Research
Chemical engineering encompasses a broad range of cutting-edge research. The diverse education that chemical engineers receive allows them to work at the intersection of a variety of different fields, including biology, chemistry, energy, physics, materials science, and other engineering disciplines.
Chemical engineering research at Northeastern is supported by multiple areas: Biomolecular & Biomedical Systems, Complex & Computational Systems, Energy & Sustainability, Engineering Education & Pedagogy, and Materials & Nanotechnology.
The College of Engineering is home to numerous research centers and institutes that push the boundaries of research.
With a premier location in downtown Boston, the department is perfectly located to take advantage of a wealth of collaborations with other universities, as well as local hospitals, medical centers, and industry.
Quick Facts 2024
Recent News
2025 Stanford University Annual Assessment of Author Citations
The following COE professors are among the top scientists worldwide selected by Stanford University representing the top 2% of the most-cited scientists with single-year impact in various disciplines. The selection is based on the top 100,000 by c-score (with and without self-citations) or a percentile rank of 2% or above.
Strategies for Designing “Green” Plastic Products
ChE Assistant Professor Bryan James, alongside Collin Ward, Yanchen Sun, Brenden Irving, and Kali Pate from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, published their research on “Strategies for designing circular, sustainable, and non-persistent consumer plastic products: a case study of drinking straws” in Environmental Science & Technology.
Prometheus Initiative Fuels Open Data for Cleaner Combustion Technology
ChE Professor Richard West, in collaboration with Kyle Niemeyer from Oregon State University, was awarded a $599,925 NSF grant for “Disciplinary Improvements: The Prometheus Initiative: FAIR model and data cyberinfrastructure for predictive combustion science.”
New Research on Liquid Metals Leads to Innovative Developments
ChE Associate Professor Steve Lustig’s new research on liquid metals creates an exciting and innovative pathway for developments in the technology and aerospace industries.