Undergraduate Programs
Mission Statement
The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering offers courses and training culminating in the Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. This discipline is dedicated to solving problems and generating valuable products involving chemical and biological transformations at the molecular scale. The undergraduate program emphasizes the molecular science aspects of biology and chemistry along with the engineering concepts essential to developing commercial products and processes. By selecting an appropriate concentration or by choice of free electives, students can prepare for a professional career path or for further study in chemical, biomolecular, or a related engineering field as well as medical, law, or business school. In the tradition of the Johns Hopkins University, many undergraduates are also involved in research, working closely with faculty and graduate students in research groups.
Students pursuing a BS degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have the opportunity, if they choose, to take some of their courses in a particular area in order to obtain a concentration. The two concentrations that students may choose to complete, Interfaces and Nanotechnology (IN) and Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (MCB), are described below.
Interfaces and Nanotechnology (IN) Concentration. Material properties of nanoparticles depend upon their dimensions; by making particles in the nanometer size range, materials with new optical, electrical and magnetic properties can be created. The ability to fabricate these particles and assemble them into ordered structures is central to exploiting these new materials. As such, engineering at the nanoscale will be dominated by surface science, as surface to volume ratios become large. Furthermore, self-assembly techniques, in which molecules can spontaneously assemble in ordered structures with nanometer length scales are ripe for exploitation to create new materials. In this concentration, students are trained in the fundamental scientific underpinnings of this emerging discipline.
Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (MCB) Concentration Many biological transformations of interest in biotechnology and biomedicine involve transformations at molecular and cellular levels. These molecular transformations include the genetic manipulation of cells in order to produce valuable designer protein and vaccines for the biopharmaceutical industry. Alternatively, cellular transformation events can be critical to the onset of diseases such as arteriosclerosis and cancer. Cellular transformations can be critical to the treatment of diseases such as inducing the death of cancer cells or the manipulation of stem cells along desirable pathways. Students wishing to study molecular and cellular events in biological systems and their applications in more detail can pursue an optional concentration in Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering. Students in this concentration will take lecture and laboratory courses in Cell Biology in order to fulfill advanced science requirements and electives in bioengineering subjects such as Cell Engineering, Tissue Engineering, Drug Delivery, Biological Macromolecules, or Molecular Evolution. In addition, students will take Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory in order to equip students with the hands-on skills needed for future careers involving the application of biological systems at the molecular and cellular level.
The mission of the chemical and biomolecular engineering undergraduate program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to pursue a professional career or to continue their studies towards an advanced degree. Recent graduates of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering program will:
1. become practicing engineers in industries related to chemistry and the life sciences, and/or pursue additional graduate or professional education.
2. solve challenging and diverse problems in the workplace, using their mastery of chemical and biomolecular engineering skills.
3. work effectively, independently, and in diverse multidisciplinary teams, using good communication skills and adhering to the highest ethical standards.
4. seek out professional challenges and opportunities that demonstrate leadership and a commitment to excellence in all professional endeavors.
The department also offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees. These programs emphasize research leading to written thesis.
Undergraduate students strongly involved in research may be interested in our BS/MSE program in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering that allows students to obtain a Masters in Science in Engineering immediately after the Bachelors of Science by adding an additional year of study.
