Welcome to UMD's Chemical Engineering Department!

Engineering at UMD and the Department of Chemical Engineering ranked high by US News in 2008 in the category of "Best undergraduate engineering programs" at schools that focus on undergrads, or "Engineering schools whose highest degree is Bachelors or Masters,": 4th nationwide for best Chemical Engineering programs (ranked 2nd among public universities).

ChE Highlights GoldPASS! Dedicated, qualified faculty and staff Student-centered, accredited, four year program. Information on Admission Requirements, General Requirements, and Program Requirements can be found at: ChE Program Details. Students may be interested in Environmental Science as a major or minor. The program offers several tracks for a student to focus their studies: climate processes, environmental chemistry, global resources, habitats, and quantitative methods. Minor in environmental engineering. Mission and educational objectives to pursue knowledge and its application for the betterment of society. Develops the student's technical, communication, and leadership skills. Promotes chemical process safety and ethics. Prepares graduates for professional engineering registration and licensure.

Iron Range UMD Graduate Engineering Education Program

• Program
• Courses

Student Spotlight: Emily Campion

It’s amazing what we can do with our training in chemical Engineering. My name is Emily Campion. Last summer I participated in an internship at Goddard Space Flight Center where I helped develop a Planetary Protection Database. The database stores the results of sample swabs and wipes taken to measure the number of bacteria on planetary spacecraft. I wrote a user manual for the database that was emailed to NASA’s Planetary Protection Officer, the European Space Agency’s Planetary Protection Officer, and the head microbiologist at JPL! For my work I received the Pat Gary Award of Excellence in the Computer Science Category NASA Summer 2012 Poster Session. I also received the John Mather Nobel Scholars Award with a grant to present research anywhere, so I really want to do some good chemical engineering research before I graduate.

During my stay at NASA I had multiple opportunities to expand my knowledge about science, engineering, and space. I discussed the second law of thermodynamics and the formation of galaxies with a Nobel Prize winning astrobiologist, John Mather, and I attended a lecture by an international space station astronaut, Daniel Burbank. At the Goddard Visitor Center, I stood alongside scientists and engineers who worked on the Sample Analysis of Mars instrument as I watched live footage of the JPL control room when Curiosity landed on Mars. Very cool!

Past Student Spotlights

Allan Rudeck, Class of 1994, Inducted Academy of Science and Engineering

Allan S. Rudeck, UMD Chemical Engineering Class of 1994, was inducted into the Swenson College's Academy of Science and Engineering on September 30, 2011. Al is currently Vice President for Strategy, Planning and Asset optimization at Minnesota Power, an Allete Company. Al was honored for his leadership and service to his community, the profession, and the University. Al has been an advocate for the advancement of engineering and technology in his numerous roles at Minnesota Power and the communities they serve. He has advanced opportunities for all trades and crafts, contributed significantly through collaborative workforce development groups, led major economic development projects, and established some world class environmental awareness and performance metrics. He takes time to support continued education of all peers and coworkers, as well as offers help and support to those he leads. Beyond his many accomplishments in the industry, Al has been a leader in the community participating on levels ranging from community volunteer to city councilor.