Chemical & Biological Engineering

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Sam Kriegman Receives Prestigious NSF CAREER Award

By generalizing the optimization techniques of artificial neural networks to the design of robots, Kriegman and his team aim to evolve novel robots with important new capabilities that are difficult or impossible to design by hand.Read more

Northwestern Set to Host International Diffusion Conference

The event’s organizers are Northwestern Professors Randall Snurr, Daniel Abrams, Todd Gingrich, Matthew Grayson, and Niall Mangan, and the event will include talks from Northwestern Engineering’s Monica Olvera de la Cruz and Julio M. Ottino.Read more

ameet mallik

Mallik Shares Lessons That Shaped His Innovation

During his June 16 speech at the 2025 PhD Hooding and Master’s Recognition Ceremony, Ameet Mallik credited lifelong learning, purpose, relationships, and balance as keys to his success.Read more

Graduation speakers

Skaruppa Highlights Fear, Compulsion, Love in Graduation Speech

Matthew Skaruppa, the CFO of Duolingo, and Dean Christopher Schuh spoke at the 2025 Undergraduate Convocation on June 16.Read more

About the Department

Pioneering transformational discoveries to tackle global challenges

Our internationally recognized Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University prepares the next generation of engineers by fostering their growth in a collaborative, multidisciplinary community built on excellence in research and education.

We impact and shape the world through inventions and innovations in soft materials, complex systems, synthetic biology, biotechnology, and catalysis and use them to tackle global challenges in renewable energy, biomanufacturing, clean water, sustainability, and human health.

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Facts and Figures

Setting ourselves apart

11

NSF CAREER awards

12

interdisciplinary research centers, institutes, and programs

13

startup companies

View more facts

Research Areas

From transformational discoveries to impactful solutions

Our department combines the fundamentals of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics with technology development to drive discoveries in our core research areas.

Programs

Fostering growth in a collaborative, multidisciplinary community built on excellence in research and education

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Combined BS/MS Degree Program

Minor in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering

Explore special programs in this department and across McCormick

Graduate

Master of Science in Chemical Engineering

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Synthetic Biology Minor

Learn more about interdisciplinary programs and research groups for graduate students

Affiliated

Master of Science in Biotechnology

Department News

  • What Would Hayek Think of AI?

    The ‘fatal conceit’ that central planning can solve complex social problems arises in a new form, Professor Julio M. Ottino wrote in the Wall Street Journal.

    Wall Street Journal

  • Northwestern Set to Host International Diffusion Conference

    The event’s organizers are Northwestern Professors Randall Snurr, Daniel Abrams, Todd Gingrich, Matthew Grayson, and Niall Mangan, and the event will include talks from Northwestern Engineering’s Monica Olvera de la Cruz and Julio M. Ottino.

    Northwestern Engineering News

  • Sam Kriegman Receives Prestigious NSF CAREER Award

    By generalizing the optimization techniques of artificial neural networks to the design of robots, Kriegman and his team aim to evolve novel robots with important new capabilities that are difficult or impossible to design by hand.

    Northwestern Engineering News

  • Ameet Mallik Shares Lessons That Shaped His Innovation

    During his June 16 speech at the 2025 PhD Hooding and Master’s Recognition Ceremony, Mallik credited lifelong learning, purpose, relationships, and balance as keys to his success.

    Northwestern Engineering News

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Events

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Discover Our Whole-Brain Engineering Philosophy

We augment the analytical core of engineering with design, entrepreneurship, leadership, personal development, and unusual collaborations to imagine what's next and take the world in a whole new direction.

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