Chemical Engineering

Many of the challenges facing the world today have a significant chemical engineering component.  Examples of these challenges are: processing nuclear waste, biological energy production, reducing energy consumption and environmental impact in chemical processing, and removing CO₂ from coal fired power plant emissions.

With a master’s or doctorate degree in chemical engineering, you have the in-depth knowledge, research skills, and mathematical analysis skills needed to make a contribution to solving these important challenges.

Graduate studies in chemical engineering are highly diversified to accommodate the needs of most students who have a strong background in the physical sciences, mathematics and engineering. Areas of expertise include:

• Analyzing nanoscale materials using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning Raman spectroscopy.
• Simulation, optimization and process design, especially for the pulp and paper industry and for food applications
• Hazardous waste characterization and bioremediation
• Membrane, nanoscience, fluid mechanics, biochemical engineering
• Pyroprocessing of nuclear materials
• Hydrogen production
• Battery development for electric vehicles
• Separation processes using oscillating flows in periodic flow tubes and microchannels

As a graduate student in the rigorous chemical engineering program, you receive one-on-one mentorship from faculty members who are recognized internationally for excellence in chemical engineering teaching and research. Here, you engage in leading industry research with access to fully-equipped laboratory facilities and modern equipment, including the atomic force microscope (AFM) system, scanning Raman microscope, a variety of bioreactors, and a probe station for analyzing electrical properties of nanomaterials materials.

You may also have opportunities to present your research at local, regional and national competitions and to participate in other industry networking activities. Numerous fellowships and assistantship opportunities are also available.

A master’s or doctorate degree in chemical engineering is offered at both the Moscow campus and the Idaho Falls campus.

Prepare for Success

Most students who enter the graduate program in chemical engineering hold a bachelor of science in chemical engineering and have a solid background in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and the fundamentals of engineering.

The graduate program also includes provisions for study, leading to a master’s degree in chemical engineering, for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as chemistry, physics, or another engineering discipline. These students register as undergraduates until they meet the prerequisites to the courses required in the master’s program.

Your First Year

The master of science (M.S.) in chemical engineering requires 10 credits of directed thesis study and 20 credits of course work.

The master of engineering option requires 30 credits of course work that includes a written project report. It typically takes two to three semesters to complete the requirements for a M.S. or M.E. degree.

The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 78 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which 52 credits MUST be in the 500-above courses. In addition, at least 33 of the 78 credits MUST be in courses other than ChE 600 (directed Ph.D. study).

What You Can Do

Your versatile expertise positions you for diverse career opportunities in:

• Pulp and paper
• Chemical manufacturing
• Petroleum and fuel processing
• Nuclear and energy applications
• Electronic materials
• Biotechnology
• Biomedical engineering
• Pharmaceuticals
• Environmental engineering

A graduate degree in chemical engineering also opens doors for a career in academia as a researcher or professor.

Opportunities

Chemical engineers have discovered new fabrics to enhance athletic performance, created new compounds to improve how medicines are absorbed and administered, designed biocompatible materials for prosthetics, and experimented with alternative fuel using microbes and other renewable energy solutions.

Our graduates are recruited by industry-leading companies, including:

• Alcoa
• Applied Materials
• Battelle Pacific Northwest
• Bechtel
• British Petroleum
• Chevron
• CH2M Hill
• Department of Energy
• DOW
• Dupont
• Georgia Pacific
• Hewlett-Packard Company
• INL
• Intel
• Ivensys
• Lincoln Tissue and Paper
• Longview Fiber
• Louisiana Pacific
• Micron
• Potlatch Corporation
• Solutia
• Terragraphics
• Weyerhaeuser

Current Research

Our faculty members are widely recognized for their research and expertise in chemical engineering. Examples of current faculty research interests include:

• Professor Eric Aston is interested in nanoscale analysis using atomic force microscopy (AFM), Langmuir-Blodgett deposition, and other complimentary techniques.
• Professor Aaron Thomas is exploring oscillating systems for the separation of gas and liquids.
• Professor Vivek Utgikar’s research interests include hydrogen production and utilization, microbial treatment of waste streams, pollution prevention and resource recovery.
• Professor Supathorn Phongikaroon is focused on the development of new chemical engineering applications in pyroprocessing technology.
• Professor Dean Edwards is exploring advanced power trains for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

Activities

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
• Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI)

Hands-On Experience

Research Fellowships and Assistantships: Students admitted into the chemical engineering graduate program are usually offered financial assistance in the form of graduate assistantships. These assistantships are research appointments in the department to support thesis-related research.

Waste-Management Environmental Research Consortium (WERC): This annual competition is held annually at New Mexico State University. Teams of students from around the U.S. and world design solutions for real-world environmental problems. Over the past 15 years, the University of Idaho teams have earned more than 32 trophies, a traveling trophy and $56,000 in prize monies.

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Conference: Chemical engineering graduate students have opportunities to present their research and compete in AIChE regional and national conferences.

Facilities

Both undergraduate and graduate students use the chemical engineering laboratory’s state-of-the-art equipment, including:

• Membrane-based gas separation lab 
• Atomic force microscope (AFM) system
• Scanning Raman spectroscopy microscope
• Oscillating flow separations lab
• Bio-reactors
• Research facilities at Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

Faculty Involvement

Complete list of faculty members

Wudneh "Woody" Admassu, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
BEL 305 | 208-885-8918
» Email Woody Admassu

Eric Aston, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
BEL 301 | 208-885-6953
After joining the Chemical Engineering faculty at the University of Idaho in the summer of 2001, Dr. Eric Aston branched out into various areas of colloids, thin films, polymeric and magnetic materials, nanotechnology and nanomechanics using atomic force microscopy (AFM), Langmuir-Blodgett deposition, and other complimentary techniques.
» View Eric Aston's profile

Dave Drown, Ph. D.
Associate Professor
BEL 303 | 208-885-7848
» Email Dave Drown

Dean Edwards, Ph.D.
Professor
BEL 319 | 208-885-7229
» Email Dean Edwards

Supathorn Phongikaroon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Idaho Falls CAES | 533-8123
Research Interests: Pyroprocessing technology--theoretical and experimental studies in electrorefinery, oxide reduction and chemistry, and ion exchange. Interfacial phenomena and multi-phase flow systems involving in nuclear and chemical engineering applications.
» Email Supathorn Phongikaroon

Aaron Thomas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
BEL 310 | 208-885-7652
Dr. Thomas is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and an affiliate faculty member of the American Indian Studies program at the University of Idaho.
» View Aaron Thomas' profile

Vivek Utgikar, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor
Idaho Falls CAES | 533-8117
Dr. Utgikar has process development, design and engineering experience in organic chemical industry and has been a consultant to a number of industries in the areas of process/product improvement and environmental compliance.
» Email Vivek Utgikar