The Massachusetts Institute of Technology started the first US chemical engineering program six score years ago. Since that time, the chemical engineering curriculum has evolved. The latest versions of the curriculum are attempts to broaden chemical engineering to add product engineering, biology and nanotechnology to the traditional process…

Ferment in engineering has focused increased attention on undergraduate engineering education, and has clarified the need for rigorous research in engineering education. This need has spawned the new research field of Engineering Education and greatly increased interest in earning Ph.D. degrees based on rigorous engineering education research.…

Describes how and when to teach separation science to chemical engineering students. Separation science is important for industrial businesses involving the manufacture of adsorption systems, distillation columns, extractors, and other separation equipment and techniques. (Contains 13 references.) (YDS)

Good teaching requires that students learn the right content, have a good attitude, and learn how to learn. Discusses ways of creating efficient teaching by focusing on lectures, tests, and paying attention to students. (ASK)

The commercial simulator Aspen Chromatography was used in the computer laboratory of a dual-level course. The lab assignments used a cookbook approach to teach basic simulator operation and open-ended exploration to understand adsorption. The students learned theory better than in previous years despite having less lecture time. Students agreed…

Reports results of two surveys which explored current advising and counseling practices in chemical engineering departments. The first consisted of a short questionnaire sent to all chemical engineering department chairpersons in the United States and Canada. The second was a longer questionnaire sent to students and counselors at two schools. (JN)

Discusses a simple method for following the movement of a solute in an adsorption or ion exchange system. This movement is used to study a variety of operational methods, including continuous flow and pulsed flow counter-current operations and simulated counter-current systems. Effect of changing thermodynamic variables is also considered. (JM)

Describes a graduate level course on the philosophy and techniques of teaching chemical engineering. Course topics include lecturing methods, test construction and grading, homework assignments, laboratory instructional methods, and methods of individual tutoring. All topics were approached using a variety of instructional strategies. (JN)

Discusses a step-by-step procedure for securing a job in the academic community, developing chronologically what the candidate does and what the employing school does. Covers important items to build into the resume, pre-screening the job market, sending job queries, campus visits, follow-up, negotiation, and preparation for the first year. (JM)