Department Overview

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon is one of the premier chemical engineering departments in the country and provides a unique educational and research environment. It has a 100 year history of innovation and creativity in both teaching and in research. Our primary missions are to educate undergraduate and graduate students, and to discover and disseminate knowledge through research. The department is committed to achieving excellence in these activities, and evaluates the success and leadership of its programs using the highest standards of quality, innovation, and visibility, while at the same time providing a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Our goal is to provide to our students with strong fundamental skills complemented by professional skills including communication and teamwork. These skills and goals produce students and faculty who will become leaders in their areas.

The department currently includes 20 faculty members (17 Full Time Equivalent), one teaching professor, one research professor and several adjunct professors. The student body includes approximately 180 undergraduates, 80 PhD and 20 Masters students (MChE, MS), and 20 postdoctoral research fellows and visitors. On average, the department awards 40-50 BS degrees, 15 MChE/MS degrees, and 12-14 PhD degrees each year. All faculty are engaged in research and teaching. Four faculty are members of the National Academy of Engineering, and many have received major national awards from AIChE, ACS, ASEE, AAAS, and Dreyfus and Sloan Foundations. The department has excellent computational and experimental facilities, for both teaching and research. The department is housed in Doherty Hall which is about to undergo a $27 million renovation, creating state-of-the art research and teaching facilities.