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Welcome to the Department of Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech!

The ChE department is tackling the grand challenges of the 21^st century and preparing our students to be tomorrow's leaders in industry and academia. Our faculty and students do research in areas including energy and water sustainability, the environment, health technologies, and materials and manufacturing. Areas of expertise include biomedical engineering, polymer science and engineering, colloids and interfaces, process design and systems engineering, catalysis and surface science, supercritical fluids, membranes and advanced separation techniques. The ChE department offers both undergraduate (B.S.) and graduate (M.Eng., M.S., Ph.D.) programs. 

Chemical Engineering - Who We Are - What We Do

Steven Wrenn has been appointed head of the Department of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering, effective Nov. 1.

Wrenn comes to Virginia Tech from Drexel University, where he has been a faculty member in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering since 1999, serving as the associate department head from 2005 to 2017. Wrenn is currently a professor of chemical engineering in the department and the chief scientific officer of Baltimore-based start-up company Sonnest Inc.

Wrenn is also a Hokie alumnus, having earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech in chemical engineering in 1991.

“Steve brings a wealth of valuable experience from both academia and industry that will help us chart a strategic path for the future of chemical engineering at the university and beyond,” said Julia M. Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering.  His energy and enthusiasm are unmatched, and we’re excited to welcome Steve back home to Virginia Tech Engineering.”    _{Read More  ...}