Based on the events unfolding from the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering will also reflect educational objectives that are distinctive to Tulane and to New Orleans. In addition to providing a highly rigorous education in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the Department will work under University guidance to provide our students with tremendous opportunities to help rebuild the city and community.

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is the world of plastics and high-strength ceramics, of gasoline, natural gas, and fuel cells, of semiconductors and light emitting diodes, of clean air and water, of pharmaceuticals, drug delivery, and scaffolds for artificial organs. It is a world where engineers tinker with molecules through the foundations of chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics to develop new products and chemical processes that enhance our quality of life.  This remarkable connection from the molecular scale to the macroscopic scale where one can touch and see the effects of molecular tinkering on products and processes, is truly the hallmark of Chemical Engineering.  The world of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering fully embraces forefront areas of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, and Environmental Science. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineers work in virtually all industrial sectors - in the petroleum and chemical industries, in the consumer products industry, in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, in semiconductor manufacturing and microfabrication, in advanced materials and the polymer industries, in the food and natural products industries, and in environmental technology development. Students with Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering backgrounds also go on to successful careers in medicine, law, business and consulting.

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Program at Tulane has a firm basis in classroom fundamentals, coupled with direct practical experience. This commitment is reflected in many ways, particularly the unique Practice School for seniors. Practice School provides on-site instruction in local industrial facilities, government agencies, and hospitals, permitting students to apply knowledge to problems of current professional concern. The students work closely with faculty members and professionals from the host site, gaining experience in effective problem-solving and presentation of their findings while still under the eye of sympathetic counselors.

The faculty research covers areas including exploring new catalysts for use in petroleum processing, developing designer microbes to clean up bio-environmental toxins, studying how to reduce greenhouse gases, and using polymer membranes to separate out toxins in water. Faculty members have an open door policy and often involve students in their laboratory efforts. Through technical electives and research, students may prepare for a career in biotechnology. A large percentage of Tulane’s graduating chemical and biomolecular engineers are immediately recruited into a wide variety of industries, while others continue to graduate studies in engineering, management, medicine, or law.

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Tulane prizes curricular innovation, flexibility, and practical experience, with faculty members using an intense problem-solving approach to education. Through research and special projects, advanced undergraduates put their skills and talents to use inside and outside the classroom. For example, fourth-year students form teams to investigate problems in local industry, sometimes uncovering flaws that company experts miss, and numerous other Tulane students have presented papers at national conferences or published articles in prestigious science journals.

Program Objectives

The objectives of Tulane’s chemical and biomolecular engineering undergraduate program are to provide our students with the engineering science education and problem-solving skills:

1) to be immediately and fully successful in industry, graduate school, or professional school.

2) to successfully pursue their desired career path.

3) to be contributing and fulfilled professionals in their careers.

 

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• Undergraduate Courses
• Tulane Catalogs & Courses

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Program Outcomes

1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
3. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
4. An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
7. An ability to communicate effectively
8. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.
9. A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
10. A knowledge of contemporary issues.
11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
12. An ability to solve a problem of industrial relevance. 
13. A knowledge of current issues in industrial and academic research and development. 
14. An ability to consider the entire system in project solutions.

Contact information:

Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone: (504) 865-5772
Fax: (504) 865-6744
chemeng@tulane.edu