内容简介：
【简介】 A degree program in chemical engineering was established at Columbia in 1905 and the first class graduated in 1909. John Seaman Bates was awarded in 1913 the first Ph.D. degree. By 1929, the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering was formed and chemical engineering emerged as a formal department. Its first chairman was Professor Daniel Dana Jackson.
Research in synthetic and biological materials, especially polymers, has historically been strong at Columbia, and has emerged as vitally important in today's industry, especially the sectors adressing electronics, telecommunications and medical technologies. The area has been maintained and strengthened for the department by the hiring of Professors Chris Durning, Ben O'Shaughnessy, and Jeff Koberstein. Durning, who joined the faculty in 1983 is widly known for his work on transport processes in polymeric systems. O'Shaughnessy, a theorist hired in 1988, has made breakthroughs in the basic understanding of polymerization processes, including those in biological systems responsible for cellular function. Koberstein, hired in 2000, is an internationally recognized expert on interfacial and surface properties of polymers and biological materials.
The field of electrochemical engineering, another historically strong research area at Columbia, has become vitally important to the modern electronics, battery and automotive industries and has also been strengthened, with the hire of Professor Alan West in 1991. West won the prestigious NSF National Young Investigator award in 1993. One of the most important new investments in research in chemical engineering at Columbia is in the area of bioengineering. Professor Jim Thomas, hired in 1996, addresses advances in drug delivery by molecular design. Even more recent hires, of Professors Rastislav Levicky and Jingyue Ju in 1998 and 99, respectively, are aimed at developing research activities in medical diagnostics and gene sequencing technologies.
Equally important have been the recent administrative appointments to the department made by the School of Engineering. In 1996, Professors Nick Turro and George Flynn from Columbia's Chemistry department were appointed co-chairs of chemical engineering. Turro and Flynn accomplished most of the new hires mentioned above. They also accomplished acquisition of new laboratory space for the department and initiated important curricular changes. In 2000, Professor Jeff Koberstein was hired from the University of Connecticut (UCONN) and appointed chairman of Chemical Engineering. In addition to his research expertise already mentioned, Prof. Koberstein adds a wealth of experience in the effective administration of a research-oriented, academic department, having been director of the Polymer Science Program and founder of several interdisciplinary research initiatives at the institute of Materials Science at UCONN before his arrival here. Dr. Koberstein has instituted a comprehensive curricu lar revision and dramatically improved the department's access to and ability to maintain research infrastructure.
