University of Rochester - Department of Chemical Engineering - Overview
Graduate Studies in Chemical Engineering
The University of Rochester Chemical Engineering graduate program trains students for dynamic professional careers in a variety of specialties.
The program specializes in the application of materials science to areas of clean energy, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, and graduate students commonly are involved in research of groundbreaking innovations in concepts such as solar cell technology, fuel cells, or biofuels.
The department, along with the University of Rochester, is closely connected with the vibrant technology industry of Rochester, New York, and many research endeavors involve collaboration with major corporations and companies in the area, which include Xerox, Kodak, and Bausch and Lomb.
University of Rochester a Technological Leader
The University of Rochester enjoys a reputation as a world leader in technological innovation. The Laboratory for Laser Energetics' 60-beam OMEGA laser is the world's most powerful fusion laser, and faculty and alumni make up nearly a quarter of scientists on the board advising NASA on the development of the James Webb Space Telescope, which will replace the Hubble Space Telescope in 2011.
The university also has produced numerous Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as Guggenheim Fellows.
Graduate Degree Programs Span Variety of Chemical Engineering Areas
The Chemical Engineering graduate program at the University of Rochester offers 3 unique degrees: a Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemical Engineering; an M.S. in Alternative Energy; and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering.
In the M.S. programs, students have the option of obtaining their degree solely through coursework or through a combination of coursework and the successful defense of a thesis based on independent research.
The program also offers a unique Professional Master's Degree Program, requiring students to spend a significant amount of time in an industrial setting on an advanced technical project. Students in the program work under an industrial sponsor and department faculty member, who acts as an adviser.
Well-Funded Research Focuses on 4 Disciplines
The Chemical Engineering Department's research efforts receive generous support from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy, as well as from numerous private industries.
The research efforts take on challenges related to biological, chemical, and physical properties of the environment, materials, energy, and biotechnology, and they emphasize 4 pivotal research cluster areas: advanced materials, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and clean energy.
Advanced Materials Research Focus
Study involving advanced materials focuses on the development of structured materials for advanced technologies. These materials, including liquid crystals, functional polymers, surfactants, and others, have historically served as the key ingredients to technological innovations, and at the University of Rochester, they are applied to research targeting imaging, information, biomedical, and energy technologies.
Students in this field take part in the research and development of technologies ranging from optoelectronic materials for flat-panel displays, to composite fuel cell membranes with enhanced transport properties, and polymer shells for laser fusion targets and the controlled release of drugs.
Biotechnology Research Focus
In biotechnology, chemical engineering researchers collaborate with life scientists in the engineering of concepts such as novel biomolecules, cells, tissues, and organisms for industrial and biomedical applications.
Professor David Wu's research, for example, involves enzyme and cell engineering for improving the efficiency of a bioprocess to convert biomass into ethanol. The research also focuses on bioreactor engineering for bone marrow and embryonic stem cell culture to produce stem cells and tissues for transplantation.
Nanotechnology Research Focus
Nanotechnology plays a pivotal role in chemical engineering technologies, and research projects at the University of Rochester focus on issues such as the development of multifunctional nanostructures for the harvesting of everything from solar and other energy sources to therapeutic reagents for treating some forms of cancer.
Recent research projects have investigated challenges such as nanostructured heterojunctions for organic photovoltaics, diffusion through correlated dynamic networks, and nanostructured sulfonated polyimide copolymers for fuel cell membranes.
Clean Energy Research Focus
Researchers are heavily involved in the application of chemical engineering principles to a host of pressing environmental issues, such as sustainability, resource management, and fusion energy, and ongoing research address areas of pollution prevention, fuel cells, and green manufacturing.
Faculty members Shaw Chen and Hong Yang, for instance, were recently involved in the development of novel, cost-effective polymers and nanomaterials for use in solar cells, and Eldred Chimowitz and David Wu were involved in the storage of hydrogen.
Financial Aid Includes Tuition Waivers
Tuition scholarships of 50 percent of registered credit hours are typically awarded to M.S. students in Chemical Engineering, and students may also receive part-time teaching assistantships that provide a minimal stipend.
Doctoral students typically receive a full tuition scholarship, in addition to a stipend. In their first year of study, the stipend is in the form of a grant, and in subsequent years, all students are expected to perform teaching or research in return for the stipend.
University of Rochester Balances Science, Arts, Recreation
In addition to its technological offerings, the University of Rochester supports a vibrant environment, with the Eastman School of Music's Eastman Wind Ensemble, for example, representing a pioneering force in the symphonic band movement, and the Memorial Art Gallery featuring one of the most balanced collections of American Art outside of New York City.
The surrounding city of Rochester, New York, offers a thriving cultural urban center close to the Finger Lakes region, where recreational opportunities including hiking, skiing, and boating abound.