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 Patent for Next-Generation Light and Color Sensing Technology
Faculty

Patent for Next-Generation Light and Color Sensing Technology

ChE Affiliated Faculty Swastik Kar and ECE Associate Professor Sarah Ostadabbas were awarded a patent for “Device and method for color identification using multiple 2D material filters.”

Faculty

2026 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.

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.