A chemical engineering student's knowledge of theory, experimental design, and real-world processes is tested and enforced in the Unit Operations laboratory courses. However, instructors are facing challenges of delivering high-quality, hands-on laboratory content with limited resources and increasingly large class sizes. Limited in-lab time is…

Interactive Mathematica simulations with graphical displays of system behavior are an excellent addition to chemical engineering courses. The Manipulate command in Mathematica creates on-screen controls that allow users to change system variables and see the graphical output almost instantaneously. They can be used both in and outside class. More…

The emphasis of most simulations in chemical engineering education seems to be on teaching students how to use simulations to solve typical engineering problems. The authors have found little evidence of simulations being explicitly used to develop conceptual understanding, and therefore sought to investigate their potential use in this regard. In…