UA College of Engineering Adds Biological Studies to Chemical Engineering Program

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama College of Engineering’s department of chemical engineering will add a biological emphasis to its bachelor’s degree program beginning immediately. This shift in program emphasis also is reflected in the department’s name change to chemical and biological engineering.

The new curriculum adds a number of required and elective courses students can take through the biological sciences department. These additional courses are designed to better prepare chemical engineering graduates for careers in medicine, dentistry and biotechnology fields, such as foods, pharmaceuticals, green manufacturing and environmental engineering.

“This curriculum change will help better prepare our students for career opportunities in the life-science and bio-based fields that are emerging throughout the world,” said Dr. Gary April, University research professor and head of the chemical and biological engineering department. “Our pre-med/pre-dental students are particularly interested in the addition of required biology courses to help them with entry into medical/dental school. Students who find biology interesting in high school will also find the program beneficial to career development.”

Chemical engineering graduates have many career opportunities after graduation, ranging from industrial positions in petrochemicals and fine chemicals to polymers and pharmaceuticals. Many chemical engineering students continue their education through chemical or biomedical engineering graduate school, medical school, law school or business school. Students interested in pursuing healthcare related fields will find this chemical engineering degree to be helpful in learning the development and design techniques and processes that address the production of new materials using biological and traditional chemical synthesis methods.

“I’m excited about the direction of the chemical and biological engineering department at The University of Alabama. Recognizing that biological systems can benefit from an engineering approach to analysis and problem solving is a historic step,” explained John Covington, president of Chesapeake Consulting Inc. and a 1972 UA chemical engineering graduate.

“I imagine that within the next 10-15 years there will be major breakthroughs in understanding and solving problems in biological areas due to engineering applications,” he said. Chesapeake Consulting works with many clients in the pharmaceuticals industry.

“The opportunities to work in undergraduate laboratories with faculty doing research in these exciting new areas add value and interest to this degree program,” said Rachel Gillis, a junior majoring in chemical and biological engineering and a Johns Hopkins Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates participant.

In 1837, UA became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. Today, the College of Engineering, with about 1,900 students and more than 95 faculty, is one of the three oldest continuously operating engineering programs in the country and has been fully accredited since accreditation standards were implemented in the 1930s.