The University of Miami College of Engineering has announced the formation of a new academic department—the Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (CEME), which will house aerosol science and technology, water quality, synthetic biology, and materials synthesis programs.
With a more than 70-year history, the College currently is composed of five departments—Biomedical Engineering; Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Industrial Engineering; and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
This new department blends and builds on the college’s widely recognized strengths in materials and environmental engineering and addresses the notable absence of chemical engineering.
Pratim Biswas, dean of the College of Engineering and a former chair of a chemical engineering department, was instrumental in presenting a vision for the new department in discussions with colleagues at the University.
“The focal areas of the new department were a gap at the University of Miami, and the faculty in this new department will play a leading role in advancing the strategic initiatives of the college and assisting in advancing the University’s Roadmap to Our New Century,” Biswas said. “It will provide an opportunity for students to partake in research and education and will also assist the technology innovation happening in the Miami region.”
Chemical engineering is a discipline influencing numerous areas of science and technology. In broad terms, chemical engineers conceive and design processes to produce, transform, and transport materials—beginning with experimentation in the laboratory followed by the implementation of the technology in full-scale production. More importantly, to fulfill new aspirations and address challenging issues, the new department will help the University to holistically address and work on challenging issues.
“This is an important investment in our engineering capabilities, which will bolster interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthen the University’s ability to mobilize the tech revolution in the search for solutions to complex challenges ranging from pandemics to climate change,” said University of Miami President Julio Frenk.
Overlap in expertise exists throughout the college’s departments and other University units in both chemical and materials engineering, and this expertise will be utilized in developing research and educational programs within CEME.
Anchored in the College of Engineering, the department will collaborate strongly with the Frost Institute for Chemistry and Molecular Science, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, College of Arts and Sciences, and the Miller School of Medicine.
“The next era for the college is bright,” said Jeffrey Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “The new Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials is poised to flourish as an interdisciplinary and collaborative environment for our students, our researchers, and our external partners. It leverages a unique time at UM where we are increasing emphasis in STEM, chemical and molecular science, data science, and the emerging ‘tech’ migration to Miami. Our new department is poised to give students a distinct advantage.”
Read more about the new department here.
