School of Chemical Engineering (University of New South Wales)

School of Chemical Engineering (University of New South Wales)
Name	School of Chemical Engineering
Parent	University of New South Wales
Established	1950s
Type	Academic department
City	Kensington
Country	Australia

School of Chemical Engineering (University of New South Wales) is an academic unit within the University of New South Wales located on the Kensington campus. The school delivers undergraduate and postgraduate programs spanning chemical engineering, process systems, and energy technologies, and hosts research groups that collaborate with industry, government laboratories, and international universities. It maintains links with national research organizations and professional bodies while operating teaching and research facilities that support laboratory courses, pilot plants, and scale-up projects.

History

The school's origins trace to post‑World War II expansion at the University of New South Wales concurrent with national science investment influenced by initiatives such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation expansion and infrastructure priorities of the Government of New South Wales. Early faculties included staff connected to projects at Kurnell Refinery and collaborations with BHP and Woolworths-era industrial partners. Through the 1960s and 1970s, links with the Australian Atomic Energy Commission and exchanges with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Imperial College London shaped curriculum reform. The 1990s saw the founding of research centres aligned with national programs like the Australian Research Council, while the 2000s introduced interdisciplinary initiatives with the CSIRO and international agreements with Tsinghua University, National University of Singapore, and University of California, Berkeley.

Academic programs

Undergraduate degrees include a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering accredited by Engineers Australia and pathways with combined degrees such as the Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Science with links to the Australian Qualifications Framework. Postgraduate offerings encompass coursework Masters and research degrees (MPhil, PhD) with supervision partnerships involving the Australian Research Council and scholarship schemes like the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. Specialized postgraduate streams address themes from process systems engineering to renewable energy technologies with joint coursework modules developed with the Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales and exchange programs with the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and University of Toronto.

Research and centres

Research themes align with energy transitions, carbon capture, process intensification, biochemical engineering, and materials for catalysis. The school hosts or contributes to centres and institutes including collaborations with the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, the UNSW Energy Institute, and ARC Centres such as the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science. Projects involve partnerships with multinational firms like Shell, Chevron Corporation, and Rio Tinto (corporation), and funders such as the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the National Health and Medical Research Council. Research outputs span process simulation tools, pilot carbon capture units, and bioseparations platforms with collaborative papers published alongside researchers from Stanford University, ETH Zurich, Seoul National University, and McGill University.

Facilities and laboratories

Teaching and research infrastructure includes chemical synthesis laboratories, pilot plant facilities, and analytical suites equipped for chromatography and spectroscopy linked to suppliers and collaborators such as Thermo Fisher Scientific and Shimadzu. Process systems labs incorporate process control rigs and distributed control systems with training modules used in conjunction with industry partners like Schneider Electric and Siemens. Specialized laboratories host membrane research, catalysis benches, and microfluidics platforms developed with inputs from Fraunhofer Society collaborators and spin‑out incubators like those associated with the UNSW Founders Program. High‑performance computing resources support process modelling in clusters analogous to those at Australian National University and enable co‑supervised simulation projects with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Faculty and administration

The school's academic staff include professors and researchers holding affiliations with bodies such as the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and visiting chairs appointed through exchange schemes with Imperial College London and the University of Melbourne. Administrative leadership reports through the Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales and engages with professional accreditation via Engineers Australia panels. Distinguished alumni and emeritus faculty have links to organizations including CSL Limited, Origin Energy, and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

Industry partnerships and collaborations

Strategic partnerships integrate industry placements, collaborative research, and continuing professional development with corporations and agencies such as ExxonMobil, BP, Fortescue Metals Group, and regulatory or standards bodies like Standards Australia. Cooperative education schemes operate alongside internships with Woodside Petroleum and technology translation programs connected to incubators and venture funds similar to Cicada Innovations and the Australian Investment Council. International collaborative projects involve consortia with the European Commission research programs and bilateral projects with institutions including Peking University and KAIST.

Student life and societies

Student engagement is fostered through societies and clubs linked to national associations such as the Engineers Without Borders (Australia) and the Chemical Engineering Society (UNSW), student chapters of the Australian Institute of Chemical Engineers and participation in competitions like the Shell Eco-marathon and the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition. Extracurricular opportunities include industry networking events, hackathons partnered with firms like IBM and Siemens, and outreach initiatives with schools coordinated with the Australian STEM Outreach community. Student governance operates within the UNSW Student Guild framework and collaborates with campus entities including the UNSW Union and residential colleges such as Basser College.

Category:University of New South Wales