The Graduate Program in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

A 3D model of an endothelial cell attached to a vascular vessel. Hemodynamic forces play a pivotal role in the normal and pathological behavior of vascular endothelial cells. For example, these cells convert into biochemical signals the hemodynamic forces on them via a process called mechano-transduction. The research group of Professor Dimitrakopoulos investigates the dynamics of vascular endothelial cells in a wide range of blood vessels, from large arteries down to capillaries.

The A. James Clark School of Engineering traces its beginnings to 1856 when courses in surveying and construction were offered. The baccalaureate degree program in Chemical Engineering was established in 1937. The Department was expanded in 1938 and 1939, respectively, to include the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy programs, marking the first graduate degree programs offered at the School.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked the A. James Clark School of Engineering's graduate school 17th in the nation, tied with Princeton University. The extended list of top engineering programs appears in the Premium Online Edition of the 2006 release of America's Best Graduate Schools.

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is well-equipped for graduate research in aerosol science and engineering, biochemical engineering, computational modeling, fluid mechanics and mixing, nanoparticle technology, polymer processing and characterization, polymer reaction engineering, process control, thermodynamics and transport phenomena, and systems research. Major research facilities are coordinated through a variety of laboratories.

The Department maintains a distributed computing network consisting of research laboratories and a PC laboratory. Each research laboratory has its own specialized computing hardware and software. Central facilities for electron microscopy, crystal growth, computing and physical testing are also available.