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
ChE Student Receives 2025 Hodgkinson Award
Madeline Szoo, E’25, chemical engineering and biochemistry, is the recipient of a Harold D. Hodgkinson Achievement Award for 2025, one of the highest honors a senior can receive.
ChE PhD Student’s Research Featured on ChemPhysChem Cover
Chengyu Zhou, PhD’ 28, chemical engineering, co-authored a paper with ChE Assistant Professor Qing Zhao titled “Revealing Mechanisms of Lithium-Mediated Nitrogen Reduction Reaction From First-Principles Simulations,” which was featured on the cover of ChemPhysChem, Volume 26, Issue 7.
Announcing Hongfei Lin as the Arthur W. Zafiropoulo Professor of Chemical Engineering
Hongfei Lin, who has dedicated his professional career to advancing sustainable energy systems, is joining Northeastern in July 2025 as the Arthur W. Zafiropoulo professor of chemical engineering.
Affinity Student Groups 20th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet
Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate partners were recognized for their commitments to engineering affinity student groups at the 20th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet. The participating groups included SHPE, SWE, BESS, and SASE.