- Address:
- Department of Chemical Engineering (map)
Pembroke Street
Cambridge CB2 3RA - Telephone:
- +44 (0)1223 334777
- Fax:
- +44 (0)1223 334796
- Email:
- research@cheng.cam.ac.uk
- Website:
- http://www.cheng.cam.ac.uk/
- See also:
- Institution admissions pages, Graduate Studies Prospectus Entry.
The Department of Chemical Engineering was founded with an endowment from Shell in 1948. It is a small and friendly department conducting novel research in a wide range of fields related to advanced chemical processing. Research groups within the department include: Biochemical and Environmental Engineering, Bioscience Engineering, Catalysis and Magnetic Resonance, Combustion, Computational Modelling, Electrochemistry, Laser Analytics, Powder and Paste Processing, Polymer Fluids, and Structured Materials.
Most of these groups are based in refurbished modern laboratories in a set of three interconnected buildings on the New Museums Site, in the centre of town. Additionally the Department has a satellite facility, the Magnetic Resonance Research Centre, at the West Cambridge site adjacent to the Cavendish Laboratories. The research undertakings of the department are highly regarded, with the department receiving a 5 in its latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The Department has 20 academic staff members hosts approximately 20 postdoctoral workers, 85 PhD students, and 10 MPhil students. During term time the Department holds a series of weekly Research Seminars, with many distinguished visiting and internal speakers. If that was not incentive enough to attend free tea and cakes are provided beforehand! There are also many opportunities to listen to other researchers in the Department present their work or to present your own.
Besides research the Department also provides teaching for about 100 undergraduates in the second, third and fourth years of their studies at Cambridge working towards BA and MEng degrees. Undergraduate teaching in the Department is also highly regarded with a Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) rating of 23 out of 24. Graduate students may supervise undergraduate students in supervisions, coursework, lab work, or fourth year projects and are paid for this work.
The Department has a very informal setting and the small size means plenty of opportunities to get to know other people. This is especially aided by free tea, twice daily in the Shell Social Room. People studying and working in the Department come from a wide range of backgrounds, both personally and academically. There are a large number of international students and many researchers have backgrounds in chemistry, physics, mathematics or other subjects besides chemical engineering. The Department has a good community spirit and there are many other social events to take part in. Highlights include the Annual Dinner, a BBQ in the summer and regular ‘Friday Night Fun’ with cheap drinks, free snacks, and often music, games or quizzes on Friday evenings. Other social events are arranged by CUCES (Cambridge University Chemical Engineering Society), which is undergraduate run, but welcomes graduates to its events. There is a Department cricket team playing competitively in the summer months and practises through the winter. Other sports are also popular and there is a very good chance you can find someone to play any sport you like in the Department.
This is just a small summary of some of the activities and research interests of our varied Department. More information is available in the prospectus and on the website. Alternatively you may like to pay us a visit and experience our friendly atmosphere for yourself.