Dec 15, 2025  
2025-2026 Graduate Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Graduate Catalog

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering


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Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering website

Art Ragauskas, Acting Department Head, Governor’s Chair in Biorefining
Gila Stein, Associate Department Head, 
Director of Graduate Studies
Eric Boder, Associate Department Head, Director of Undergraduate Studies

Professors
Advincula, R. (Governor’s Chair), PhD – Florida
Danquah, M. (Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs), PhD – Monash
Edwards, B.J., PhD – Delaware
Frymier, P.D. (Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Engagement), PhD – Virginia
Khomami, B. (Granger and Beaman Distinguished University Professor), PhD – Illinois
Paddison, S.J. (Gibson Endowed Chair in Engineering), PhD – Calgary
Ragauskas, A.J. (Governor’s Chair), PhD – Western Ontario
Stein, G. (Prados Professor), PhD – California (Santa Barbara)
Trinh, C., PhD – Minnesota
Zawodzinski, T.A. (Governor’s Chair), PhD – SUNY (Buffalo)

Associate Professors
Abel, S.M., PhD – Stanford
Akpa, B., PhD – Cambridge
Boder, E.T., PhD – Illinois
Dalhaimer, P.M., PhD – Pennsylvania
Doxastakis, M., PhD – Patras
Laursen, S., PhD – Michigan

Assistant Professors
Corder, R.D., PhD – North Carolina State
Shurer, C.R., PhD – Cornell

Joint Faculty with ORNL
Collier, P., PhD – California (Berkeley)
Hong, K., PhD – Alabama (Birmingham) 
Johnson, J., PhD – Tennessee
Lawrie, B., PhD – Vanderbilt
Michener, J., PhD – Caltech
Retterer, S., PhD – Cornell

Additional Joint Faculty
Mench, M.M. (Dean), PhD – Penn State
Kilbey, S.M., PhD – Minnesota
Sarles, A., PhD – Virginia Tech

Adjunct Faculty
Cox, C., PhD – Penn State
Dadmun, M., PhD – Massachusetts
Downs, J., PhD – Tennessee
Harper, D., PhD – Washington State
Hayes, D.G., PhD – Michigan
Watson, J.S., PhD – Tennessee

Research Faculty
Ryu, S., PhD – Texas Tech

Eastman Professor of Practice
Raghavan, S., PhD – Louisiana State

Assistant Professor of Practice
Stevens, B., MS, PE – Tennessee

Lecturer
Downs, J.J., PhD – Tennessee

Emeriti Faculty
Counce, R.M., PhD – Tennessee
Moore, C.F., PhD, PE – Louisiana State
Prados, J.W., PhD, PE – Tennessee
Wang, T.W., PhD – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
 

Majors, Degrees

Chemical Engineering Major, MS   

Chemical Engineering Major, PhD   

Dual MS-MBA Program, Chemical Engineering Major - Business Administration   


Core Graduate Classes in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
A graduate degree in chemical engineering requires mastery of the core fundamentals of the discipline. These fundamentals are represented by five core courses – CBE 506 , CBE 531 , CBE 547 , CBE 551 , and CBE 579 . Both the master’s (thesis and non-thesis) and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering require the successful completion of these core courses.

Additional Coursework
In addition to the core classes, supplementary coursework appropriate for each graduate degree will be needed. The coursework beyond the core courses is determined in consultation with the student’s advisor and dissertation or thesis committee and must be approved by the committee and the department head.
 

Fundamentals of Engineering and Computing Teaching in Higher Education Graduate Certificate  

The Engineering Fundamentals program offers a graduate certificate in Engineering Education. The four-course certificate provides training in education theory, research methods, and instruction design with the context of engineering education.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Minor in Computational Science (IGMCS)

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering participates in the interdisciplinary graduate minor in computational science (IGMCS) program. Any student pursuing a MS or PhD with a major in chemical engineering can receive a minor in computational science by completing the appropriate IGMCS requirements. For additional information, see the description of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Minor in Computational Science  listed under Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science or visit the IGMCS website. The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering also contributes courses to the IGMCS program curriculum.

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