Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Overview

Key Features

Ours is one of only a few departments in the United States that encompasses teaching and research in both chemical and environmental engineering, thereby uniquely capitalizing on many important synergies between the two fields. 

Established in 1990, CEE integrates the chemical and environmental engineering skillsets to address the NAE grand challenges in sustainability, health, and security. CEE is nationally ranked and recognized as a leading interdisciplinary research and education department.  Over $9 million of active research projects (2017-2018) led by our strong, productive faculty creates outstanding opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. CEE has established strong research projects in 6 core areas: Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Air Quality Systems, Biotechnology, Energy Systems, Theoretical and Molecular Modeling, and Water Quality Systems.  CEE faculty and graduate and undergraduate students also engage in research projects with the Bourns College of Engineering Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), the UCR Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), and the Winston Chung Global Energy Center that provide additional hands on experience in solving real world problems.

CEE serves a diverse community of students. This students, the lifeblood our department, are recognized for their strong education and achievement.  Our program continually pushes the standards of chemical and environmental engineering practice and is designed to prepare students for professional careers, graduate study, and life-long learning. To assure that our graduates can adapt to a rapidly moving world and technological changes, CEE is deeply committed to educating students in fundamental principles that are the platform for applications.  After completing core courses to understand governing scientific, mathematical, and engineering principles, our students mold their studies to fit their interests from the wide range of options in chemical and environmental engineering offered by our six key research areas.  Furthermore, undergraduate and graduate alike put theory into practice through participating in research projects led by distinguished faculty, industry leaders, and peers.

Through the CEE approach to learning, students of the Chemical and Environmental Engineering program is offered by University of California, Riverside can develop innovative solutions that are responsive to societal needs today, tomorrow, and even 50 years from now.  As a result, upon completing their degrees, our undergraduate and graduate students enjoy rewarding careers in industry (e.g., Cummins, the Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Intel, and Dow), academia (e.g., the University of British Columbia, the University of Connecticut, and Clarkson University) and government agencies and laboratories (e.g., the California Air Resources Board, EPA, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory).

The CEE Department looks forward to continuing to educate students to become leaders in their fields as they advance novel technologies that improve our standard of living, environment, economy, and health.  We welcome your tour of our website to learn more about our curriculum, diverse research projects, outstanding faculty, and applying to join our team.