Department of Chemical Engineering
Northeastern University College of Engineering
Student using pipette in the lab.

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

14

professional society fellowships

49

tenured/TT and affiliated faculty

25

young investigator awards

$16M

external research awards (FY2022-24)

Recent News

Image for Rebecca Kuntz Willits Named AIChE Fellow
Faculty

Rebecca Kuntz Willits Named AIChE Fellow

Rebecca Kuntz Willits, chairperson and professor of chemical engineering at Northeastern University, has been named a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the organization’s highest membership grade. The distinction, awarded through election by AIChE’s Board of Directors, recognizes Willits’s extensive experience in chemical engineering and her sustained service to the profession.

Image for Studying the Formation of Socially Responsible Chemical Engineers
Faculty

Studying the Formation of Socially Responsible Chemical Engineers

ChE Teaching Professor Courtney Pfluger, in collaboration with Kirsten Davis from Purdue University, was awarded a $159,103 grant for “Exploring Learning Pathways in the Formation of Socially Responsible Chemical Engineers” from the National Science Foundation’s Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (RIEF) program.

Image for Zhao’s Research Featured on Cover of Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Faculty

Zhao’s Research Featured on Cover of Journal of Materials Chemistry A

ChE Assistant Professor Qing Zhao’s research on “Ru-doped single-atom alloys for ammonia decomposition via first-principles simulations” was featured on the back cover of the Journal of Materials Chemistry A.

Image for Zhao’s Research Featured on Cover of Nanoscale
Faculty

Zhao’s Research Featured on Cover of Nanoscale

ChE Assistant Professor Qing Zhao’s research on “Computational progress of designing single-atom alloy catalysts for methane activation” was featured on the back cover of Nanoscale.