Welcome from the Department Chair

Dear Colleagues, Students, Alumni and Friends,

We are delighted that you have decided to visit our home page at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Tennessee Tech. We believe that you will find interesting opportunities to become involved either as a student, alumnus and/or a supporter of our graduate and undergraduate programs.

Our faculty and staff are proud to be members of a century old profession that is vital for the scientific and technological advances that improve and benefit many aspects of our society. Chemical Engineering is a highly respected profession that deals with the molecular level understanding, motion and transformation of raw materials (inorganic, organic, and biological) and with the up-scaling of processes to meet customer demand in a wide variety of products. These processes include, for example, those in manufacturing, biotechnology (pharmaceutical, medical, and food), microelectronics, health and cosmetics, environmental, and petrochemical just to name a few. Chemical engineers have been pivotal in the discovery of new materials such as synthetic fibers used widely in many households everyday, in improving the environmental control strategies that help to preserve the environment, and in saving energy by designing new and more efficient processes. Chemical Engineers are even among Nobel Laureates!

As the founding fathers of our Home Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE), have stated our mission: "Our Business is Education." At Tennessee Tech, Chemical Engineering is a vibrant community of distinguished scholars and highly motivated educators who bring the excitement of cutting-edge research to classroom and lab settings with advanced and enhanced pedagogical and technological learning approaches. The ChE faculty are active in publishing in widely-circulated, peer-reviewed journals. They are officers or contributors in professional organizations such as the AIChE, the American Electrophoresis Society, the Electrochemical Society, the Ceramic Society, the American Chemical Society, the Concrete Institute, and the American Society of Engineering Education. They have achieved recognition in state, national and international organizations. A summary of their achievements during the last academic year is included in our Annual Report Highlights. Faculty and student accomplishments make us proud of their efforts and motivate us to achieve the next level of excellence.

During the last couple of years, Chemical Engineering at Tech has seen student teams ranked second in national competition and first in the Southeast region of the AIChE. Several faculty members have won prestigious regional and national awards including the PECASE, which is given only to a few of the best faculty members in the country. Students have graduated and pursued graduate degrees at some of the country's most prestigious institutions. Among other accomplishments, we have also seen our graduates being hired by major employers in the state and region, have organized international meetings to set new directions in research and education, and have attracted faculty from leading institutions in the country. Our efforts continue to bring exciting opportunities to our graduate and undergraduate students, and we remain committed to building a leading Chemical Engineering Department within the Southeast. Your support and involvement is highly appreciated.

You are welcome to explore some of the very attractive possibilities available to you. Should you have further inquiries about our graduate opportunities, our Graduate Academic Coordinator, Dr. Venkat Subramanian, will be delighted to talk to you. If you are interested in our undergraduate programs, our Undergraduate Academic Coordinator, Dr. Donald P. Visco, Jr., is always ready to share useful information. If you are visiting Cookeville, you are most welcome to stop by and say hello.

With best wishes,

Pedro E. Arce, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair