Grossmann - Trends in Chemical Engineering Education: a U.S. PerspectiveOptimal Design and Operation of Sustainable and Robust Process Systems
- 1. Trends in Chemical Engineering Education: a U.S. Perspective Ignacio E. Grossmann Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213 U.S.A.
- 2. Industry Hiring 2007 (AIChE) ~ 42% chemicals/fuels
- 3. Diversity of jobs for B.S. Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
- 4. Chemical engineers are highest paid! Average Bachelors Degree Salary (2009) Chemical Engineering $65,466 Mechanical Engineering $58,648 Computer Science $58,419 Electrical/Electronics & Communications $57,404 Engineering Construction Science/Management $52,837 Civil Engineering $50,785 Finance $49,794 Logistics/Materials Management $49,389 Accounting $48,334 Nursing $46,655 ~ $15,000 more than Civil Engineering
- 5. Major trends (cont.) Chemicals/Petrochemicals no longer dominant industries Many retirements are expected next decade (2% growth in jobs is expected) but effect of shale gas may revitalize petrochemicals Bioengineering area poses opportunities and challenges: - Perceived as “hot” area: most new faculty in bio area - Biomedical Engineering Depts, are “stealing” students and faculty (Whitaker Foundation provided funding to establish many new Biomed Depts.) Job market biomedical engineers? Many departments (~50%) have been renamed as: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (e.g. Cornell, U. Penn., Illinois, Georgia Tech) Chemical and Biological Engineering (e.g. Colorado, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Wisconsin)
- 6. Major trends (cont.) Nanotechnology is another “hot” area Increasing emphasis on Science in Chemical Eng. Departments - Many professors are not chemical engineers and do not regard AIChE as their primary organization - Has increased multidisciplinary approach - Decreased emphasis on chemical engineering fundamentals - Process Design courses largely outsourced to retired industry people - Process Control no longer required at many universities
- 7. New areas: Energy and Sustainability Fossil fuels with low CO2 impact (petroleum, natural gas, coal) Biofuels (biodiesel, bioethanol, biorefineries) Improved energy efficiency of chemical processes Will require advances in catalysis, reaction engineering and process engineering Challenge: Environmental area was “lost” to Civil Eng. Renamed as Civil and Environmental Eng Departments Remark: Recent interest in Innovation Innovation courses at CMU: Process Design, Product Design, Transport Lab, Unit Ops Lab
- 8. Impact of trends on curriculum Fewer courses (promoted by deans) Displacement of core subjects to make room for new courses: - 1st & 2nd Law and Phase/Chemical Equilibrium in one Thermo course - Reduction in Transport Phenomena - Elimination of Process Control as required course New courses: biology, biomolecular eng., product design More electives courses: both free / technical
- 9. Undergraduate Curriculum ABET Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology Old ABET system: - Rigid - Bean counting (number of hours for various courses) - “Design experience” New ABET (2000): - Flexible - Requires vision, plan, metrics (strategies) - Process for changes (metrics, surveys)
- 10. Plan for undergraduate education in Chemical Engineering at CMU VISION (2006) Graduates in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon will obtain employment or attend graduate school, will advance in their chosen careers, and will be productive and fulfilled professionals throughout their careers.
- 11. Curriculum Carnegie Mellon 4yrs (8 semesters) Intro to ChemE Calculus I, II, III Physics I, II Computer Science Seminar Modern Chem I Thermo ChemE Math Lab Modern Chem II Fluid Mech Adv Phys Chem ChemE Thermo Lab Chem Lab Lab Heat & Mass Seminar Organic I Rxn Eng Unit Ops Process Design Lab Biochemistry Optimization Control Product Design Math. & Basic Sci. (1.25 yrs) Chemical Eng. Topics (1.5 yrs) 5 Free Electives (0.5 yrs) 8 Humanities/S. Sci (0.75 yrs) http://www.cheme.cmu.edu/
- 12. Students usually use free electives to pursue minors Minors: Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces Environmental Engineering Supply Chain Management (offered by Business School) Double major Biomedical/Health Eng. (unique in United States) Double major Engineering and Public Policy Chemistry Computer Science Business Administration English, French Philosophy Multidisciplinary courses Product Design and Innovation Carnegie Mellon 12
- 13. Program outcomes (motivated by ABET) A. Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering B. Ability to design experiments and analyze and interpret data C. Ability to design a chemical process D. Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems E. Ability to use modern engineering tools F. Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams G. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility H. An ability to communicate effectively I. Ability to understand engineering in global/societal context J. Appreciation and capability for life-long learning K. Knowledge of contemporary issues
- 14. Gap analysis of courses
- 15. Constituencies /Info gathering tools: Students SAC (Student Advisory Council Senior Survey FCE (Faculty Course Evaluations) Parents/Guardians Informal Faculty Faculty Course Review (Gap Analysis) Alumni Advisory Board, Alumni Survey Recruiters (Industrial, Academic) Recruiter Surveys
- 16. Minnesota ChE Curriculum (new) Year 1 Year 3 Chemistry 1, 2 Organic lab Physics 1, 2 Biomolecular engineering Calculus 1, 2 Momentum and heat transfer Writing Thermodynamics Biology Process analytical chemistry Mass transfer and separations Computational methods Kinetics and reactor engineering Liberal ed, elective 3 Year 2 Year 4 Organic chemistry 1,2 ChE lab (1.5 sem.) Physical chemistry 1,2 Process design Multivariable calculus, vectors Polymers and biopolymers Linear algebra, diff. eq. Process control Materials science Product design (0.5 sem.) Mass and energy balances Technical electives 1,2,3 Liberal ed electives 1,2 minor: MatS, Chem, Bio, Business Liberal ed. electives 4,5 35 courses in 4 years (8 semesters)
- 17. Princeton ChE Curriculum (new) Year 1 Year 3 MAT (Calculus 1) ChE (Transport) PHY (Physics 1) H&SS ChM Program Elective H&SS Program Elective MAT (Calculus 2) H&SS PHY (Physics 2) ChE (Laboratory) ChM ChE (Reactors) 35 courses in 4 Computer Requirerement H&SS years (8 semesters) Writing Requirement Year 2 Year 4 • 1 Transport course MAT (Multivariable Calculus ChE (Design) (Fluid, Heat and Mass) ChE (Material & Energy) ChE Lab • 5 Electives (ChemE) ChM (Organic Chem) Program Elective and 2 Open electives MAT (Linear Algebra) H&SS • No Control H&SS ChE (Senior thesis) ChE (Thermodynamics) Program Elective MOL (Biology) Open Elective MAE (Diff. Eqns) Open Elective ChE (Separations Process) H&SS
- 18. New Curriculum Project Council for Chemical Research (Bob Armstrong, MIT, 2006) New Core Organizing Principles
- 19. Envisioned Integrated Curriculum Freshman Soph Junior Senior Enabling Molecular-Scale Transformations Molecular Basis Molecular Basis of Reactions Special Topics Courses of Thermo Molecular Basis of Properties (Electives) - Physics Classfctn of Molecules and Constitutive Eqns - Chemistry - Biology - Math Multi-Scale Analysis Beaker to Plant: - Mat’ls Sci Interfaces and Assemblies Multi-Scale Descriptions Principles of Product & - Eng/Comm Homogeneous Reactor Eng of Reactive Systems Process Des. - Bus/Mgt Systems Intro to Systems Intro to Molecular Systems Systems & Chem Eng: The Marketplace The Frosh Experience
- 20. The Business Connection One trillion dollar industry!
- 21. Remarks 1. Need to keep core Chemical Engineering Knowledge 2. Need to emphasize fundamentals: basis life-long learning Forecasts are almost always wrong 3. Need to introduce flexibility in curriculum 4. Need to modernize curriculum • Increase exposure molecular level • Increase exposure to energy (alternative/renewable) and sustainability issues • Reflect current technology • Introduce product design but only as complement of process design • Emphasize process operations, enterprise planning • Increase link to other industrial sectors (pharma, electronics) • The curriculum must also emphasize professionalism and ethics • 5. Need to recognize that “bio-area”, while important, will not be dominant force in Chemical Engineering, and emphasis should be on bioprocessing 6. Environmental Engineering will be increasingly important and requires chemical engineering (water use efficiency, pollution control, etc.) 7. Need to provide excitement to recruit the very best young people to join the Chemical Engineering