Welcome from the 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 with an exciting future 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 scaling (up and down) 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 care and cosmetics, environmental, and petrochemical areas just to name a few. Chemical engineers have been pivotal in the discovery of new materials such as synthetic fibers used widely in households every day, 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 have proposed new artificial devices to assist or improve life in people, and they 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." Following this vision, at Tennessee Tech, Chemical Engineering , a vibrant community of distinguished scholars and highly motivated educators ,brings the excitement of cutting-edge research to classroom and lab settings with advanced and enhanced pedagogical and technological learning approaches. The faculty and students 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 American Concrete Institute, and the American Society of Engineering Education. They have achieved recognition at the University and in state, national, and international organizations. A summary of their achievements can be found in the personal faculty pages. Faculty and student accomplishments make us proud of their efforts and motivate us to achieve the next level of excellence.
The TTU Chemical Engineering Team has championed an integrated approach to research and education where scholarly activities are seamlessly dispersed across the curriculum as a continuum spectrum of possibilities for the students from undergraduate to postdoctoral levels. The rich learning environment fosters a strong creativity and innovation among the students with a focus on hands-on, team-based, and critical thinking activities, as driving forces, towards higher levels of excellence. Our University flagship magazine, Visions, and a recent invited article in Chemical Engineering Education describe the approach and its successful outcomes with great detail. For example, our 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 and our PhDs winning prestigious national and international awards.
Faculty members from our Department have organized international meetings or have been invited to assist with and/or to set new directions in research and education and have attracted the attention of other colleagues from leading institutions in the country. Our efforts continue to bring exciting opportunities to our graduate and undergraduate students, and we remain committed to excelling as 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. Holly A. Stretz, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , will be delighted to talk to you. If you are interested in our undergraduate programs, our Undergraduate Academic Coordinator, is always ready to share useful information (contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ), and if you are visiting Cookeville, you are most welcome to stop by and say hello.
With best wishes,
Pedro E. Arce, Ph.D.University Distingished Faculty Fellow
Professor and Chair
