Message from the Department Head
The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is one of the premier departments
in the nation and offers a unique and challenging academic experience—
with its focus on cooperative education and advanced research.
We offer a number of undergraduate and graduate degree programs:
BS, BS/MS,
MS, and a PhD in
Chemical Engineering. We also offer specialized tracks within the undergraduate
curriculum for students interested in sub-disciplines of the chemical engineering
major. We recently launched a biological track
(winter '06) to satisfy the growing demand—both by students and
industry—for training in the processing of biomolecules.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of Drexel University 's
undergraduate experience is its
cooperative education program. Each student
participates in three six-month periods of employment. The high concentration of
pharmaceutical and chemical firms in the Philadelphia area results in a wide range
of professional opportunities. In addition to their coursework and co-op,
qualifying undergraduates can work one-on-one with faculty members on research
in areas such as drug delivery, fuel cells, and biosensors.
In the graduate program, students
have the opportunity to conduct research alongside their advisors utilizing state of the
art equipment in modern facilities, including the new Bossone Research Center. Our
research strengths are in four principal areas:
Biological Engineering, Energy and the Environment,
Polymer Science and Engineering, and
Multiscale Modeling and Process Systems Engineering.
The current expenditure for the research conducted in these areas is in excess of two
million dollars per year.
Our talented and dynamic faculty
in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department has received recognition for their
cutting-edge research. The twelve tenured and tenure
track faculty members have been honored with prestigious Young Investigator Awards from
the National Science Foundation (NSF), Army Research Office (ARO), Office of Naval Research
(ONR), and the Whitaker Foundation. Our current research is supported by major grants from agencies such as the NSF, National Institute of Health, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, NASA, ARO, Army Research Laboratories, ONR, as well as industrial sponsors.
We are dedicated to promoting an environment of innovation, in which our
students can develop their scientific and professional expertise and we invite you to learn
more about the opportunities that our department has to offer.
Giuseppe R. Palmese, Ph.D.
Professor and Department Head