In the fall of 2019, the new Heikkila Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science building will open for student use.
Cutting Edge Research
The Chemical Engineering faculty and staff members are passionate about research and dedicated to ensuring our students get the chance to put what they learn in the classroom to work. They have a wide range of expertise and frequently publish articles with students and help them develop solid teamwork and presentation skills to share what they've learned.
It's not uncommon for our undergraduates to work on new, advanced materials. We have an Advanced Materials Center on campus that helps facilitate this type of research and eventually the Center will be housed in a new space in the Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science building being constructed on the UMD campus.
We also have a new Chocolate Lab, where students are learning basics across the science and engineering disciplines by applying concepts to chocolate. For example, senior design students are researching the creation of chocolate for people that have various food allergies.
Working with Students
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is a great way for students to get involved in undergraduate research.
Students can apply twice a year, at the beginning of October and March. Generally, more than 70% of proposals are approved and students are paid a stipend to carry out their research.
Research Partners
We have many labs and facilities within our department for student, staff and faculty use.
We also have research partners like the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) and great resources like the Research Instrumentation Lab that allow us to dive deeper into research topics.