Bachelor of Science [B.S] [Chemical Engineering] From University of Rhode Island

The chemical engineer is concerned with the application and control of processes leading to changes in chemical composition. These processes are most frequently associated with the production of useful products (chemicals, fuels, metals, foods, pharmaceuticals, paper, plastics, and the like), but also include processes such as removal of toxic components from the blood by an artificial kidney, environmental cleanup, and semiconductor processing. The chemical engineer’s domain includes more efficient production and use of energy, processing of wastes, and protection of the environment.Chemical engineers have a strong foundation in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and basic engineering. Chemical engineering courses include thermodynamics, transport phenomena, mass transfer operations, materials engineering, process dynamics and control, kinetics, and plant design. The student has the opportunity to operate small-scale equipment and to visit local industry. Intensive work is undertaken in the solution of complex problems in which economics and optimization of engineering design are emphasized.URI’s chemical engineering program is more than just a collection of courses and credit hours whose content reflects the required criteria. The program has also been carefully designed to prepare students for the profession of chemical engineering through study, experience, and practice. Through eight specific program goals, the Department of Chemical Engineering at URI seeks to:1) provide the necessary background in science, particularly chemistry, physics, and advanced mathematics through the study of differential equations, so that students will be able to continue their education in the engineering sciences, with depth of understanding, and learn to apply these subjects to the formulation and solution of engineering problems;2) provide a broad cross section of fundamental engineering science courses, including some from other engineering disciplines so that our students will acquire an understanding of the way in which chemistry, physics, and mathematics have been and continue to be used to solve important engineering problems relevant to the general chemical engineering and engineering design;3) provide students with experience in conducting and planning experiments in the modern engineering laboratory, including interfacing experiments with computers as well as interpreting the significance of resulting data and properly reporting results in well-written technical reports;4) provide experience in the process of original chemical engineering design in the areas of equipment design, process design, and plant design through the process of formulating a design solution to a perceived need and then executing the design and evaluating its performance, including economic considerations and societal impacts if any, along with other related constraints, culminating in both written and oral presentations of results;5) provide experience with the multifaceted aspects of using computers to solve problems and present results with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and professional-level applications software used for design and analysis; and provide for obtaining and using information on the World Wide Web;6) provide a familiarity with professional issues in chemical engineering, including ethics, issues related to the global economy and to emerging technologies, and fostering of important job-related skills such as improved oral and written communications and experience in working in teams at a number of levels;7) encourage students to become actively engaged in the student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and other student organizations, and to continue these associations after graduation with an emphasis on the importance of lifelong professional development including the desirability of attending graduate school or otherwise obtaining continuing or advanced education; and8) make available continuous individual advising throughout the entire undergraduate educational experience to insure that each student makes the most of the educational opportunities provided by URI, particularly those related to general education electives that might enhance an engineering education, and special programs such as internships, cooperative experience and especially the International Engineering Programs in Chinese, German, French, and Spanish which are a unique opportunity available to globally motivated URI engineering students.