Department of Chemical Engineering

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4055 Engineering Building, (307) 766‑2500
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/chemical
Department Head: Patrick Johnson

Professors:

VLADIMIR ALVARADO, B.Sc. Universidad Central de Venezuela 1987; M.S. Institut Francais du Pétrole 2002; Ph.D. University of Minnesota 1996; Professor of Chemical Engineering 2017, 2006.

DAVID M. BAGLEY, B.S. Colorado School of Mines 1984; M.S. Cornell University 1989; Ph.D. 1993; Professor of Chemical Engineering 2011, 2005.

DAVID A. BELL, B.S. University of Washington 1976; M.S. Rice University 1979; Ph.D. Colorado State University 1992; Professor of Chemical Engineering 2019, 1993.

JOSEPH HOLLES, B.S. Iowa State University 1990; M.E. University of Virginia 1998; Ph.D. 2000; Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering 2010.

JOHN OAKEY, B.S. The Pennsylvania State University 1997; M.S. Colorado School of Mines 1999; Ph.D. 2003; Professor of Chemical Engineering 2019, 2010.

MICHAEL V. PISHKO, B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia 1986; M.S. 1987; Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin 1992; Professor of Chemical Engineering 2015.

PATRICK JOHNSON, B.S. Lehigh University 1992; M.S. University of Virginia 1994; Ph.D. Columbia University 2004; Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering 2012,2006.

Associate Professors:

SAMAN ARYANA, B.S. University of Texas at Arlington 2003; M.S. 2006; Ph.D. Stanford University 2012; Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering 2013.

KATIE DONGMEI LI-OAKEY, B.S. Shandong University of Technology 1994; M.S. Tianjin University 1997; M.S. University of Colorado at Boulder 1999; Ph.D. 2003; Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering 2018, 2011.

Associate Professor of Practice:

JOHN TATARKO JR., B. ChE, cum laude: 2008 Cleveland State University. MS ChE: 2010 Cleveland State University. MS EE: 2013 University of Louisville. PhD ChE: 2015 University of Louisville.

Assistant Professors:

KAREN WAWROUSEK, B.S. The College of St. Rose 2001; Ph.D. California Institute of Technology 2009; Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering 2014.

Adjunct Professors:

John Ackerman
Morris Argyle
Youqing Shen
John Schabron

Professors Emeriti:

Chang Yul Cha
H. Gordon Harris
Henry W. Haynes

Chemical Engineering is one of the most versatile of the engineering programs. It prepares students for employment in many diverse fields, such as production of pharmaceuticals, polymers and plastics, semiconductors, heavy industrial chemicals, synthetic fuels, petrochemicals and petroleum refining. Chemical engineers also work in biological engineering, environmental engineering, enhanced oil recovery, corrosion control, metallurgy and microelectronics. Undergraduate chemical engineering training has been found to be an excellent background for graduate work not only in engineering, but also in a number of other fields, including medicine, law, business, and the natural sciences.

The chemical engineering curriculum is based on a sound background in chemistry, mathematics, physics, and biology. The essentials of engineering are added to this foundation, including fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. In order to develop the individual’s social consciousness and to broaden the student’s educational background, an integrated program of study in the humanities and social sciences is included in the curriculum. Chemical engineering courses in multicomponent thermodynamics, transport phenomena, kinetics, process control and process design are concentrated in the junior and senior years. This program provides training for engineers to enter production, research, product and process development, process design, technical sales and engineering management positions. Training in chemical engineering equips the graduate to solve many of the problems facing society today: human health, energy shortages, synthetic fuels production, water and air pollution, toxic chemical control, and food production. Furthermore, our program prepares students interested in a career in medicine or the life sciences and is suitable for pre-medical and pre-dental students.

The department offers an 18-credit-hour block of approved technical electives. Students select an emphasis in Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Process Industry, Petroleum Engineering, Graduate School Preparation, and Pre-Medicine. Students can also pursue a concurrent major in Chemistry, minors in Physics, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science, Molecular Biology and Business. See department for details. Students are required to take a minimum of 3 credits of Chemical Engineering Technical electives. The Chemical Engineering Program requires that the number of credits of upper division courses be satisfied (ie.,. 10 credits of Technical electives must be 3000+). The Chemical Engineering program requires 48 hours of 3000 and 4000-level coursework. This is fulfilled by required courses and approved technical electives.

Chemical Engineering degree candidates must meet the academic requirements of the college and, in addition, must have a GPA of 2.000 in Chemical Engineering courses attempted at UW that are applied toward graduation for the B.S. degree from the department.

Students must achieve a C- or better in all chemical engineering courses serving as a prerequisite for another chemical engineering course.

Chemical Engineering Program Educational Objectives

Three to six years after graduation, graduates who choose to practice in Chemical Engineering should:

• Successfully practice the profession of Chemical Engineering;
• Demonstrate successful career growth

Chemical Engineering Program Outcomes

During the course of study in Chemical Engineering, the student should demonstrate:

• an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
• an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors;
• an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts;
• an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;
• an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions;
• an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Graduate Study

The Department of Chemical Engineering offers graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering. The M.S. degree is offered under Plan A and Plan B. In addition, an environmental engineering program, run jointly by the Department of Chemical Engineering, the Department of Petroleum Engineering, and the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, offers graduate programs leading to an M.S. in environmental engineering under either Plan A or Plan B.

Program Specific Admission Requirements

Admission Process and Requirements

Standard Admission

Admission is open to students with at least a bachelor’s degree who meet the minimum requirements:

1. A GPA of 3.000 (A = 4.000), or equivalent;
2. A GRE score (there is no minimum GRE score requirement) 
3. For international applicants who did not attend an English-speaking program in an English-speaking country for all years of their highest degree:

A TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 80 (Internet based) or an IELTS score of 6.5.

Unofficial transcripts of all prior college-level coursework, test scores and recommendations from three references must be uploaded as parts of the application.

If admission is granted, then official transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores are required.

Applications submitted by February 1 will be given priority consideration for the fall semester. 

The application will not be processed until all the necessary documents have been uploaded.

Programs

• Chemical Engineering, B.S.

• Biomedical Engineering Minor
• Process Control Minor

• Chemical Engineering, M.S.
• Chemical Engineering, Ph.D.

• Chemical Engineering Quick Start, B.S/.M.S.

Courses

• CE 5430 - Environmental Engineering Chem
• CHE 1005 - Introduction to Chemical Engineering
• CHE 2005 - Chemical Process Analysis
• CHE 2060 - Chemical Engineering Computing
• CHE 2070 - Chemical Thermodynamics
• CHE 2080 - Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics
• CHE 2090 - Practical Fundamentals of Process Control
• CHE 3015 - Chemical Thermodynamics II
• CHE 3026 - Heat Transfer
• CHE 3028 - Mass Transfer
• CHE 3035 - Separation Processes
• CHE 3040 - Unit Operations Laboratory I
• CHE 3050 - Unit Operations Laboratory I
• CHE 3090 - Applying Simulation to Dynamic Processes
• CHE 3100 - Fundamentals of Bioengineering
• CHE 3200 - Fundamentals of Solids Handling
• CHE 3890 - Engineering Honors Program Research Methods
• CHE 3900 - Undergraduate Research
• CHE 4000 - Environment, Technology and Society
• CHE 4050 - Unit Operations Laboratory II
• CHE 4060 - Reaction Engineering
• CHE 4070 - Process Simulation & Economics
• CHE 4080 - Senior Design
• CHE 4090 - Process Dynamics and Control
• CHE 4092 - Controlling Process Systems
• CHE 4100 - Biochemical Engineering
• CHE 4160 - Biomedical Engineering-Transport Processes
• CHE 4165 - Biomaterials
• CHE 4200 - Industrial Chemical Production
• CHE 4210 - Natural Gas Processes and Modeling
• CHE 4220 - Metabolic and Protein Engineering
• CHE 4270 - Advanced Process Simulation
• CHE 4430 - Green Chemistry and Global Environmental Problems
• CHE 4580 - Honors Undergraduate Research
• CHE 4970 - Internship in Chemical Engineering
• CHE 4972 - Internship in Process Control Engineering
• CHE 4990 - Topics in Chemical Engineering
• CHE 5010 - Transport Phenomena
• CHE 5020 - Thermodynamics
• CHE 5030 - Reaction Kinetics
• CHE 5060 - Flow through Porous Media
• CHE 5090 - Graduate Teaching and Research: Theory and Methods
• CHE 5100 - Biochemical Engineering
• CHE 5150 - Topic in Chemical Engineering
• CHE 5160 - Biomedical Engineering - Transport Processes
• CHE 5165 - Biomaterials
• CHE 5190 - Polymeric Chemistry Engineering
• CHE 5220 - Metabolic and Protein Engineering
• CHE 5230 - Advanced Catalysis and Characterization
• CHE 5355 - Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering
• CHE 5410 - Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment
• CHE 5440 - Fluid Mechanics
• CHE 5600 - Research Data Management
• CHE 5700 - Fundamentals of Coal Utilization
• CHE 5880 - Problems in Chemical Engineering
• CHE 5890 - Chemical Engineering Seminar
• CHE 5900 - Practicum in College Teaching
• CHE 5920 - Continuing Registration: On Campus
• CHE 5940 - Continuing Registration: Off Campus
• CHE 5960 - Thesis Research
• CHE 5980 - Dissertation Research
• CHE 5990 - Internship

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