mathematical Modeling of Chemical Engineering Processes: Fall: 12 units
Numerical approaches to solving problems relevant to chemical engineering applications. In this course, advanced mathematical topics relevant to chemical engineering will be used to solve complex problems. Topics include linear algebra, nonlinear equation solving, initial value and boundary value problems for solution of differential equations, numerical optimization, probability and stochastic methods. Significant focus will be placed on numerical rather than analytical solution to problems. Primary Software Package(s): Mathematical programming environment.

06-625 Chemical and Reactive Systems: Fall: 12 units
In this course process simulation software will be used to develop models of chemical and reactive systems. The models will be used to predict the performance of the system, as well as to probe how process modifications, e.g. process conditions, reactor types or sequences, etc. affect system performance. The effects of the underlying thermodynamic and kinetic databases of chemical properties on the performance predictions will be explored. Methods to incorporate new thermodynamic and kinetic data into chemical and reactive system simulations will be examined. Thermochemical and kinetic data for reactions will be estimated for use in process simulation software. Primary Software Package(s): Molecular modeling and process simulation software.

06-631 Air Quality Engineering: Fall: 12 units
The course provides a quantitative introduction to the processes that control atmospheric pollutants and the use of mass balance models to predict pollutant concentrations. We survey major processes including emission rates, atmospheric dispersion, chemistry, and deposition. The course includes discussion of basic atmospheric science and meteorology to support understanding air pollution behavior. Concepts in this area include vertical structure of the atmosphere, atmospheric general circulation, atmospheric stability, and boundary layer turbulence. The course also discusses briefly the negative impacts of air pollution on society and the regulatory framework for controlling pollution in the United States. The principles taught are applicable to a wide variety of air pollutants but special focus is given to tropospheric ozone and particulate matter. The course is intended for graduate students as well as advanced undergraduates. It assumes a knowledge of mass balances, fluid mechanics, chemistry, and statistics typical of an undergraduate engineer but is open to students from other scientific disciplines.
Prerequisites: 36-220 and 24-231 and 09-105

06-634 Drug Delivery Systems: Fall and Spring: 9 units
The body is remarkable in its ability to sequester and clear foreign entities - whether they be "bad" (e.g. pathogens) or "good" (e.g. therapeutic drugs). This course will explore the design principles being used to engineer modern drug delivery systems capable of overcoming the body's innate defenses to achieve therapeutic effect. Specifically, we will study the chemistry, formulation, and mechanisms of systems designed to deliver nucleic acids, chemotherapeutics, and proteins across a variety of physiological barriers. Scientific communication plays a prominent role in the course, and students will have several opportunities to strengthen their communication skills through journal club presentations, proposal writing and constructive feedback. This is a graduate level course that is also open to undergraduate seniors.

06-642 Data Science and Machine Learning in Chemical Engineering: Fall and Spring: 6 units
This class will examine topics related to data science and machine learning in chemical engineering. This includes topics in data visualization and modeling. The course will emphasize computational implementations of these topics with applications in chemical engineering. Students will need to be comfortable with scientific programming. Students who have taken 06-623 and/or 06-625 should have the skills needed in this class.

06-643 Creating Scientific Research Software: Fall and Spring: 6 units
This course will introduce students to topics in creating scientific research software. This will include using a shell, creating and using command-line utilities, using software editors, using version control systems, and creating and distributing software packages for scientific research.

06-663 Analysis and Modeling of Transport Phenomena: Spring: 12 units
Students will learn the basic differential equations and boundary conditions governing momentum, heat, and mass transfer. Students will learn how to think about these equations in dimensionless terms and will apply them to model physical and chemical processes. The primary mode for solving them will be numerical. Analytical results for classical problems of high symmetry also will be presented to serve as a basis for comparison and validation. Software: A finite element and computational transport tool.

06-665 Process Systems Modeling: Spring: 12 units
Simulation and optimization of complex flowsheets, synthesis of separation systems, planning and enterprise-wide optimization, process control and molecular design. Primary Software Package(s): Process Simulation software. Target Audience: first year masters students in chemical engineering Prerequisite skills: analytical and mathematical skills typical of an undergraduate engineering degree or technical degree.

06-679 Introduction to Meteorology: Fall and Spring: 12 units
Provide you with the basics of meteorology, with a focus on large-scale atmospheric motion. By the end of the class you will understand the basics of atmospheric dynamics, including horizontal and vertical motion, as well as the vertical structure of the atmosphere (atmospheric stability and boundary-layer dynamics). You will understand what makes weather happen and you will understand weather maps and charts. You will be able to critically watch the nightly weather forecast and you will be able to access available meteorological databases to make informed predictions of your own. Finally, you will understand atmospheric transport and boundary-layer dynamics, which will serve as a foundation for other coursework involving atmospheric transport and air-pollution if you are pursuing those topics more deeply.

06-685 Bioseparations and Bioprocess Analytical Technologies: Spring: 12 units
This course gives an introduction to key principles of bioseparations and process analytical technologies relevant to the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. Transport modeling principles are applied to sedimentation/centrifugation, flocculation, and filtration of antibodies and plasmid DNA from raw cell culture. Polishing methods such as Protein A chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography are a particular focus. Chemical means to graft affinity ligands to commercial media are discussed along with in-line spectroscopic techniques. A molecular-level basis of light absorbance and fluorescence is established and the selection and conjugation of fluorophores to biomolecules of interest is presented. Means to assess the state of antibody aggregation and the proper folding of protein-based therapeutics are covered in the context of spectroscopic identification. Finally, the course will provide an overview of the diverse metrics needed for analysis of biomacromolecules as well as the variety of techniques used to analyze quality of produced materials by comparing cost, speed, accuracy and precision.

06-686 ST: Polymers for a Sustainable Future: Fall and Spring: 9 units
This course presents basic concepts of polymer science and discusses topics related to polymers and sustainability. Condensation, radical, ionic, emulsion, and ring-opening polymerizations, polymer behavior in solution and in the bulk will be explored in relation to material applications. We will touch on topics including chemistry of biomass and sustainable utilization of bio-based materials, along with polymers for sustainable technologies in renewable energy, water, and the environment.

06-702 Advanced Reaction Kinetics: Spring: 12 units
Advanced application of engineering and scientific principles to the study of complex chemical reaction systems. Catalytic and noncatalytic reactions in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, fast reaction techniques, and isothermal and non-isothermal reaction design.

06-705 Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics: Fall: 12 units
Advanced application of the general thermodynamic method to chemical engineering problems. Second law consequences, estimation and correlation of thermodynamic properties, and chemical and phase equilibria.

06-707 Advanced Transport Phenomena: Fall and Spring: 12 units
An introduction to foundational concepts in mass, momentum, and energy transport. The governing equations for such transport phenomena in flowing fluids will be derived and then analyzed in a variety of scenarios, including unidirectional flows, lubrication theory, Stokes flow, and forced convection heat and mass transfer. The focus will be on problem formulation and solution using applied mathematical techniques. Throughout, the importance of developing a physical intuition for transport phenomena will be emphasized.

06-713 Mathematical Techniques in Chemical Engineering: Fall: 12 units
Selection, construction, solution, and interpretation of mathematical models applicable to the study of chemical engineering problems. Mathematical topics emphasized include divergence, curl and gradient operators, vector field theory, the solution of ordinary and partial differential equations by infinite series, separation of variables, Green's functions, regular and singular perturbations, and boundary-layer techniques.

06-714 Surfaces and Adsorption: Fall and Spring: 12 units
A survey of solid surfaces and gas-solid interactions. Topics include the structure and electronic properties of metal surfaces, the kinetics and thermodynamics of adsorption and desorption processes, and concepts in heterogeneous catalysis. The course emphasizes the application of recent experimental techniques in studying these problems.

06-722 Bioprocess Design: Fall and Spring: 12 units
This course is designed to link concepts of cell culture, bioseparations, formulation, and delivery together for the commercial production and use of biologically-based pharmaceuticals; products considered include proteins, nucleic acids, and fermentation-derived fine chemicals. Associated regulatory issues and biotech industry case studies are also included. A fair knowledge of cell culture and fermentation operations is assumed.

Faculty

SHELLEY ANNA, Vice Provost for Faculty and Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 2003–

JOANNE BECKWITH MADDOCK, Assistant Teaching Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Michigan; Carnegie Mellon, 2022–

LORENZ T. BIEGLER, Covestro University Professor and Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Wisconsin; Carnegie Mellon, 1981–

DAPHNE WUI YARN CHAN, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 2022-–

MICHAEL M. DOMACH, Emeritus, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Cornell University; Carnegie Mellon, 1983–

NEIL M. DONAHUE, Lord University Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 2000–

ANDREW J. GELLMAN, Lord Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon, 1992–

GABRIEL GOMES, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Florida State University; Carnegie Mellon, 2022–

HAMISH GORDON, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Oxford; Carnegie Mellon, 2022–

CHRYSANTHOS GOUNARIS, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Princeton University; Carnegie Mellon, 2013–

IGNACIO E. GROSSMANN, R. R. Dean University Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Imperial College, University of London; Carnegie Mellon, 1979–

ANNETTE JACOBSON, Emeritus, Teaching Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 1988–

COTY JEN, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Carnegie Mellon, 2018–

MYUNG S. JHON, Emeritus, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Chicago; Carnegie Mellon, 1980–

ADITYA KHAIR, Professor of Chemical Engineering – PhD, California Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 2010–

JOHN KITCHIN, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Delaware; Carnegie Mellon, 2006–

CARL LAIRD, Professor and Interim Department Head of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–

ALEXANDRA NEWBY, Assistant Teaching Professor of Chemical Engienering – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

TAGBO NIEPA, Arthur Hamerschlag Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Syracuse University; Carnegie Mellon, 2023–

GRIGORIOS PANAGAKOS, Assistant Research Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Technical University of Denmark; Carnegie Mellon, 2018–

ANNE SKAJA ROBINSON, Trustee Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Carnegie Mellon, 2019–

JAMES W. SCHNEIDER, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Carnegie Mellon, 1999–

DERIN SEVENLER, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Boston University; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

PAUL J. SIDES, Emeritus, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon, 1981–

SUSANA C. STEPPAN, Emeritus, Associate Teaching Professor of Chemical Engineering – PhD, University of Massachusetts; Carnegie Mellon, 2004–

ROBERT D. TILTON, Chevron Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Stanford University; Carnegie Mellon, 1992–

ANA INES TORRES, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Carnegie Mellon, 2022–

ARTHUR W. WESTERBERG, Emeritus, University Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., DIC, Imperial College, University of London; Carnegie Mellon, 1976–

KATHRYN WHITEHEAD, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., University of California; Carnegie Mellon, 2012–

B. ERIK YDSTIE, Emeritus, Professor of Chemical Engineering – Ph.D., Imperial College, University of London; Carnegie Mellon, 1992–

Undergraduate Catalog