The University of Iowa Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering offers both thesis and non-thesis Master's of Science programs, a Doctor of Philosophy program, and a five-year U2G program. Graduate students in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering gain an understanding of the principles of engineering science, with a focus on a chosen research area.

Information for Graduate Students

Student Learning Outcomes

MS graduates will:

  • Demonstrate a mastery of core chemical engineering concepts;
  • Effectively communicate scientific concepts and/or research results in both written and oral formats to scientific and general audiences;
  • Demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to safe and ethical behavior through adherence to best safety practices and academic integrity principles.
  • Students completing the program with thesis will additionally demonstrate the abilities to:
    • Demonstrate the ability to perform independent research, critically identify and solve research problems, summarize disciplinary information, evaluate research findings.

PhD graduates will:

  • Demonstrate a mastery of core chemical engineering concepts;
  • effectively communicate scientific concepts and/or research results in both written and oral formats to scientific and general audiences;
  • Demonstrate the ability to perform independent research, critically identify and solve research problems, summarize disciplinary information, evaluate research findings;
  • Demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to safe and ethical behavior through adherence to best safety practices and academic integrity principles.

Contacts

Eric Nuxoll

Eric Nuxoll

Director of Graduate Admissions

Associate Professor, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

The director of graduate admissions recruits and serves as the first point of contact for prospective graduate students.

Alec B. Scranton

Alec Scranton

Director of Graduate Studies

Professor, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

The director of graduate studies is an advocate for graduate students and their success. He advises incoming students, coordinates the research advisor selection process, monitors and tracks student progress, and is a point of contact for graduate program questions.

Jun Wang

Jun Wang

Departmental Executive Officer

Lichtenberger Family Chair in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

The departmental executive officer is the academic administrator the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering.

Sara Hartman

Sara Hartman

Graduate Program Specialist

The graduate program specialist is a contact for prospective, incoming, and current students for anything related to the academic program.

Amanda Jensen

Amanda Jensen

Department Administrator

The department administrator is a point of contact for anything related to graduate student human resources, finance, travel, and administrative odds and ends.

News Highlights

A group of visitors stands among tall prairie grasses and yellow wildflowers during an outdoor field demonstration. The group gathers around an environmental monitoring station mounted on a pole while listening to a presentation. Trees line the horizon in the background beneath a clear blue sky, highlighting the natural research setting.

Global leaders visit Iowa Engineering to learn about agricultural sensor research

Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Leaders from around the globe visited the University of Iowa College of Engineering as part of a State Department-sponsored tour of U.S. agriculture and technology innovation that is supporting farmers.
Group portrait of 12 professionally dressed individuals posed on a wide staircase inside a modern building with glass railings and a bright atrium. The group is arranged in three rows, with four people seated or standing in the front, four in the middle, and four in the back. The individuals wear business and business-casual attire in shades of blue, gray, black, and yellow. Large windows, warm wood accents, and several people in the distant background are visible.

Baldes, Marquez named 2026-27 Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows

Monday, August 31, 2026
Carson Baldes, a PhD student in chemical and biochemical engineering, and Tyce Marquez, a PhD student in biomedical engineering, have been selected for the Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows Program, a year-long educational experience designed to immerse emerging leaders in the dynamic world of healthcare innovation.
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University of Iowa researchers examine the environmental journey of everyday chemicals

Thursday, August 27, 2026
A team of researchers from the University of Iowa and the University of Colorado Boulder recently explored what happens to the chemicals in personal care product in a review article published in Nature Reviews Chemistry.