As part of Canada's largest engineering school and most innovative university, the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo is home to approximately 1,000 students, faculty and staff, and has thousands of alumni worldwide.
Our Department consistently ranks among the top two universities in Canada and the number one university in Ontario in Chemical Engineering according to the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.
In addition to offering undergraduate and graduate programs in chemical engineering, the Department provides academic expertise and support to Waterloo's collaborative nanotechnology and biomedical engineering programs.
The department's collaborative research culture, engaging teaching practices and state-of-the-art facilities create a vibrant learning environment where students are empowered to solve the problems our world faces.
Learn about Professor Michael Pope's research in the field of electrochemical energy systems and about the newly established Ontario Battery and Electrochemistry Research Centre.
Are you wondering what Chemical Engineering is? Let's hear from our professors!
Chemical Engineering Lab Tour
Join us for a tour of the Chemical Engineering undergraduate labs in the Douglas Wright Engineering Building at the University of Waterloo.
Find out more by exploring the programs, research and news stories on this site.
News
Chemical engineering professors support the growth of promising biotech startup
In 2023, Professors William Anderson and Marc Aucoin supervised preliminary research on concussion biomarkers found in bodily fluids, particularly saliva.
Exploring concussion biomarker research
Initially, Shazia Tanvir, a research associate of Anderson’s, began exploring research on concussion biomarkers. She was later introduced to Andrew Cordssen-David, who was a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology student at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business at the time.
Cordssen-David was also a former student-athlete who played for the varsity men’s hockey team at the University of Waterloo and had experienced his share of concussions. Recognizing the potential impact of a saliva-based concussion test, Cordssen-David and Tanvir got to work, committing themselves to developing a new concept for a saliva-based concussion screening tool.
Discovery in bacterial evolution could improve cancer therapy and biomanufacturing
A new study by researchers at the University of Waterloo has uncovered a crucial mechanism in the evolution of regulatory systems in E. coli that could have far-reaching applications in cancer therapy and biomanufacturing for products such as insulin or mRNA vaccines.
The critical insight arose when the research team examined a regulatory mechanism near the tail end of a protein called PykF
“A helpful analogy to understand this mechanism is the speedometer in a car. When you're driving through a town, where there are dangers to avoid, you need to know how fast you're going, so the speedometer is important. But, if you're on an open stretch of road with no risks, you can throw the speedometer out the window and put the pedal to the metal,” said Dr. Christian Euler from the Department of Chemical Engineering. “The research opens up the potential to one day put a new stoplight on the road to limit growth rate.”
Researchers awarded $2.5 million to valorize harmful waste
Professor Christian Euler leads a Canadian research team that aims to valorize waste materials such as plastics, CO2 emissions, methane and other gases, and agricultural residues, converting them into valuable commodities and chemicals. The goal is to devise technologies that provide economic incentives for waste recycling, making sustainability a driver of profit rather than a cost burden for industry.
The research group received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as part of the National Science Foundation Global Centers initiative. University of Waterloo Researchers are part of the Center for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy (CIRCLE).
As the planet faces the ongoing effects of climate change and the accumulation of pollution in every ecosystem it’s clear that the pace of human development is unsustainable. CIRCLE seeks to address these challenges through a multidisciplinary global collaboration.
Events
CHE 180 Design Symposium
Help the students from CHE 180: Chemical Engineering Design Studio celebrate the completion of their 1A term and their introduction to design by attending their Design Symposium, where they will showcase the range of soaps they designed and produced during their course.