Iowa State University College of Engineering

Mars Wrigley Confections donates more than $750k worth of lab equipment to ISU

The spirit of giving isn’t just limited to the Christmas holiday season! That’s what Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) Professor of Practice John Kaiser has experienced recently with the help of generous benefactors at his former employer, Mars Wrigley Confections. They've supplied more than $750,000 worth of lab equipment to the department. Read More

January 30, 2023

Sara Nelson named Iowa Space Grant Consortium director

The Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) has announced Dr. Sara D. Nelson as its new director. The NASA-supported agency is part of Iowa State’s Department of Aerospace Engineering and works to improve and inspire Iowa’s involvement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. Read More

January 25, 2023

George Burnet, one of CBE’s most influential figures, passes away

A pillar in the history of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has passed away. George Burnet V, who progressed from student to faculty member to department chair over a span of more than 60 years, died January 13 at the age of 98. Read More

January 18, 2023

On the menu: Engineering for your next meal 

Packaging reprocessed Xianglan Bai, associate professor of mechanical engineering, leads an interdisciplinary team developing new hybrid, plasma-based recycling technologies to convert plastic films from… Read More

January 10, 2023

Growing companies and communities

The Center for Industrial Research and Service connects Iowa’s small and medium manufacturers with applied research, education and technical assistance to help them grow and thrive.  Read More

January 10, 2023

Environmental Engineering: Newest major is off to a strong start

Building on a long-standing concentration area within civil engineering, a new major in environmental engineering is an early success with 81 students now enrolled. Read More

January 10, 2023

Interim director named for Center for Industrial Research and Service

Assistant Director and Operations Manager Leah Barton has been appointed interim director for the Center of Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS). Following 25 years as CIRAS director, Ron Cox will step down from that role and join the College of Engineering team in the office of the dean. Barton has been serving CIRAS since 2008. She will begin her new role on January 5, 2023. A national search for a new director will begin in 2023. Read More

January 5, 2023

CBE alumnus, Hall of Fame member G. Paul Wilhite passes away

Paul Wilhite, a 1959 B.S. graduate of Iowa State’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and a member of the department’s Hall of Fame, has passed away. Read More

December 20, 2022

Apply now for CBE’s 2023 BioMaP undergrad research program

The application period for the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering’s 2023 BioMaP REU program is now open. The program will be held from May 30 – August 4. Read More

December 14, 2022

CBE’s AIChE student chapter proudly represents ISU at national conference in Phoenix

The Department of Chemical Engineering’s American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) student chapter recently returned from the organization’s Annual Student Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Twenty ISU student members took part in the event. Read More

November 30, 2022

Tessonnier-led research bridges gap for more efficient conversions of lignin for cleaner and greener chemicals

Effective conversion of lignin to increase the production of bio-oil and reduce a solid by-product called “char” has been addressed in Iowa State University engineering research and published in Energy & Environmental Science. Read More

November 21, 2022

CBE’s Shanks named Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Fellow

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering faculty member Brent Shanks has been named an American Chemical Society (ACS) Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (I&EC) Fellow for the Class of 2023. Read More

November 21, 2022

Help uphold AIChE student chapter’s tradition of excellence! FundISU page is now available

Twenty Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering undergraduates have made the trip to Phoenix for the AIChE Annual Student Conference. While the experience is definitely worth the trip, it is costly. Prior to departing, the chapter’s faculty advisor Dr. Stephanie Loveland estimated more than $10,000 had been spent on air and hotel reservations and conference registration fees alone. The chapter has established a FundISU page through the Iowa State University Foundation to allow contributions that will help defray some of these costs. Contributions can be made through December 9. Read More

November 14, 2022

Phillips 66 CEO, alumnus Mark Lashier to CBE Hall of Fame

Mark Lashier earned a B.S. in chemical engineering at Iowa State University in 1985 and a Ph.D. in 1989. In the years since he has earned respect and recognition as an engineer, business professional and industry leader. The President and Chief Executive Officer of Phillips Petroleum Co. joined the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) Honors and Awards Banquet where he was inducted into the department’s alumni Hall of Fame. Read More

November 9, 2022

“Groundbreaking” research in earthquake mechanisms sees publication in Nature Communications for AerE’s Levitas

Hypotheses and theory regarding what occurs during deep-focus earthquakes have been taken on by Department of Aerospace Engineering Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and Vance Coffman Faculty Chair Valery Levitas, in his first work on geophysical problems. Read More

October 31, 2022