Chemical and Chemical & Biological engineers create and develop processes to change raw materials into the products that society depends on; food, chemicals, fuels, energy, metals, pharmaceuticals, paper, plastics, and personal care products. Chemical and process engineers help to manage natural resources, protect the environment, control health and safety procedures, and recycle materials, while developing and managing the processes which make the products we use.

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering was established in 1999 at UBC, and reflects the growing need for engineers in the fields of biotechnology, biomedical and bio-resource engineering. At present there are 24 full-time faculty in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, together with a support staff of 17.

We have established a world-class reputation in several areas of chemical engineering science including fluid-solids contacting, pulp and paper engineering, heat exchanger fouling and, more recently, biotechnology.

The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering offers facilities for advanced training and research leading to the Master of Engineering, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Chemical Engineering and in Materials Engineering. Degrees are granted in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Process Control and Welding Engineering. Welding Engineering is not available at the doctoral level. The MEng degree is intended primarily for part-time students who are working in industry, but can also be taken by full-time students.

General fields for research in chemical engineering include fluid mechanics and rheology; reaction kinetics and catalysis; mass transfer and separation processes; heat transfer; thermodynamics, hydrocarbon P-V-T and phase equilibrium studies; polymer reactor engineering; computer process control; dynamic simulation; biotechnology, mathematical modelling and environmental engineering. Many research programs are oriented toward better utilization of natural resources in the province, e.g., upgrading of Athabasca bitumen and heavy oil feedstocks; processing of natural gas.

Active research areas in materials engineering include mineral processing; coal preparation; modelling and simulation; intelligent processing of materials and solidification processing; hydrometallurgy; pyrometallurgy; high temperature electrochemistry; corrosion; physical and mechanical metallurgy; process metallurgy; welding metallurgy; powder metallurgy; ancient materials; ceramic materials; and electronic materials. Active research areas in chemical process control include dynamic modeling, state and parameter estimation, model predictive control, fault monitoring and diagnosis and process optimization.

Many research projects are industrially applied, and supported by industry. In some cases research can be carried out at the supporting company. Details of current research projects are available from the Department office.

The Master of Applied Science program in Chemical Engineering is a thesis-based program that focuses on the design of new chemical manufacturing processes and on the properties of novel materials. We train skilled engineers that find novel ways in which to solve problems that have significant impacts on everyday life, ranging from climate change to food security. Our faculty members are experts in fields such as green chemical processes, polymers and nanomaterials, new battery materials, environmental health diagnostics, and the fundamental study of the properties of materials. We place particular emphasis on developing sustainable solutions for the energy sector as well as other sectors. Montreal offers unique opportunities to work in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and companies supplying the aerospace and transportation sector.

Explore diverse research fields such as wastewater and food treatment, polymer and process engineering, metallurgy and nanotechnology in this dynamic program. Students benefit from full-scale equipment and the latest computer technology for process modelling, simulation and control. With the support of expert faculty and direct connections with industry and hospitals, our in-demand graduates are prepared to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges.