Discusses nuclear power and the consequences of a nuclear accident. Covers issues ranging from chemical process safety to risk management of chemical industries to the ethical responsibilities of the chemical engineer. (Author/ASK)

This article describes two approaches to learning (in addition to the classic deep and surface approaches) identified in studies of student learning in engineering contexts. The first study identified the 'procedural deep' approach in a group of engineering foundation programme students in the UK, while the second study identified the 'procedural…

In about twenty years, starting in 1984, Bangalore has become the fourth best "Global Hub of Technological Innovation", according to Business Week. This article reviews the major milestones in Bangalore's development and the interactive roles of government, universities and private entrepreneurs. The author offers a new model: innovation…

This laboratory experiment was designed for Chemistry, Food Technology, Biology, and Chemical Engineering undergraduate students. This laboratory experience shows the advantages of immobilized bakery yeasts in ethanol production by alcoholic fermentation. The students were able to compare the ethanol production yields by free or calcium alginate…

A series of studies were conducted to investigate students' metacognitive development in a second year chemical engineering course. The first of these was an exploratory study involving observation together with some limited interviewing. This was followed by a major study with two phases, the first of which involved a series of individual…

In this work we conducted a survey of chemical engineering departments in the United States to determine the content of the graduate thermodynamics course offered at their institutions. From our survey, we found that 90% of the institutions require this course as part of the core curriculum. Other findings explore the textbooks used in this course…

University-workplace partnerships are strategies increasingly called for in higher education. This article reports on collaborative knowledge production between employed professional chemical engineers (registered for higher degrees) and their university-based supervisors (researchers in the field of chemical engineering). The study draws on a…

The increasingly diverse backgrounds of today's graduate students have resulted in a wide range of ideas about what graduate school actually entails and what is expected of the students. Therefore, a graduate course titled "Theory and Methods of Research" was developed and is required for all chemical engineering graduate students at…

The objective of this paper is to design a train of tubular reactors that use a methane feed to produce hydrogen of the desired purity so that it can be utilized by a fuel cell for automotive applications. Reaction engineering principles, which are typically covered at the undergraduate level, are utilized to design this reactor train. It is shown…

Presents six problems from an alternative approach to homework traditionally given to follow-up lectures. Stresses the advantage of longer term exercises which allow for creativity and independence on the part of the student. Problems include: "System Model,""Open-Loop Simulation,""PID Control,""Dahlin…

Indicates that printed bibliographic information, numerical data, and methods of computer retrieval (both of numerical and bibliographic data) are among the topics that should be incorporated into an information science and documentation course for chemical engineering students. Experiences in teaching such a course are also given. (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)

Discusses how pressure setting is determined for distillation columns, examining factors which must be considered when optimizing design for economical balance. Also discusses the basics of heat exchangers and cites a common problem with pressure differences. (JM)

Eleven videotaped kinetics and catalysis demonstrations are described. Demonstrations include the clock reaction, oscillating reaction, hydrogen oxidation in air, hydrogen-oxygen explosion, acid-base properties of solids, high- and low-temperature zeolite reactivity, copper catalysis of ammonia oxidation and sodium peroxide decomposition, ammonia…

This case study suggests that there are important links between students' perceptions and metacognitive development. David was one of five students who were interviewed in the second semester of a second year chemical engineering course in which the fundamental concepts of the discipline are first encountered. This paper assesses David's way of…