CHBE at Maryland

Meet our Faculty

About

Established in 1937, the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CHBE) at the University of Maryland provides students with a fundamental understanding of physical, chemical, and biological processes and the ability to apply molecular and biomolecular information and methods of discovery into products and the processes by which they are made.

Explore Our Research ProgramsMeet Our Students
CHBE Chair Peter Kofinas w/ undergrads Spring 2022

CHBE Chair Peter Kofinas w/ undergrad students, Spring 2022.

Quality Education

Our undergraduate and graduate programs provide the unique interdisciplinary academic foundation and scholarly training needed to address complex engineering problems with emphasis on the advancing fields of biological engineering and nanotechnology. Our undergraduate program is ABET accredited.

Cutting-Edge Research

Chemical Engineeing at Maryland is well-equipped for graduate research across a broad spectrum of topics. With a favorable DC-area location, you’ll find ample career opportunities nearby - our alumni often transition into academic, industrial and federal positions! Let our faculty members, research capabilities and prime location take you to the next level.

  • Founded in 1937
  • Annual B.S. degrees granted (on average): 80 
  • Tenured/Tenure-track faculty: 18
  • Fall 2021 enrollment: 220
  • Percentage of female students: 45%
  • Minority population: 48%
  • Degrees awarded: 85 (2020)
  • Fall 2021 enrollment: 70 students
  • Percentage of female students: 37%
  • Minority population: 24% 
  • Degrees awarded (2020): 6 (M.S.), 6 (Ph.D.)
Clark School Facts & Figures

Meet the Chair

Peter Kofinas

Dr. Kofinas (pictured above with students), appointed CHBE Chair in July 2017, received his Bachelor's and Master's of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT in 1994 in the interdisciplinary Program of Polymer Science and Technology (PPST). He was then trained as a post-doctoral research associate in the department of Chemical Engineering at MIT for 2 years before joining the faculty at University of Maryland in 1996. Before taking the CHBE Chair, he served as an Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Graduate Programs in the James Clark School of Engineering, where he also served as the Clark School Equity and Diversity Officer.

Dr. Kofinas has written more than 80 papers in archival journals, and has given over 40 invited talks on his work in the U.S., Europe, Korea and Singapore. As a faculty member at UMD, he has graduated 19 Ph.D. students, 3 of which have secured faculty positions. During his tenure at UMD, Kofinas has received the CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. He has received several awards from the Clark School of Engineering including the Outstanding Junior Faculty Teaching award, has been named Keystone Professor, the Engaged Faculty Award, the Senior Faculty Outstanding Research Award, and the Faculty Outstanding Service Award.

His current research aims are the synthesis characterization and processing of polymer based architectures used in a variety of technologies and devices ranging from energy storage to medical devices. Present research problems of interest include functional polymer-based technologies for medical devices, biosensors, batteries and radio frequency devices.


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