EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS ADDRESS:

Chemical Engineering Education

Chemical Engineering Education Volume 45 Number 1 Winter 2011
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Florida • Gainesville, FL 32611
PHONE and FAX: 352-392-0861
 DEPARTMENT
e-mail: cee@che.ufl.edu 2 Chemical Engineering at The University of Arizona
Paul Blowers, Jim A. Field, Kimberly Ogden, A. Eduardo Sáez,
EDITOR and Reyes Sierra
Tim Anderson
 EDUCATOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR 8 Purdue’s Doraiswami (Ramki) Ramkrishna: A Population of One
Phillip C. Wankat Phil Wankat and Arvind Varma
 CLASS AND HOME PROBLEMS
MANAGING EDITOR 15 Modeling an Explosion: The Devil Is in the Details
Lynn Heasley Peter W. Hart and Alan W. Rudie

PROBLEM EDITOR  RANDOM THOUGHTS

Daina Briedis, Michigan State 37 How to Stop Cheating (Or At Least Slow It Down)
Richard Felder
LEARNING IN INDUSTRY EDITOR  LABORATORY
William J. Koros, Georgia Institute of Technology 53 Project-Based Learning in Education Through an Undergraduate Lab
Exercise
Donald D. Joye, Adam Hoffman, Jacqueline Christie, Mayo Brown,
and Jennifer Niemczyk
PUBLICATIONS BOARD
 CLASSROOM
• CHAIR • 59 Solution of Nonlinear Algebraic Equations in the Analysis, Design, and
C. Stewart Slater
Rowan University
Optimization of Continuous Ultrafiltration
Greg Foley
• VICE CHAIR•
Jennifer Curtis  CURRICULUM
University of Florida 21 A Simplified Model of Human Alcohol Metabolism That Integrates
Biotechnology and Human Health Into a Mass Balance Team Project
• PAST CHAIR •
Allen H.J. Yang, Kathryn Dimiduk, and Susan Daniel
John O’Connell
University of Virginia 30 CFD Modeling of Water Flow Through Sudden Contraction and
Expansion in a Horizontal Pipe
• MEMBERS • V.V.R. Kaushik, S. Ghosh, G. Das, and P.K. Das
Pedro Arce 39 Integration of Biological Applications Into the Core Undergraduate
Tennessee Tech University Curriculum: A Practical Strategy
Lisa Bullard Claire Komives, Michael Prince, Erik Fernandez, and Robert Balcarcel
North Carolina State
47 Drug Design, Development, and Delivery: An Interdisciplinary Course
Stephanie Farrell on Pharmaceuticals
Rowan University Mark R. Prausnitz and Andreas S. Bommarius
Jim Henry 65 Experience Gained During the Adaptation of Classical ChE Subjects
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
to the Bologna Plan in Europe: The Case of Chemical Reactors
Jason Keith
Sergio Ponsá and Antoni Sánchez
Michigan Technological University
73 Journal Club: A Forum to Encourage Graduate and Undergraduate
Milo Koretsky
Oregon State University
Research Students to Critically Review the Literature
Suzanne Kresta Adrienne R. Minerick
University of Alberta  OTHER CONTENTS
Steve LeBlanc 58 Book Review, Lisa Bullard
University of Toledo inside front cover Teaching Tip, Matthew W. Liberatore
David Silverstein
University of Kentucky CHEMICAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION (ISSN 0009-2479) is published quarterly by the Chemical Engi­neering
Margot Vigeant Division, American Society for Engineering Education, and is edited at the University of Florida. Cor­respondence regarding
editorial matter, circulation, and changes of address should be sent to CEE, Chemical Engineering Department, University
Bucknell University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-6005. Copyright © 2011 by the Chemical Engineering Division, American Society for
Engineering Education. The statements and opinions expressed in this periodical are those of the writers and not necessarily
those of the ChE Division, ASEE, which body assumes no responsibility for them. Defective copies re­placed if notified within
120 days of pub­lication. Write for information on subscription costs and for back copy costs and availability. POSTMAS­TER:
Send address changes to Chemical Engineering Education, Chemical Engineering Department., University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611-6005. Periodicals Postage Paid at Gainesville, Florida, and additional post offices (USPS 101900).

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 1

ChE department

ChE at . . .
The University of Arizona
Paul Blowers,
Jim A. Field,
Kimberly Ogden,
A. Eduardo Sáez,

T
and Reyes Sierra
he University of Ar-
izona was founded
under the Morrill
Act as a land grant uni-
versity in 1885, 27 years
before the state of Arizona
entered the union. Classes
began in 1891 with 32 stu-
dents, and due to the lack of
high schools in the territo-
ry, the university performed
outreach by maintaining a
separate set of preparatory
courses to allow students to
enter the university. Since
those early years, the uni-
versity has grown to offer
degrees in more than 300 University of Arizona faculty member Armin Sorooshian lectures on heat exchangers
separate fields of study with in fluid flow and heat transfer.
a total student population of more than 29,000 undergraduate recruited from the National Science Foundation, led from
and almost 7,000 graduate students. 2006 until 2009. In 2009, an internal search led to the election
Chemical engineering at the University of Arizona was of James A. Field, who began his term as department chair,
founded in 1957 as part of the School of Mines by Don H. a new leadership format.
White, and he became the first head of the department in 1958.
The first graduating class left the department in 1960 with eight FACULTY AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
graduates, while the first M.S. student, Harry Hyatt, graduated The department currently has 15 full-time faculty members
in 1961 and the first Ph.D. was earned in 1964 by Richard who contribute to the academic and research vitality of the
Edwards. Don White remained department head until 1974 campus. This past year, research expenditures for the depart-
when Joseph Gross became head for six years. Gary Patterson ment were almost 3.4 million dollars.
led the department from 1985 until 1990 when Thomas W. Table 1, on page 4, lists the faculty, their Ph.D.-granting
Peterson took over the reins for seven years before becoming institution, and their current research areas.
dean of the College of Engineering. During Tom Peterson’s
tenure, he and Ray Sierka led the efforts to merge the chemi- As one can see in Table 1, many faculty emphasize research
cal engineering faculty with the environmental engineering at the interface of chemical and environmental engineering,
faculty, and those efforts were successful on July 1, 1993. which was the primary driver of merging the faculty of the
Jost Wendt was head from 1998-2005 before Glenn Schrader, © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

2 Chemical Engineering Education

two departments, and the origin of much of the attraction of many students from California due to the relatively low
interest to the department. The focus on these synergies has tuition of our university. International students make up less
also led to the strong presence of environmental topics in than 5% of each class at this time, although a new China
the undergraduate curricula as discussed in the next section. 2+2 program with Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong
The department has strong involve- University was initiated in 2009 that
ment or leadership positions in two allows students to obtain degrees
prominent research centers. The Semi- from their home institution and the
conductor Research Center (SRC)/ U of A in four years. It is anticipated
SEMATECH Engineering Research that approximately eight students per
Center for Environmentally Benign year will enter this program within
Semiconductor Manufacturing is led the next three years.
by Farhang Shadman, who originally The B.S. degree program is accred-
founded the center with collaborators ited by ABET and is undergoing the
at Stanford and MIT through the NSF normal review process. While much
Engineering Research Center initia- of the curriculum is traditional, there
tives. This center has remained ac- are several unique aspects. Students
tive as a vibrant research catalyst and Old Main: The first building constructed on take two units worth of computer
the campus and still in use.
continues to focus on semiconductor programming in Visual Basic after
manufacturing while diversifying into broader nanotechnol- completing a three-unit freshman programming course with
ogy issues. The center is now in its 15th year, five years after C+. A subsequent core course introduces Matlab applica-
the NSF support was sunset. The U.S.-Mexico Binational tions in the context of numerical methods. A three-unit up-
Center for Environmental Science and Toxicology is co- per-division core course is dedicated to introducing students
directed by Jim Field, chair of the department. The mission of to biotechnology as well. Instead of having a senior-level
the Binational Center is to provide and support environmental three-credit Unit Operations Laboratory course, the depart-
science and toxicology training, research, and policy develop- ment moved to a distributed three-semester series of one-unit
ment as well as facilitate a dialogue between investigators and modules spread out through the junior year and the first half
stakeholders on risk assessment and remediation of hazardous of the senior year. This change allowed for faculty to now also
environmental contaminants prevalent in the Border region. introduce ChemCAD in the junior year and strengthen Matlab
In addition to these centers, faculty members collaborate with training. This change also moved many of the experiments
researchers in public health, environmental sciences, atmo- into the same semester the theory was being taught, which
spheric sciences, optical science, material science, chemistry, makes pedagogical sense. The transport phenomena course
physiology, toxicology, and pharmacy. sequence consists of two traditional courses that cover the
basics of fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer, followed
THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM in the second semester of the junior year by a comprehensive
The undergraduate program had a total of 177 registered transport phenomena course based on Bird, Stewart, and
majors at the start of Fall 2010, with the recent graduating Lightfoot’s classic textbook.
class having 38 under- The strong chemical engi-
graduate students. En- neering core is supported by
rollment at the sopho- Our mission is to: many electives, with offer-
more level has risen from • provide excellence in university-level teaching of chemical ings in rheology, surface sci-
55 students three years and environmental engineering to a broad diversity of students ence, atmospheric science,
ago to 92 students in the semiconductor manufactur-
• prepare students to be competitive in the global job
most recent fall semes- ing, and bioreactor design.
marketplace through mentoring, research, and internship
ter. The student body in On the environmental side,
opportunities
chemical engineering classes are offered in wa-
continues to be diverse • pioneer quality research that advances engineering ter chemistry, wastewater
with the recent graduat- fundamentals and promotes innovations in technology treatment, hazardous waste
ing class having 35% fe- development in areas of: management, and pollution
male, 13% Hispanic, 2% o energy control. Many students use
Native American, and these opportunities to pre-
o environmental technology
4% African American pare for graduate work in
students. While students o biotechnology environmental engineering
predominantly come o nano-scale device manufacturing or for environmental con-
from Arizona, there are sulting jobs.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 3
 Advising and instructional efforts are strong across the comparison, many departmental averages on these scores are
department. Students are directly advised by faculty, which around 3.5 to 3.6. The overall engagement of faculty in teach-
allows for close mentoring of each student and the ability ing, performing research with undergraduates—as discussed
to solve student difficulties as they arise. Constant commu- next—and advising undergraduates has led to two faculty
nication with students inside and outside the class, through members receiving the single university-wide Outstanding
research and departmental picnics and coffee hours, has led to Faculty Award as selected by the entire student body, one
one professor being selected for the Excellence in Academic receiving it in 2009 and the other in 2010. Additionally, the
Advising Faculty Advisor Award in 2007, which is given to student body also selected the department to receive the
one faculty member at the University of Arizona each year. Department of the Year Award in 2010. In addition to these
That faculty member then went on to be named one of the student-selected awards, one faculty member was selected by
best four Outstanding Faculty Advisors in the United States as honors students as the Five Star Faculty Award winner, which
selected by the National Academic Advising Association. is only given to one faculty member each year. That faculty
Faculty teaching evaluations are consistently very high member also received the Sherrill Creative Teaching Award
within the department. Figure 1a shows faculty teaching- from the University of Arizona Foundation for demonstrat-
effectiveness and amount-learned scores (on a five-point ing a long-standing commitment to excellence in educating
maximum scale) for all core courses required in the depart- undergraduate students.
ment. Teaching course-evaluation scores are similarly high In addition to teaching well, the department’s faculty mem-
in the elective courses, as seen in Figure 1b. As a point of bers have consistently made a strong commitment to engag-

TABLE 1
Department of Chemical Engineering Faculty
Faculty Ph.D. Institution Research Areas
Bob Arnold Cal. Tech. bioremediation, microbial catalysis
Jim Baygents (Interim Assoc. Princeton transport and interfacial phenomena
Dean for Academic Affairs,
Engineering)
Paul Blowers Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign sustainability analyses, kinetic and molecular predictions
Wendell Ela Stanford particle-particle interactions, remediation of contaminated
water
Jim Farrell Stanford adsorption in mesoporous materials, electrochemistry
Jim Field Wageningen University (The Netherlands) anaerobic bioconversion of pollutants
Don Gervasio Case Western Reserve University electrochemistry, solar power
Roberto Guzman North Carolina State University protein and metal ion separation, polymer and surface
chemistry for environmental/biotech. applications
Anthony Muscat Stanford atomic scale engineering of surfaces, semiconductor chem-
istries
Kim Ogden University of Colorado bioremediation and biotechnology
Ara Philipossian Tufts University chemical mechanical planarization, electroplating
chemicals, dielectrics
Eduardo Sáez University of California at Davis transport phenomena, emerging contaminants
Glenn Schrader (Associate University of Wisconsin catalysis, environmental sustainability, thin films, kinetics
Dean of Research,
Engineering)
Farhang Shadman (Director UC Berkeley semiconductor manufacturing, environmental contamination
of SRC/SEMATECH Engi- control
neering Research Center for
Env. Benign Semiconductor
Manufacturing)
Reyes Sierra Wageningen University (The Netherlands) biological wastewater treatment, bioremediation,
nanotoxicity
Shane Snyder Michigan State University emerging water contamination and remediation
Armin Sorooshian Cal Tech atmospheric chemistry and physics, climate change,
aerosols

4 Chemical Engineering Education

 Mosaic of mentors:
The many faces of the
University of Arizona’s
chemical and environ-
mental engineering
faculty:
Top row: Bob Arnold,
Kim Ogden, Jim Farrell,
Eduardo Sáez, Farhang
Shadman.
Second row:
Armin Sorooshian, Reyes
Sierra, Wendell Ela,
Jim Baygents, Ara
Philipossian.
Third row: Paul Blowers,
Greg Ogden, Jim Field,
Roberto Guzman,
Anthony Muscat.
Bottom row: Glenn
Schrader, Shane Snyder,
Don Gervasio.

ing undergraduate students in research. Students

do research either as volunteers, for independent
study that can be applied to their degree, or for
pay, often through additional funds provided by
the Undergraduate Biology Research Program or
the NASA Space Grant Program on our campus.
In addition to performing research within the de-
partment, students also routinely work in systems
and industrial engineering, electrical engineering,
biomedical engineering, optical sciences, chem-
istry, or medical research laboratories outside the
department due to the campus’s support for under-
graduate involvement in research. Undergraduate
researchers are often included as co-authors on
scientific peer-reviewed papers. In the past six
years, 31 peer-reviewed publications from faculty
members have been published with undergraduate
students as co-authors—demonstrating a high level
of engagement of undergraduate students in the
research enterprise.
Students are encouraged to not only develop their
professional resumes through research, but to also Figure 1. Average faculty teaching course evaluation scores on a
pursue internships with companies. While intern- five-point scale as reported by students at the end of each semester.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 5
ships are not required, a large number of students have been Fulbright Fellowship and is now an NSF fellow in graduate
able to secure paid work. school. In the most recent graduating class, one student earned
The third leg of student success is built on service and second place from the National Society of Black Engineers at
leadership activities. In the recent past, chemical engineer- an open oral competition, while another student was selected
ing students have held officer positions in the College’s Tau by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers as the Most
Beta Pi Honor Society, the Engineering Student Council, the Valuable Player for Design.
Society of Women Engineers, and Engineers Without Bor- Not surprisingly, with the strong support from the depart-
ders. In addition to these clubs that are closely related to the ment and college to become involved in research, and the
discipline, students from the department have also founded encouragement to obtain internships and to develop leader-
the American Tae Kwon Do, Arizona Marathon Runners, ship and engagement activities, placement of graduates has
Arizona Boxing, and Arizona Jugglers clubs. Students remain been strong each year. In almost every year, only two or
engaged in a wide variety of activities, even on top of their three students have not signed a commitment by the day of
academic workload; one student even finished in sixth place graduation.
at the PAC 10 championships for track and field. Another Companies that routinely recruit multiple graduates from
student was ranked number one in the world in hand-to-hand our program include ExxonMobil, Intel, Proctor & Gamble,
combat in tae kwon do, while a third qualified for the national Raytheon Missile Systems, Freeport MacMoRan (a mining
table tennis championships. company), Gore (a biotechnology company), and Valero Oil.
Students from the department win many awards at both the Environmental consulting companies take advantage of the
local and national levels. Each year, the College of Engineer- strong environmental presence and hire students as well, with
ing recognizes one senior as the Most Outstanding College students going to Malcolm Pirnie, Brown and Caldwell, and
Senior and each of the 18 degree programs can nominate one CH2M Hill in recent years. Due to the broad emphasis on
graduating senior. Of these last five selections, a chemical fundamentals and applicability to any industry, our students
engineering student was chosen three times for this honor. are able to work for a broad spectrum of companies, allowing
The university gives three awards each year for outstand- flexibility in job searches while industries wax and wane in
ing service leadership to all graduating seniors, and two their demand for new B.S. graduates.
students from chemical engineering were selected in the last Approximately 30-35% of each graduating class goes to
nine years. The University Honors College names between graduate school. Currently, students are in graduate school in
10 and 12 Pillars of Excellence each year; of the 32 named chemical engineering at UT Austin (five students), Berkeley
in the three years of the program, five have been chemical (three), Cal Tech (three), University of Illinois at Urbana-
engineering graduating seniors. At the national level, from Champaign (five), and Stanford (one), among others. Again,
AIChE, two students have won
National Minority scholarships,
three have been selected for the
Donald Othmer Award, and one
received the John McKetta Award.
Two students were selected as
Tau Beta Pi scholars and one was
named Tau Beta Pi Laureate as
the best engineering student in
the country. The Udall Scholar-
ship is a national award given to
approximately 80 students nation-
wide each year, and students must
be engaged in environmental or
tribal issues to be selected. Two
of our students have been selected
in the last five years, and one of
those students went on to have a

Students participate
in a classroom activity.
Interactions with students
foster engagement in
learning.
6 Chemical Engineering Education
the broad training and emphasis on flexible options allows becoming strong professionals through research, leadership,
our students to move into other fields if they choose not to go and internships.
to chemical engineering programs. Four students have suc- Research areas in the graduate programs include, but are
cessfully been admitted to medical school programs, with one not limited to, chemical engineering solutions to environ-
of them earning a position in an M.D./ChE Ph.D. program. mental problems, including water and wastewater treatment,
One student has gone on to receive a Ph.D. in pharmacy, (bio)remediation, and environmental aspects of semiconductor
while another received a law degree from Duke University. manufacturing. Other areas of emphasis are nanofabrication,
Several students have gone on to biomedical graduate-degree biotechnology, biofuels, molecular-scale simulation of chemi-
programs, while one has gone on to a Ph.D. program in dairy cal interactions, rheology, electrochemistry, and catalysis.
science at the University of Wisconsin and another entered
Oxford University for an M.S. in archeology. LIFE BALANCE AND HOLISTIC APPROACHES
FOR SUCCESS
THE GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Faculty are also leaders in and around the local community
The department maintains two separate graduate-degree and the country. One faculty member is currently secretary of
programs, one in chemical engineering and one in environ- the National AIChE organization. Several faculty members have
mental engineering, with both programs offering both M.S. served on editorial boards for top journals or served on national
and Ph.D. research-centered programs. Both programs also oversight committees for technology development. At the local
have a coursework-only M.S. option. There are about 65 level, two different faculty members have participated in an
graduate students in residence at any given time, supported event that brings together faculty from campus, employees at
by their research advisors. local technology-based companies, and volunteers to host 6,000
Master’s degree candidates from environmental engineer- middle-school-aged children at the Tucson Convention Center
ing are generally hired by environmental consulting firms to do hands-on science and engineering events over a three-day
and utility companies across the United States. There are period. At the university and college level, at least seven faculty
relatively few M.S. chemical engineering graduate students, at any given time are in visible leadership positions.
and those that pass through the program often go on to For over a decade, faculty members have demonstrated
graduate school at other institutions; one was at the Univer- the ability to balance their professional demands in teaching,
sity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and just completed a research, and service, with their personal lives—providing a
Ph.D., and the other is in the fourth year of an M.D./Ph.D. strong model to students at all levels. Many faculty children
program at the University of Boston. Ph.D. students from are often present in the building during working hours, often
both programs primarily go to industrial positions or posi- with a gate at the door to keep toddlers in. Some faculty
tions at utility companies after graduation, although several lecture with their children unobtrusively present in the class-
alumni are faculty members at other institutions, including room—one did so while wearing a baby carrier for a toddler,
North Dakota State University, Stanford University, The and others while having their children draw quietly or work
University of Utah, and San Francisco de Quito University on their own tasks. Being engaged as a faculty member does
in Ecuador. not mean having to sacrifice family interactions.
Graduate students are encouraged to not only do well The clear engagement of faculty in many activities at high
academically and in their research areas, but to also develop levels encourages undergraduate and graduate students to chal-
themselves. Departmental seminar series generate research lenge themselves while maintaining good life balances. With
ideas from graduate students during coffee-hour presentations the addition of two new faculty
on their research. In addition, many students participate in members in 2010 in research
intramural and recreational activities within the department areas that complement existing
and across the campus. A large number of students also start departmental strengths, while
families while in the program and balance work with their also maintaining a balance
outside lives. This may be encouraged by the holistic approach between professional and per-
of the faculty in maintaining similar balances in their personal sonal lives, the future promises
lives, as discussed later. to hold continued strengthening
Strong connections are maintained with alumni from all of the department and larger
undergraduate and graduate programs. This has facilitated the successes. p
sharing of job openings with alumni and graduating seniors
as they search for jobs. These connections and communica-
Founding father:
tion efforts have also enhanced recruiting of interns from Don White, the founder
the program as employers observe the developmental efforts and first head of the
the faculty make to get students involved and engaged in department.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 7
ChE educator

Purdue’s
Doraiswami (Ramki) Ramkrishna
A Population of One
Phil Wankat and Arvind Varma

I
Purdue University
n the sports world if you say Michael or Tiger
everyone knows who you mean. In the world
of chemical engineering if you say Ramki
everyone knows you mean Doraiswami Ram-
krishna. Ramki has earned this name recognition
by introducing elegant and powerful mathemati-
cal techniques, particularly population balances,
into chemical engineering. Yet, if you try to apply
population balances to Ramki himself, you will
fail because Ramki is unique.

EARLY DAYS
Ramki was born in Trichur, India, but grew up
in Bombay (now Mumbai) where he had all his Ramki in his office.
elementary and high schooling. During his early
school days, his mother was his tutor. She would make sure
that he was totally prepared for his exams. One time in fourth
grade he returned home after an exam with some of his answer
sheets he had neglected to turn in under some blank papers on
the clipboard. His mother (now 88) rushed to the school and
successfully convinced the teacher of the innocence of what
happened! His father, who recently passed away at the age of
100, was a relentless cheerleader throughout his life.
Ramki benefited from excellent (particularly in mathemat-
ics) junior college (Ramnarain Ruia) teachers. He graduated
from the Department of Chemical Technology at Bombay
University in 1960. He dearly recalls Dr. D.K. Sen from
Bombay University, who not only taught mathematics but
also taught students to love it. If Ramki is a typical example,
Dr. Sen was indeed a magician! Young Manmohan Sharma,
also from Bombay University, was no less inspiring and set
new highs in commitment to teaching. While Ramki can recall
some deficiencies in the curriculum, there were many out-
standing attributes to the undergraduate program at Bombay
University. In addition to mathematics, the organic chemistry
and surface and colloid chemistry courses as well as the Unit
Operations laboratory were outstanding examples.
Left, Ramki at age 6 with his parents and sister Leela.
© Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

8 Chemical Engineering Education

 Ramki left for the Uni- fondly recalls, Amundson
versity of Minnesota in said at the Campus Club,
September 1960. His ad- “You know I have been
mission there occurred eating at the Campus Club
through the recommenda- since 1939!” when Ramki
tion of his uncle, Venki, responded by saying, “Gee
who was a post-doc in the that was about when I was
chemistry department at born!” he provoked Neal’s
Minnesota. snappy reaction, “So who
asked you, you idiot!” Sub-
MINNESOTA DAYS sequently, Ramki served
How many Ph.D.s re- on the faculty at Min-
gard their graduate educa- nesota as a temporary as-
tion as a euphoric stretch sistant professor, again at
of inspiration that they Amundson’s request.
would love to live over Other than choosing par-
again? Ramki regards his ents with good genes, the
Minnesota days this way! most important decision a
He had as his contempo- person makes is marrying
raries some of the most the right spouse. Ramki
distinguished colleagues in made excellent decisions
the chemical engineering in both cases. In September
profession today: Roger 1966, Ramki and Geetha
Schmitz, George Gavalas, Ramki at graduation with a Ph.D. degree from the University of were married. It was an
Minnesota in 1965 with his advisors Arnie Fredrickson (right)
Morton Denn, Dan Luss, unusual “arranged” mar-
and Henry Tsuchiya (left).
Harmon Ray, Lee Ray- riage in that he virtually
mond, and Ken Valentas, to name just a few, and he vividly engineered it himself. She was known to him from childhood,
recalls the exciting and lively competition that prevailed. As if and since marrying has been his constant companion even
the excitement that came from ChE Professors Neal Amundson, during his professional involvements, vigorously entertaining
Rutherford Aris, Skip Scriven, Arnie Fredrickson, Bill Ranz, professional colleagues with home-cooked food and attending
and John Dahler were not enough, the mathematics depart- conferences with him around the globe.
ment at Minnesota was his second home with Professors Hans
Weinberger, Walt Littman, George Sell, Willard Miller, and IIT-KANPUR DAYS
James Serrin adding substantially to the quality of students’ Ramki and Geetha returned to India in 1967, where Ramki
lives. Ramki fondly remembers the several seminar series of resumed his academic career as an assistant professor at
unusual kinds (thanks to Rutherford Aris), and the special group IIT-Kanpur. This was an extraordinary institution, distinctly
seminar series on “Fun in Hilbert Space,” which Ted Davis, apart from others in India because of the academic freedom
Ramki, and Theofanis Theofanous put together.
Graduate research with Arnie Fredrickson and Henry
Tsuchiya was an adventure. Ramki reports “We were friends
and spent enormous time discussing a field that we were shap-
ing in new ways.” Neal Amundson offered Ramki an instruc-
torship—a position offered only to a privileged few among
graduate students—which postponed his plans to return to
India and teach. Since Ramki was concerned that his parents
would become upset, Henry Tsuchiya wrote a personal letter
to Ramki’s father to make him understand the opportunity it
meant to his son. Becoming an instructor and a part of the
undergraduate teaching team was academic training at its best.
He savored the faculty lunch discussions at the Campus Club
with more appetite than the food. On one occasion, Ramki
Right, the traditional Indian-style wedding of Ramki
and Geetha on a swing with garlands in 1966.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 9
it offered young faculty. Consequently, even by international only two faculty members and two students! The course led
standards, it had probably some of the finest faculty that one to some collaborative research with Ed Lightfoot, and many
could imagine. Ramki recalls his early academic mentors interesting discussions with Warren Stewart. Ramki recalls
such as his friend and colleague C.V. Seshadri and his depart- with great fondness his friendship with Ed Crosby, with whom
ment head, M. Gopala Rao, who put together an outstanding his co-teaching was a truly rewarding experience. Crosby’s
chemical engineering faculty. Teaching was held in the highest special effort to integrate transport analysis with real life ex-
esteem and recitation lectures were held to the same quality amples has few parallels in the published literature. Another
and standards as those at Minnesota. Ramki did some of his memory that he carries from Wisconsin was the summer lab
early work on linear operators, population balances, and in which he participated most enthusiastically. Students were
stochastic differential equations at this institute. Colleagues given crash projects to design experiments and produce results
K.S. Gandhi, Arvind Kudchadker, C.N.R. Rao, V.K. Stokes, in a short time!
and Kamalesh Sirkar added substantially to the stimulation. Ramki returned to Minnesota as a visiting professor in the
He sentimentally recalls his distinguished friend and col- fall of 1975. At Minnesota, he had the pleasure of teaching
league Professor Jay Borwanker who taught him stochastic the second course of Neal Amundson’s triple sequence. He
processes privately and collaborated with him on chemical taught linear operator theory to a class that was to produce
engineering research. Together they published some funda- some truly outstanding academics. With Manfred Morari as
mental papers on the implications of stochastic processes to his teaching assistant, the class comprised Brian Higgins,
chemical engineering. Doug Lauffenburger, Gregory and Miretta Stephanopoulos,
Towards the end of 1973, however, Ramki became unhappy Ishi Talmon, Kyriakos Zygourakis, and many others.
at IIT-Kanpur because of complex political changes that
resulted in an extraordinary degree of polarization among PURDUE UNIVERSITY DAYS
the faculty. Many faculty colleagues left and Ramki sought In the middle of the 1970s, Lowell Koppel as ChE Head
a two-year leave to return to the United States. While at embarked on a vigorous and impressive process of building
IIT-Kanpur, he had been involved with teaching many dis- a strong new faculty at Purdue. One key element was hiring
tinguished undergraduate students (to mention only a few: senior academics and in August 1976, Ramki joined Purdue
Rakesh Agrawal, Santosh Gupta, Rakesh Jain, Anil Kumar, University as professor. For Ramki, it was a fresh academic
and Amar Shah). beginning and, unbeknownst to him, the new start of his career
Ramkrishna’s very first doctoral student at IIT-K, N.J. Rao, at a permanent home.
was from electrical engineering and was jointly advised by Although he started with an undergraduate transport course,
a colleague from EE and another from mathematics. This he soon became almost exclusively involved with graduate
research resulted in the development of the first algorithm teaching at Purdue. In addition to linear operator theory, he
for solving nonlinear stochastic differential equations and taught Transport Phenomena I and II, Chemical Reaction
investigated the behavior of chemical reactors subjected to Engineering, and a course on Probabilistic Methods in Chemi-
random environmental effects. The work resulted in publica- cal Engineering. While developing extensive notes teaching
tions in SIAM Journal on Control and in Chemical Engineer-
ing Science. Dr. Rao subsequently joined the faculty of the
Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, where he eventually
rose to become head of the School of Automation. Before
leaving IIT-Kanpur, Ramki had guided four other students
to their doctoral degrees, three of whom subsequently joined
academia. Of these, Rakesh Bajpai, is a Distinguished Pro-
fessor at Louisiana at Lafayette; P.N. Singh retired as the
dean of an Engineering College in Karnataka, India; and
Ganesan Narsimhan is currently a professor of Agricultural
and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. He also had
numerous Master’s degree students.

RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES

Ramki and Geetha arrived in Madison, Wisc., in August Ramki pictured with his colleagues Henry Lim and
1974. Ramki was a visiting associate professor at the Univer- George Tsao in 1987 at a departmental celebration of
sity of Wisconsin. In many ways, this was an extraordinary their awards. Ramki won the Alpha Chi Sigma, Henry
year for him. While he did undergraduate teaching at Wis- the Food Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Award,
consin, he also taught a course on linear operator theory for and George the Marvin Johnson Award.

10 Chemical Engineering Education

linear operators at IIT-Kanpur, Ramki had discussed the topic religiously attended courses taught by Ramki. Ramki was the
with Neal Amundson during one of his short visits to Min- official mentor of Frank Doyle and John Morgan. He has had
nesota. They published numerous papers on application of publications with all of the foregoing mentees. In teaching, he
linear operators to solve problems in transport and chemical was involved in shaping undergraduate courses in transport
reaction engineering that became very popular. The stabil- phenomena. As an example, the then newly instituted heat and
ity of a permanent home at Purdue, Amundson’s continued mass transfer course was team taught by Ramki and Linda
encouragement to Ramki, and the continued opportunity to Wang, with the first seven weeks handled by Ramki to set
teach graduate students led to their book, Linear Operator the course contents.
Methods in Chemical Engineering, published by Prentice Over the years, many of Ramkrishna’s students have sought
Hall in 1985. their future in academia. This influence has been not only at
Ramki attributes his long and continuing association with Purdue but on an international scale through research col-
Purdue to the quality of many of his colleagues. With Jim laborations in India, Belgium, Germany, and China. Ramki’s
Caruthers, Nicholas Peppas, and Nick Delgass his early days first Ph.D. student at Purdue, E. Terry Papoutsakis, is currently
were especially exciting. The opportunity to collaborate with a Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at the
George Tsao, hired by Purdue at about the same time, helped University of Delaware, while the second, Kendree Sampson,
Ramki to return to research in the biological area on which went to Eastman Kodak for five years before joining Ohio
he had gotten his Ph.D. at Minnesota. With an outstanding University where he is currently associate dean. Three others
group of students, he developed the cybernetic approach to in the early eighties joined academia: Prasad Dhurjati to the
modeling biological systems. Another exceptional group U. Delaware, Dhinakar Kompala to the U. Colorado-Boulder,
worked in the area of applied mathematics and chemical and Satish Parulekar to Illinois Institute of Technology. In the
reaction engineering. nineties Pedro Arce, now head at Tennessee Technological
Ramki’s influence on the junior faculty at Purdue has been University, and A. Narang, now Associate Professor, I.I.T.
profound in both research and teaching. Jim Caruthers and Delhi, became professors. This trend continues in the current
Nicholas Peppas in the seventies, Frank Doyle in the nineties, decade: Jeff Varner (Associate Professor at Cornell), Tanmay
and John Morgan (since 2000) are outstanding examples of Lele (Assistant Professor at U. Florida), and Jamey Young
his mentees. When he was an assistant professor, Caruthers (Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt).
The preference that Professor Ramkrishna’s students have
shown for academia comes more from merely interacting
with him than through explicit persuasion. It also does not
imply that those that went to work in industry did not succeed.
Shiv Baloo’s performance at Amoco was so spectacular that
he was specially chosen to negotiate with EPA in behalf of
Amoco (this was reported not by the former student but by
an Amoco officer who asked for more graduates like Shiv).
Atul Narang who also went to Amoco performed very well
there until his eventual decision to enter academia. Harold
Wright rose quickly through the ranks at Conoco to be a senior
manager. Ted Pirog has similarly performed outstandingly
at ExxonMobil. Ramachandran Muralidhar turned down an
academic offer from the Indian Institute of Science to join
ExxonMobil to work with Fred Krambeck who reported back
to Ramki that “Murali was a genius.”
In the hope that India would grant a dual citizenship (which
did not occur), Ramki waited until 1994 to become a U.S.
citizen. This led to an unusual situation when Gary Tatterson
invited him to present a talk at Savannah River Company
unaware that Ramki was not a U.S. citizen. When he arrived
at the company, the strict security requirements forbid him
from entering the facility so that his audience had to be sum-
moned to a cafeteria outside the facility to listen to the talk!
Ramki’s desire to be involved in India found expression in his
association with the Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore,
Jim Caruthers, Ramki, and Nick Delgass, in 1995. which he visited for 15 consecutive years (1982-1997) and
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 11
collaborated with Professors K.S. Gandhi and R. Kumar.
During this period he participated actively in the doctoral
dissertations of P. Das, S. Manjunath, S.K. Gupta, and R.
Bandyopadhyaya, among which two are currently active in
academia. Since then, Ramkrishna has had a continuing col-
laboration with Professors Joshi and Yadav of the Institute of
Chemical Technology - Mumbai (his own alma mater, now
renamed, and the top-ranked ChE program in India), with trips
often funded by NSF International Programs. This interaction
enabled his vigorous participation in the doctoral theses of
students Amol Kulkarni, Manish Bhole, P.R. Sowbna, and
Chinmay Rane. From Belgium, he had Ingmar Nopens and
Jo Maartens as visiting scholars to interact with his research
group. From Germany, C. Borchert, A. Franz, and Ansgar
Bohmann visited Ramkrishna’s group for several months.
Ramki at his 60th birthday celebration in 1999 with
In the United States, interactions with Professor Wei-Shou
felicitator Rutherford Aris.
Hu’s research group at the University of Minnesota have led
to Hu’s students Sarika Mehra and Anushree Chatterjee visit- In 2009, a special issue of Chemical Engineering Science
ing Purdue. Two of Ramki’s long-term postdoctoral students, was dedicated to Professor Ramkrishna for his leadership
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta and Jayanta Chakraborty, now teach in the area of population balances. The guest editors wrote
at IISc Bangalore and IIT Kharagpur, respectively. All of the “. . . we would like to take the opportunity to dedicate this
foregoing interactions have led to several publications in the issue to Professor Doraiswami Ramkrishna. Eight years after
chemical engineering literature. the publication of his milestone book, he has reached another
milestone as he celebrated his 70th birthday in 2008. His ef-
RESEARCH forts during the last four decades, be it almost half a century,
Professor Ramkrishna has a long and distinguished record have been crucial for the development of the Population
of original and outstanding contributions through publica- Balance Model framework and have greatly influenced the
tions, conference presentations, and books, which have had current state of knowledge.”
enormous impact on many areas of chemical engineering. His The development of the so-called cybernetic framework
contributions have been mainly on the development of novel by Ramki and his research group is regarded as a major
mathematical frameworks to solve basic chemical engineering contribution to biochemical engineering. Jay Bailey stated,
problems displaying deterministic and stochastic behaviors. “This is a personal commentary on the history and future
The novelty is displayed in the use of analysis to (i) establish prospects of mathematical modeling and analysis in bio-
fresh formulations yielding efficient solutions, (ii) establish chemical engineering. Major transitions in these fields were
new experimental protocols for verification and extraction of driven by the appearance of the Aiba, Humphrey, and Millis
phenomenology, and (iii) found an entirely new framework for text, Fredrickson’s guidance on conceptualizing mathemati-
the modeling of biological systems. He is widely regarded as cal representations of cell populations, and Ramkrishna’s
a world leader in the application of mathematics to chemical development of the cybernetic modeling approach.” In this
engineering. Ramki fondly recalls research collaboration with regard, although the publications of Kompala, Ramkrishna,
Neal Amundson and his long association with Rutherford and Tsao in 1984 with 90 citations and Kompala, Ramkrishna,
Aris, his idol in mathematics and a major source of inspira- Jansen, and Tsao in 1986 with 130 citations, and others already
tion. More recently his contributions have focused on new have had their impact, the full and even greater impact of
developments in population balance modeling of particulate this methodology will be realized in the near future as recent
systems, cybernetic modeling of biological systems, and, most developments on cybernetic modeling have found ways to
recently, on modeling of chemotherapy with special empha- address large metabolic systems to describe their dynamics
sis on acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His book Population in ways that no other framework is equipped to do. Their ap-
Balances. Theory and Applications to Particulate Systems plications to the development of biofuels by the fermentation
(Academic Press, 2000) has had worldwide acclaim with 394 route, a problem of enormous importance today, is already
citations, and continues to amass more. under way in Ramki’s group. Ramki is currently writing a
In 2003 the AIChE Journal invited Professors Ramkrishna monograph on this topic, to be published by the Cambridge
and Amundson to write a review of Mathematics in Chemical University Press.
Engineering over the last 50 years. This article, published in In collaboration with Purdue Professors Hannemann (ChE/
2004, was subsequently listed as one of the most downloaded BME), Rundell (BME), Leary (BME) and the Indianapolis
articles of the journal for that year. Riley Children’s Hospital, Ramki has recently launched an
12 Chemical Engineering Education
 His innovative contributions led to his election to the National
Academy of Engineering in 2009, with a citation that reads: “For
creation of new model concepts and solutions that improved the
engineering of biological and particulate processes.”
In addition to becoming the H.C. Peffer Distinguished Pro-
fessor in 1994 (named after the founding Head of the School),
Ramki has won his share of awards from Purdue. Nicholas
Peppas organized a surprise get-together in the School in 2001
to celebrate Ramki’s 25th year at Purdue. In 2005, Ramki
received the Purdue Research Excellence Award from the
College of Engineering and in 2010 he received the College
Mentoring Excellence Award for his mentoring of graduate
students and junior faculty.

FAMILY
Geetha accompanies Ramki to every professional meet-
ing he attends. They are proud of their two sons, Sriram (a
computer scientist), living in Portland, Ore., and Arvind (a
design engineer), living in Novi, Mich. They are equally
proud of their daughters-in-law Banu (married to Sriram
and a practicing dentist) and Usha (married to Arvind, with
a Master’s degree in biomedical engineering). Arvind com-
mented, “Dad was a lot of fun when I was a kid. However,
he was extremely competitive. Particularly in video games!
He wasn’t the type that would say “oh . . . I’ll let him win a
Ramki and Geetha with their sons and
daughters (-in-law). game or two.” It was more like “I’m going to crush him!”
I remember when we first bought our Nintendo; Dad would
active new project for using his modeling talents to design always challenge me to a game of Nintendo Golf. I had beaten
patient-specific therapeutic strategies for the treatment of him so many times until finally he achieved a -18 and edged
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. a win over my -16!”
AWARDS Ramki’s family has been a constant source of strength.
His three siblings have spoiled him with their adulation,
Ramki received AIChE’s Alpha Chi Sigma Award in 1987 while his parents and uncle have been a constant source of
for his seminal contributions in mathematics to chemical encouragement. Ramki’s first grandson, Rohan, was born in
engineering. Mumbai University awarded him the UDCT March 2008. When Rohan was born, Ramki finished teaching
Diamond Award in 1994 among 18 others in a one-time cu- his class at Purdue and drove to the hospital in Southfield,
mulative recognition event. In 2006, he received the “Jewel” Mich., to visit Rohan. The weather had turned nasty and by
of Ruia Award, along with an outstanding surgeon, as the the time he arrived in Michigan, it was pitch dark and foggy
first alumni to be so recognized by Ruia College of Bombay with virtually zero visibility. He had gone astray and found
University. himself in Ypsilanti with no available sense of direction (this
In 2009, he received the Platinum Award among other dis- happens frequently!). After what seemed like a long time, he
tinguished alumni of Mumbai University from the Institute found the City Hall with lights inside and people apparently
of Chemical Technology. In 1998, the AIChE granted him the in a meeting. He let himself in, announcing that he was hope-
Wilhelm Award for Chemical Reaction Engineering, for his lessly lost. A young lady among them said, “Why, aren’t you
outstanding contributions to chemical and biochemical reac- Professor Ramkrishna from Purdue? I am Christie and got
tion engineering. In 2004, he won the Thomas Baron Award my Ph.D. at Purdue some years ago with Professor Peppas!”
for his contributions and investigations of particulate systems Ramki excitedly responded by saying, “Of course I remem-
from the Particle Technology Forum of AIChE. ber you, Christie, you were in my transport course!” What
He won the Senior Humboldt Award in 2001 to visit the Max followed was a hug, fond recall of some memories, and very
Planck Institute in Magdeburg, Germany. In 2004, Ramki re- clear directions for the right path to the hospital!
ceived the Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Because his brothers and sister are so much a part of his
Minnesota. He was then only the sixth chemical engineer to be so life, they are known to most of Ramki’s colleagues and
honored by the University of Minnesota in the previous 50 years. friends. They have even attended many AIChE meetings to
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 13
be with him. His younger brother Jaichandra writes, “Ramki Our hero is forgetful. He once told a forgetful student “By
has been the life and breath of our family and has given the the time you are my age, you won’t even remember your
immediate and extended families great memories, many of name.” Another story: a student was at oral exam, frantically
which we continue to reminisce. One of my early boyhood waiting for all the committee members to show up. Everybody
memories about my brother, then a high school kid himself, else did show up on time, and then Professor Peppas told the
is his uncanny ability to narrate stories to children and humor student: “You might want to check with Ramki, as I tried to
them. He would do it in such gripping details, often with reach him a few minutes ago and he was not in his office.” So
make-believe characters, to keep the interest flowing of even the student went to Ramki’s office and found him immersed in
the wayward among us! Kids often clung to him for more and a journal article. When told that he was late for the oral exam
Ramki would oblige and occasionally twisted the lines to scare he retorted: “You should have reminded me!”
the more mischievous ones into behaving!”
Communication between Ramki and his father was unique SUMMARY
since his early college-student days and it was always in Ramki has pioneered novel mathematical techniques to
English, which was very much the medium for serious com- solve complex and important problems in chemical and
munication at home. Ramki would discuss his academic biochemical engineering. His contributions have resulted
courses, the faculty, and his classmates with great excitement in original research articles of lasting value and influential
each day to a very receptive, encouraging, and proud father. books. He has impeccably high standards, which are a model
This continued throughout his academic career to the point for his colleagues and students. He has served as mentor par
that most of his family knew almost every colleague and his excellence to numerous graduate students and junior faculty,
past students in the chemical engineering field by their names who are now prominent in our profession. He provides selfless
and accomplishments! service to the School, having served as chair of many impor-
tant committees (Graduate, Awards, and Global Programs to
QUIRKS name a few) and associate head for three years during 2004-
Ramki takes full advantage of the license given to profes- 06. He is a loving husband, father, and grandfather, who
sors to be slightly eccentric. Nick Delgass relates an incident takes pride in the accomplishments of his family and takes
where Ramki stopped him in the hallway and showed him time to attend important events of his extended family. With
an article that had just appeared in the AIChE Journal. The all these characteristics, kind personality, and a great sense
problem solved happened to be one of three Ramki had as- of humor, Ramki is indeed a population of one!
signed to his class for homework that week.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Ramki has an obsession for chalk and chalkboards. He loves
to lecture from the chalkboard. By the end of the lecture ev- The assistance of Mrs. Cristina Farmus was invaluable in
ery inch of the board is covered with complex equations and preparing this paper. p
derivations written in beautiful, neat handwriting. Typically,
Ramki teaches without referring to any notes or book, without
pausing once or making a small mistake. He will only look
at his notes as a last resort when he senses something is not
right. When he realizes the mistake and goes back over the
entire board revising each equation, the class moans loudly
because they have to go back through their notes and edit
each equation. Since ink is much more difficult to edit than
chalk, everyone’s notes are a mess. Ramki has a chalkboard
in his office at home that covers almost an entire wall. He
often uses it to work out ideas or to practice his lectures. After
every lecture, Ramki absentmindedly puts the piece of chalk
that he had been using into his pocket. He has a desk drawer
that is overflowing with little used pieces of chalk.
Ramki is also an excellent and competitive carom (an In-
dian game that is a combination of pool and checkers) player.
Unfortunately, the competitiveness, but not the excellence, ex-
tends to his driving. He is forgetful and does not always notice
small details such as stop signs. Ramki is also a tremendous
Population growth: Ramki with Rohan,
fan of cricket, which is quirky in the United States. his first grandchild.

14 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE class and home problems

The object of this column is to enhance our readers’ collections of interesting and novel prob-
lems in chemical engineering. We request problems that can be used to motivate student learning
by presenting a particular principle in a new light, can be assigned as novel home problems, are
suited for a collaborative learning environment, or demonstrate a cutting-edge application or
principle. Manuscripts should not exceed 14 double-spaced pages and should be accompanied
by the originals of any figures or photographs. Please submit them to Dr. Daina Briedis (e-mail:
briedis@egr.msu.edu), Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1226.

MODELING AN EXPLOSION:
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
Peter W. Hart
MeadWestvaco Corp. • Cottonton, AL 36851
Alan W. Rudie

T
USDA Forest Products Laboratory • Madison, WI 53726
he Chemical Safety and Hazards Investigation Board for rapid pressurization, the potential for fire due to oxygen
has recently encouraged chemical engineering faculty formed in decomposition, and peroxide-organic vapor phase
to address student knowledge about reactive hazards explosions. Over the past 15 years, at least three bleach plants
in their curricula. This paper presents a simple approach that in North America experienced catastrophic events involv-
may be used to illustrate the importance of these types of ing the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.[6, 7, 9] Pumps
safety considerations. exploded in two of these events, each resulting in serious
injuries. Both mills were using 50 wt% peroxide and had
The use of hydrogen peroxide in pulp bleaching has in-
been using it without incident for several years. Both bleach
creased considerably over the past decade. It has been pro-
plants experienced a peroxide-induced pressure burst when
moted as an environmentally friendly chemical because the
final decomposition products are oxygen and water. Peroxide Peter W. Hart received a B.S. and M.S. in chem-
is easy to use and has found industrial applications ranging ical engineering from the University of Maine
and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Georgia
from nuclear plant decontamination[1] to waste-water treat- Institute of Technology. He has been employed
ment.[2] Hydrogen peroxide is not even covered by Process by Westvaco Corporation (now MeadWestvaco)
Safety Management (PSM) regulations in concentrations
since 1992, where he has served in various
research and mill technical positions throughout
under 53 wt% and in quantities less than 7,500 lb (3,410 the 18 years. He currently serves as technical
kg).[3] As such, many people assume that hydrogen peroxide innovation lead for the Mill Operations Product
Development Group. He is an adjunct associate
is inherently safe. Quite the contrary, at the higher concentra- professor to the Paper Science Department at
tions used in industry, hydrogen peroxide can be extremely North Carolina State University.

dangerous. The sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk[4] Alan W. Rudie received a B.A. from Wartburg
was attributed to an explosion caused by high-concentration College in chemistry and Ph.D. in inorganic

peroxide leaking from a damaged torpedo. Explosions in

chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. He took a position in the Process
receiving tanks[2, 5] and paper industry bleach plants[6, 7] are Research Group at International Paper Com-
evidence to the potential energy and hazards incumbent in pany in 1978, leaving in 1989 for an associate
professor appointment at the Institute of Paper
using 50% hydrogen peroxide. Science and Technology. Dr. Rudie took his
current position as project leader of the Fiber
The major safety problems related to hydrogen peroxide are and Chemical Sciences Work Unit at the Forest
skin burns and eye injuries from direct contact, the potential Products Laboratory in 2003.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 15

peroxide and caustic were added to a
medium-consistency pump, and pulp
flow did not start due to operating
problems. The third incident was a
contamination case that occurred
at the Uniforêt mill in Port Cartier,
Quebec, in 1993.[9]
Of very recent importance to chemi-
cal engineers is the explosion at the T2
Laboratories in Jacksonville, Fla. On
Dec.19, 2007, the T2 Laboratories lost
cooling control of a reaction between
sodium metal and cyclopentadiene,
resulting in a massive explosion and
four fatalities. In their report on the
explosion, the Chemical Safety and
Hazards Investigation Board recom-
mended that the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
work with ABET, Inc., to establish
additional curriculum requirements
for the study of reactive chemical haz-
ards.[8] A significant factor in the T2 Figure 1. Temperature and adiabatic volume of oxygen and steam resulting from
explosion was the failure on the part decomposition of a single volume of hydrogen peroxide solution. Volumetric ex-
of the company engineers and chem- pansion is liters of gas produced per liter of peroxide solution.
ists to consider a higher-temperature reaction
between the molten sodium metal and the 1,2-
dimethoxy ethane used as the solvent. -1

It is evident that students should become

aware of reactive hazards in classroom prob- -2
lems and discussions. That is the goal of this
y = -6604.1x + 15.974
paper. We present an Euler’s method kinetic R² = 0.9973
model developed to improve the understand- -3
ing of a decomposition reaction involving
ln(k)

hydrogen peroxide that has resulted in two

explosions in paper-mill bleach plants. As in -4
the T2 incident, the engineers designing the
peroxide bleach stage knew they were work-
ing with energetic chemicals and had a track -5
record of safe use. As in the T2 incident, the
design engineers had failed to consider all
alternatives and, in particular, one specific -6
reaction scenario resulting in a runaway reac- 0.0028 0.0029 0.003 0.0031 0.0032

tion. The model presented here is critical to 1/T

discovering the sequence of events that led
to these explosions, and may be used as an
Figure 2. Using the Arrhenius method to estimate the effect of temperature
example problem to help students learn about
on kinetic rate constant. Data from Makkonen.[12] Temperature range of the
reactive hazards. data is 25 ˚C to 75 ˚C (298–348 K).
PEROXIDE DECOMPOSITION problems. The most serious peroxide accidents usually in-
Peroxide is usually quite stable, decomposing very slowly volve one of three types of decomposition processes: organic
at a rate less than 1% per year.[10] Under certain conditions, contamination; inorganic contamination; and alkali-induced
peroxide can decompose rapidly enough to cause process decomposition. The normal (slow rate) decomposition, inor-

16 Chemical Engineering Education

ganic contamination, and alkali-induced decomposition are To verify that the bleach plant
a disproportionation reaction producing oxygen and water
according to the equation.[11,12] explosions could have been caused
2 H 2 O 2 (1) → 2 H 2 O (g) + O 2 (g) ∆H = −59.8 kJ mol (1)
by alkali-induced hydrogen peroxide
2 H 2 O 2 (1) → 2 H 2 O (l) + O 2 (g) ∆H = −98.0 kJ mol
decomposition, a kinetic model was
This reaction is highly exothermic, and the resulting temper-
ature rise increases the rate of decomposition—key conditions developed to determine the rate of gas
for a runaway reaction. The organic contamination reaction is
an oxidation (combustion) process and is beyond the scope of formation and likely pressure build-up
this paper but certainly cannot be ignored. This type of reac-
tion releases even more energy than the disproportionation in the peroxide reaction.
reaction and was involved in both the sinking of the Kursk[4]
and the Uniforêt mill transfer tank explosion.[9]
piping system without dilution water or pulp flow.
Using the ideal gas law and thermodynamic properties of
hydrogen peroxide and water, the adiabatic volumetric expan- To verify that the bleach plant explosions could have been
sion can be calculated for various concentrations of hydrogen caused by alkali-induced hydrogen peroxide decomposition, a
peroxide (Figure 1). Gas volume is calculated by assuming kinetic model was developed to determine the rate of gas for-
complete decomposition into 1 mole of water and 0.5 mole mation and likely pressure build-up in the peroxide reaction.
of oxygen. Total heat is determined from the heat of reaction The kinetic expression was integrated in an Excel spreadsheet
(98,073 J/mol H2O2 with product water in the liquid state). (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash.) using Euler’s method.
Thermal mass is determined by multiplying the oxygen gas The time step was varied depending on the rate of the reaction;
produced times heat capacity (21.9 J/mol) and summing the 0.01 s per step was typical for faster reactions.
water in the solution plus the water from decomposition and To calculate the pressure produced by peroxide decomposi-
multiplying by the liquid phase heat capacity (75.6 J/mol). In tion, it is necessary to estimate the effect of temperature on
a simple calculation, heat generated divided by thermal mass reaction rate and the effect of pressure on boiling point of
gives the estimated temperature rise. Once the temperature water. The second-order decomposition of peroxide depends
rise exceeds 75 ˚C (room temperature of 25 ˚C + 75 ˚C = on the concentrations of both the acid (HOOH) and base
100 ˚C), the excess heat is divided by the heat of vaporization (HOO–) forms of peroxide. The rate equation as presented
for water (40,657 J/mol) to determine the amount of water by Makkonen[12] is
evaporated. Once the excess heat from decomposition is suf-
ficient to vaporize all the water produced in the decomposition dP dt = −k  HOO−   HOOH  ( 2)
 
and evaporate all the water in the solution, the excess heat is
used to raise the temperature of the gas above 100 ˚C. where P is total peroxide concentration and t is time. The
apparent rate constant k is about 8 × 10–3 at 45 ˚C. The rate
Between the 0.5 moles of oxygen evolved and the water reported is an apparent rate because it is condition-depen-
vaporized by the heat of decomposition, extremely large gas dent. Considerable variability in rates has been reported,
volumes can be produced. At about 10% peroxide concentra- and Makkonen reports slower decomposition for reactions
tion, the heat of decomposition raises the solution temperature stabilized with magnesium or silicate and faster rates for
from 25 ˚C to 100 ˚C, and decomposition begins to generate experiments with added transition metals.[12] Rate data from
steam (Figure 1). At about 65% concentration, all the water Makkonen[12] were plotted to determine the parameters in an
is turned to steam and the temperature rises above 100 ˚C, Arrhenius rate expression (Figure 2). This method of estimat-
causing thermal expansion of the gas. ing reaction rate incorporates obvious risks, but attempting
to directly measure reaction rates of potentially explosive
ALKALI-CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION
reactants under high-temperature pressurized conditions is
Typical pulp-mill peroxide bleaching stages add peroxide challenging.
and caustic into wood pulp suspended in water at 10% to
Equation for the Rate Constant (Figure 2)
15% solids and flowing through a pump or mixer going to a
bleaching tower. As long as the peroxide is diluted by pulp, k=e
15.974−6604.1
T
(3)
the peroxide stage safely bleaches the pulp and the majority
of the oxidizing potential of the peroxide is consumed in Water boiling point and temperature data are readily avail-
beneficial reactions with residual lignin. The problems have able from a number of sources. Plotting the log of pressure
occurred when peroxide and caustic are added to a pump or against the inverse of absolute temperature provides a straight

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 17

line relationship suitable for estimating the boiling point rise gc is a dimensional constant = 1 m·kg/(N·s2); ρh is the density
as pressure increases (Figure 3). Eq. (4) is the Antoine equa- of the gas on the high-pressure side of the orifice; and Ph and
tion using absolute temperature and setting the value for C = 0. Pl are the pressures on the high- and low-pressure sides of the
Because the rest of the kinetics is based on temperature in orifice, respectively. Assuming the gas expands to atmospheric
degrees Kelvin, this choice eliminates a unit conversion and pressure, Pl = 101 kPa. Calculating density using the ideal
provides a convenient estimate. gas law, PV = nRT, water is 0.018 kg/mol, giving density as
0.018n/V = 0.018Ph/R/T; R = 8.314 m3·Pa/K/mol, leaving
Modified Antoine Equation Estimating Maximum
Temperature at Pressure (Figure 3) (Ph −101000) T
V1 = 30.39C 2g c (6)
−4931.2 Ph
ln (kPa ) = + 17.734 ( 4)
T
4931.2 Assuming C = 0.85 and a 4-in.-diameter pump suction, the
T= cross-sectional area is 0.0081 m2, volume loss is Vl · 0.0081
17.734 − ln (kPa )
(m3/s), and steam losses (in mol/s) are Ph · Vl ·0.0081/R/Tr,
Steam and Oxygen Escape the net equation is

The venting of steam and oxygen is estimated using the M (P −101000) T

equations for flow and pressure in orifice meter/venturi or = 0.0252 2g c h (7 )
s T
flow nozzle meters[13]:
where M is mass. There are a number of approximations in
(Ph − P1 ) the model. First among these is the orifice constant, which
V1 = C 2g c (5)
ρh is typically around 0.85. This constant is considered a good
approximation for flow conditions below sonic velocity and
where Vl is flow in velocity (m/s); C is a dimensionless constant where flow direction is in line with the orifice. Conditions
with value less than 1, typically ranging from about 0.6 to 0.9; during the pressure spike approach sonic velocity, and with
the pump rotor turning,
12 the direction of flow in
the pump casing should
be tangential—that is, per-
10 pendicular to the suction
y = -4931.2x + 17.734 opening. The 0.85 value
R² = 0.9993 is used as a conservative
8 estimate.
The base case model
assumed peroxide and 25
6 wt% caustic were entering
a pump with an internal
ln(kPa)

volume of 99 L (3.5 ft3).

4
Heat loss was ignored. The
peroxide flow rate was 2.5
L/min of 50% by weight
2
hydrogen peroxide (14.7
molal), and the caustic
flow rate was 1.23 L/min
0
of 25% by weight sodium
hydroxide (6.25 molal).
These values represented
-2
operating conditions ob-
0.001 0.0015 0.002 0.0025 0.003 0.0035 0.004 tained from distributed
1/T control system (DCS) data
recorded at the time of one
Figure 3. Determination of the coefficients for the Antoine equation to estimate the of the explosions.
relationship between the boiling point of water and pressure. Data from the CRC handbook
of Chemistry and Physics, 76th Ed., Linde, D.R., ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, Various options were
pp. 6-15–6-16 (1995). evaluated, including adia-
18 Chemical Engineering Education
batic conditions and gas- 104
vented conditions. For
the vented cases, gas flow
was estimated using Eq.
(7).[13] The model assumes
no significant rate accel-
eration from pump sur-
faces or contaminants. 103
Some scenarios required
extrapolating the reac- Pressure (kPa)
tion rate to temperatures
well beyond the tempera-
ture range evaluated by
Makkonen[12] or found in 102
the steam tables used to
develop Eq. (4). The model
does not correct for activ-
ity or change in pKa with
temperature. Errors intro-
duced by these assump- 101
tions can be substantial.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
The value of the model is
in demonstrating features Time( s)
of the decomposition pro-
cess that can predispose Figure 4. Pressure vs. time for the steady-state flow case with 14.7 molal peroxide and 6.25
the process to catastrophic molal sodium hydroxide. The model assumes a 10-cm-diameter vent.
decompositions, but not in
identifying conditions that
are certifiably safe. 8000
With steady-state flows,
the models did indicate
the likelihood of a rapid
increase in casing pressure
6000
when gas escape was not
allowed, but when vent-
Pressure (kPa)

ing was included in the

model, the predicted pres-
sure build-up was minimal 4000
(Figure 4). In fact, under
most conditions evaluated,
the model predicted that
the use of 50 wt% peroxide
was safe. 2000

Reviewing the DCS data

and plant layouts, peroxide
appeared to have been
flowing into the pump 0
casing for several minutes 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
before the caustic entered
the pump. When this sce- Time (s)
nario is tested (Figure 5)
the pressure remains at Figure 5. Estimated pressure when the pump casing contained 25 L of 14.7 molal peroxide
prior to the start of sodium hydroxide addition. The model assumes a 10-cm-diameter vent.
atmospheric for the first
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 19
70 s but then rises from 200 kPa to 6,695 kPa in 0.55 s. The CONCLUSION
temperature rises to 556 K at peak pressure, and this heat The bleaching processes that resulted in two peroxide explo-
continues to boil water and maintain pressure after much of the sions had been used safely by pulp mill bleach plants for years.
peroxide has decomposed. The molar concentrations of [H2O2] When kinetic equations describing peroxide decomposition
and [HO2–] are shown in Figure 6 for the same model. The are used with typical steady-state operating conditions, no
scenario shows a very rapid loss of peroxide, also at about 70 significant pressure rise is predicted. When the same kinetics
s. Because the reaction does not consume the alkali, the acid are examined with peroxide flowing into the pump ahead of
form decreases preferentially. In this case, the [H2O2] concen- the caustic, a catastrophic pressure rise is predicted. Examina-
tration drops three orders of magnitude in less than a second. tion of startup and shutdown conditions and order of chemical
The critical contribution of peroxide in the pump is that the addition, including potential system accumulation, is neces-
kinetic rate rises as caustic is added, and the HOO– concentra- sary to fully determine risks. Effectively, when using kinetic
tion increases. This sets up a condition in which kinetic rate models to evaluate industrial operations, transient operational
is accelerating due to both the increase in temperature and details are extremely important and can transform systems that
the rapid approach to optimum reactant ratio. had been operating safely into bombs. Truly, with peroxide
This type of rapid pressure buildup within the partially bleach plants, the devil is in the details.
confined space of a pump is sufficient to result in catastrophic REFERENCES
failure. In one of the reported incidents, the explosion was 1. Gates, W.J., “The Decommissioning of the Haddam Neck Nuclear
so violent that pieces of debris were found up to a half-mile Plant,” Nuclear Plant Journal, 16(4) July-August 1998. (Paper is an
away from the original pump location. Shrapnel damaged editorial available at the Nuclear Plant Journal website with no page
number.)
the nearby bleach towers and surrounding equipment and
2. Wehrum, W.L., “Case Study of a Hydrogen Peroxide Related Deflagra-
instrumentation. Both pump explosions breached the adjacent tion in a Wastewater Treatment Tank,” Process Safety Progress, 12(4),
peroxide bleach tower. For the scenario in Figures 5 and 6, 199 (2004)
peroxide flow started 10 min before caustic flow. The entire 3. H. Shoup & Associates, Inc, “The OSHA Process Safety Management
(PSM) Standard,” 1999
incident took less than 2 min after sodium hydroxide began
4. Associated Press, “Fuel Leak Led to Kursk Explosion, Russia Says,”
flowing into the pump. Without the reservoir of peroxide in The Washington Post, July 2, 2002, p. A11
the casing, the decomposition reaction quickly consumes 5. “Explosion Caused Due to Overflow of Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide
the peroxide in the acid form and the reaction rate slows at Peracetic Acid Manufacturing Plant,” Japan Science and Technology
Agency, Failure Knowledge Database, Yamakita, Kanagawa, Japan,
dramatically. This results in substantially smaller predicted
Sept. 12, 1988
pressure increases. 6. Hoekstra, G., “Explosion Rocks Mill,
Two Workers Injured by Blast,” Prince
100 George Citizen, Feb. 8, 2007
7. “Ruptured Pump May Figure into
Evadale Mill Explosion,” Beaumont
Enterprise, Beaumont, Texas, Aug. 18,
2001
Concentration (molarity)

10 8. U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazards

Investigation Board Investigation Re-
port, “T2 Laboratories, Inc., Runaway
Reaction,” Report Number 2008-3-I-Fl,
1 September 2009
9. Dubreuil, M., Personal communication,
May 18, 2007
10. Schumb, W.C., C.N. Satterfield, and
R.L. Wentworth, Hydrogen Peroxide,
0.1 ACS Monograph No. 128, p. 526,
Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New
York (1955)
11. Raines, J.C., J.P. Schmidt, J.P. Bu-
relach, and H.K. Fauske, “Assessing
0.01
Contaminated Hydrogen Peroxide for
HOO- Safe Storage and Transportation Using
the FTAI,” J. of Thermal Analysis and
HOOH Calorimetry, 85(1), 53 (2006)
0.001 12. Makkonen, H.P., Decomposition of
Hydrogen-Peroxide in Dilute Alkaline
0 30 60 90 120
Aqueous Solutions, Ph.D. Thesis, Uni-
versity of Washington, (1971)
Time (s) 13. Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook,
6th Ed., pp. 5-13, McGraw-Hill, Inc,
Figure 6. Concentration of H2O2 and HO2– as estimated by the kinetic model. New York (1984) p
20 Chemical Engineering Education
 ChE curriculum

A SIMPLIFIED MODEL OF
HUMAN ALCOHOL METABOLISM
That Integrates Biotechnology and Human Health
Into a Mass Balance Team Project

Allen H.J. Yang1, Kathryn Dimiduk2, Susan Daniel1

1 School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University • Ithaca, N.Y. 14853

C
2 Teaching Excellence Institute, Cornell University • Ithaca, N.Y. 14853
hemical engineers are important players in meeting the way[13] (i.e., unit operations laboratories), or as an addition
growing challenges of the 21st century, particularly to freshman engineering “exploration” classes,[10,14] but there
in the areas of biotechnology and sustainable devel- is a paucity of educationally rich biotechnology projects
opment. Most chemical engineering curriculums (including for a sophomore-year, required, core chemical engineering
ours), however, still generally consist of a single path, through lecture course. Thus, there is a need to fill this place in the
a set of fundamental courses, which teaches a necessary set of curriculum with biotechnology topics that also reinforce the
standard skills.[1-3] The challenge for chemical engineering is fundamental skills students will need in later classes—i.e.,
refocusing some topics to create a program of study that has an mass balances and multiple reaction processes—as part of
overall modern feel, integrated with the strong tradition in the cohesively strengthening and modernizing the overall under-
core values and fundamental skills that allow chemical engi- graduate chemical engineering program of study.
neers to be the important players in these emerging fields.[2] In
our Mass and Energy Balances course, we felt it was critically Allen H.J. Yang is a Ph.D. candidate in chemi-

important to provide our sophomores with a clear understanding

cal and biomolecular engineering at Cornell
University. He received his B.S. in chemical
of the unique role of chemical engineering in the biotechnology engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.
field as well as illustrate the impact of these efforts on human His research interests lie in biophotonics, mi-
crofluidic systems, and interfacial science.
health. This goal was reinforced by a survey of career interests Kathryn Dimiduk is the director of the Teach-
given the first day of class; nearly 30 percent of our students ing Excellence Institute in the College of En-
had career interests in biotechnology. gineering at Cornell University. She received
her B.A. in physics
Another common theme in our survey data was the desire to from Cornell Univer-

positively impact society. Research shows that students learn

sity and her Ph.D. in
applied physics from Stanford University. Her
better if they are actively engaged in the material[4,5] and if current research interests are in engineering
they find the content relevant to their own career interests.[6] education and collaborating with engineering
faculty in developing teaching innovation in
Research also shows that tying problems back to the “human the classroom and
element” engages student interest and enhances learning.[7] building networks
to leverage those
Thus the logical choice for us was to add a group project to advances.
the course that reinforced fundamental skills and addressed
an emerging area of biotechnology, since cooperative learning Susan Daniel is an assistant professor of
chemical and biomolecular engineering at
projects are an effective strategy in engineering education.[8,9] Cornell University. She received her B.S. and
There are examples in the literature for adding biotechnology Ph.D. from Lehigh University, both in chemi-
cal engineering. Her research interests are
material to labs,[10] including it in the curriculum as a new biological interfaces, membrane biophysics,
course or as an added elective,[11,12] incorporating it in other and interfacial science.

courses at later stages in the curriculum in a more applied © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 21

 We therefore created a project on the mass balance of alco- project is divided into four parts (engineering design, testing,
hol in the human body that has students posing as engineers evaluation, and exploration) that chemical engineers would
at a pharmaceutical company that is developing a drug to dis- perform in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company.
suade alcoholism. The project structure includes engineering In the design phase, students model the organs handling
design, testing, evaluation, and exploration. We chose human oxygen and liquid intake, chemical breakdown, and waste re-
alcohol metabolism for several reasons: 1) while many col- moval as simple black-box process units. Students then test their
lege students are aware of alcoholism, they are not likely model using an established basis and monitor variables such
to fully understand the underlying chemistry and causes of as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and blood acetaldehyde
the resulting negative physiological effects; 2) modeling the concentration. An additional test considers changes due to a
human body as a chemical plant gives students a chance to genetic mutation, the alcohol flush reaction—a physiological
apply and practice their mass balance skills on an analogous syndrome resulting from different enzymatic degradation of
but different system, beyond the more traditional chemical ethanol in some Asian populations compared to those of Eu-
processes in the curriculum; 3) scaling down the human model ropean descent.[16] For the evaluation phase, student groups are
to microscale to simulate a “body-on-a-chip” illustrates a assigned various hypothetical drug formulations, each altering
hallmark skill of chemical engineers while incorporating different parameters in their mass balance model, and are asked
modern biomedical research applications; and 4) comparing to analyze the effects of their drug to determine its efficacy.
the effects of a genetic mutation that alters alcohol metabo- Formulations can vary from detrimental to beneficial, leading
lism with a hypothetical drug designed to thwart alcoholism students to develop analytical skills and engineering judgment
(based loosely on a commercially available drug, Antabuse)[15] as they assess the drug performance and describe their analysis.
engages students in evaluation and exploration. Student feed- Finally, to expose students to current research in biotechnology,
back on the course evaluation (90% response rate) indicated we ask students to scale their model from human proportions
that the students perceived that the course projects helped down to a microscale lab-on-a-chip device, a so-called “body-
them apply the course skills and concepts to more complex on-a-chip,” used for in vitro drug testing as an alternative for
problems (95% of respondents) and increased their awareness human and animal testing.[17-19]
of the range of topics and scales in the chemical engineering
discipline (92% of respondents). (See Table 1). CONCEPTUAL MODEL—DESIGN PHASE:
PROJECT FRAMEWORK Turning Organs Into Chemical Process Units
Student teams create a mass balance model of ethanol me- Alcohol metabolism and clearance in the human body
tabolism in the human body using computer spreadsheets to occurs by the combined action of multiple organ systems.
calculate mass flow rates to and from key organs. The project Alcohol enters the digestive system and passes to the circula-
requires only knowledge of multi-unit mass balances and tory system. The bloodstream carries the ethanol to the liver
chemical reactions in the steady state; parameters are designed where a fraction is chemically degraded into acetic acid.
to create reasonable physiological results in this model. The Eventually, a portion of the unreacted alcohol exits the body

TABLE 1
Student Feedback on Effectiveness of Project in Connecting to “Real-World” Engineering and Reinforcing Course Skills
Data source Question Response scale Response Percent
(response rate) grouping responses
Course evaluation (90%) Did the projects help you relate the course mate- 5 = very much so 3 and above 95%
rial to real engineering applications and facilitate 1 = not much
applying the course concepts and skills to a more
complex problem?
Course evaluation (90%) Did the group project topics give you a sense 5 = very much so 3 and above 92%
of the variety of topics and range of scale of 1 = not much
4 and above 85%
problems addressed by the chemical engineering
discipline?
Independent evaluators I understand how the skills and concepts I am Strongly agree to Agree or 76%
survey (39%) learning might be applied to real-world engineer- strongly disagree strongly agree
ing challenges.
Independent evaluators I can think of more career opportunities for Strongly agree to Agree or 81%
survey (39%) chemical engineers today than when I first strongly disagree strongly agree
started this course.
Independent evaluators I can understand how the course projects relate Strongly agree to Agree or 78%
survey (39%) to real-world engineering issues. strongly disagree strongly agree

22 Chemical Engineering Education

through the urine and in exhaled breath. Mathematical models Figure 1 maps the organs for material intake, chemical
linking the mass flow between the various organs can be used decomposition, and waste processing into a flowsheet. We
to determine the blood concentration of ethanol and metabolic assumed steady state, with a constant input rate of air, ethanol,
byproducts such as acetaldehyde and acetic acid. Research and water. Stomach and intestine functions are integrated
studies have shown good correlation between transient mass into a single process box (digestive tract) to model absorp-
balance models and observed blood alcohol responses in tion of ethanol and water from the input. We reduce the bulk
human subjects.[20,21] human metabolic and cellular respiration functions into two
black-box unit operations, the metabolic processes
Box 1. Metabolic reactions used in the degradation of ethanol in the
box and the liver box. Lungs and kidney boxes
human body* serve as absorbers/exchangers and separators,
respectively.
The main reaction that oxidizes ethanol (C2H5OH) into acetaldehyde
(CH3CHO) is catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and uses
The average human male inhales 0.5 L of air
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD): per breath with ~14.5 breaths/minute. At 25 ˚C,
the lungs can absorb ~20 mol% of inhaled oxygen
C2H5OH + NAD+ → CH3CHO + NADH + H+ (1) into the bloodstream, primarily carried as dissolved
oxygen or attached to the protein hemoglobin. Any
There is a second parallel reaction for converting ethanol to acetaldehyde
known as the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS), involving excess oxygen and nitrogen not absorbed into the
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) : blood is exhaled along with some waste ethanol.
For simplicity, students model the lungs as two
+
C2H5OH + NADP → CH3CHO + NADPH + H + (2) process units (one for breathing in and one for
breathing out) with a bypass stream for the excess
The MEOS process represents the main non-ADH pathway for ethanol air. Some ethanol is degraded and absorbed in the
degradation catalyzed by cytochrome P450 oxygenase enzymes.
stomach along with water, but most liquid passes
In the final step, the acetaldehyde reacts to form acetic acid (CH 3COOH) in into the small intestines. We assume that 90 mol%
a reaction catalyzed by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH): of the ethanol and water passing through the diges-
tive system is absorbed into the bloodstream.
CH3CHO + H2O + NAD → CH3COOH + NADH + H
+ + (3) Throughout the body, cells metabolize chemi-
cals and create biomolecules in biochemical
reactions. We approximate reactions as a single
*Summarized from references (16,20,21,23,26,27). See Glossary for definitions of these
terms. black-box process that will consume and produce
the necessary metabolites as described in Box 1.
Reaction parameters were chosen to make this
 

Air (breath in) process consume 30% of the oxygen fed into the
metabolic process box (from lungs and recycled
Lungs cleaned blood) and to generate 10 mol of NAD+
and 1 mol of NADP+ per mol of oxygen con-
sumed. In addition, to make the mass balances
realistic, we assumed 60% of the metabolites
Urine
Digestive Metabolic
Liver Kidney from the cleaned bloodstream entering the pro-
Tract
cess were consumed.
Alcohol Processes

In the liver, ethanol is metabolized to acetic acid

through a sequence of enzymatic redox reactions
(Box 1). The single pass conversion in the liver of
Lungs
Bloodstream ethanol into acetaldehyde via the ADH and MEOS
Air + alcohol
processes is 40%. This value was chosen to match
(breath out) BAC to realistic values. Ethanol consumed in the
two competing reactions (the ADH and MEOS re-
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the simplified human alcohol me- actions) has an 87.5% selectivity for the ADH cata-
tabolism model used in the project. The diagram illustrates the flow of lyzed process where selectivity is defined as the ratio
alcohol and air through the body into the liver (where reactions take
between the extent of reaction of the ADH process
place), with the resulting products and remaining reactants flowing to
the kidneys and lungs, and getting removed in the urine and breath.
to the overall conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde;
The metabolic processes box lumps the other metabolic processes 99% of the acetaldehyde created by both reactions
occurring in the human body. is then further degraded into acetic acid accord-

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 23

ing to this expression:
ξALDH = τALDH (ξADH +
ξMEOS), where ξ are the A B
extents of reaction for
each reaction (Box
1) and τALDH is the ef-
ficiency of the ALDH
reaction. The speci-
fied parameters make C
the simplified mass
balances follow a rea-
sonable physiological
response. This level
of detail sufficiently
captures the basic
physiological results Figure 2. Blood ethanol and acetaldehyde concentration as a function of number of drinks con-
for our sophomore- sumed. (A) Increase in blood alcohol concentration (BAC) vs. number of beers consumed. A beer
is defined here as a 355 mL drink with a 5% v/v concentration of ethanol. Squares represent
level class; however,
results from the model using the default parameters, and circles represent data from the Virginia
more complex models Institute of Technology police department for an average male weighing 140 lbs.[28] Both the model
could be used for ad- and data end at 10 drinks for reasons described in the text. (B) Plot of blood acetaldehyde steady
vanced students. state concentration as a function of number of beers consumed for an average male weighing 140
The kidneys and lbs. and (C) for a male weighing 140 lbs. with alcohol flush syndrome (∆). Notice that the vertical
urinary tract are the scale has changed significantly between the two plots on the right.
body’s primary waste
removal organs for water-soluble metabolic wastes. We as-
sume 90 mol% of the water and acetic acid and 97 mol%
of the acetaldehyde output from the liver is removed by the
kidneys. Ethanol is also removed via the kidneys: 1.3 gm
ethanol/mL urine for every gm ethanol/mL blood. 20 mol%
of the total oxygen present in the blood (after going through
the liver and kidneys) is exhaled in the lungs. One gram of
ethanol is exhaled in 2.1 L of air for each gram of ethanol per
milliliter of blood.[21]
To calculate the ethanol mass flow in the waste streams, stu-
dents will need to reference the current blood alcohol concentra-
tion (BAC). It is important to clarify for students that ethanol
is distributed in the total body water (TBW) volume within the
body, which for the average male is 60 L of water,[20] not just in
the blood.[22] The common notation used by law enforcement Figure 3. Vaxachug effectiveness results. The bar chart
agencies, e.g., 0.08%, is that of a percent gm/mL. Similarly,  
illustrates the effects of each Vaxachug formulation on
acetaldehyde is distributed amongst the TBW volume, and is blood ethanol and acetaldehyde concentration. The effects
normally measured in units of μM or μmol/L.[21] of the control case (one beer consumed per hour) and the
alcohol flush reaction scenario are shown for comparison.
Using the above data, students develop mass balance equa-
tions in an Excel spreadsheet, capitalizing on the iterative All student teams run this study and corroborate the results
ability to quickly determine steady state values of BAC and with each other and the teaching assistants to verify their
blood acetaldehyde concentration and to see the impact of models. Then, each student team determines the changes in
changing various parameters and conditions. these concentrations as a result of consuming various levels
of a unique alcoholic drink assigned to each group and plots
ESTABLISHING CONTROLS AND their results.
BENCHMARKS—TESTING PHASE Next, students establish a benchmark against which to
The first control “experiment” students perform with their compare and assess drug performance. They are introduced
spreadsheets is determining the response of blood alcohol to the alcohol flush reaction and adjust their model to mimic
and acetaldehyde levels after consumption of a single beer. this syndrome. This will allow them to compare and contrast
24 Chemical Engineering Education
the response of a patient taking a drug for alcoholism against such a high consumption rate would almost certainly result in
the response of a person possessing the genetic mutation for severe health repercussions and would be beyond the scope of
alcohol flush. any comparable clinical study in humans.
Physiology of Alcohol Flush Reaction Figure 2(b) shows the effect of the alcohol flush reaction
and Treatment for Alcoholism which can be modeled as a decrease in the ALDH reaction
efficiency from 0.99 to 0.8. This simple decrease in reaction
While ethanol creates a number of effects on the central
efficiency results in a 20-fold increase in blood acetalde-
nervous system and is a known teratogen, the short-term
hyde concentration and recreates the alcohol flush response
effects of consuming alcoholic beverages are closely tied to
matched to concentrations found in previous clinical studies
the primary metabolic product of ethanol degradation, acet-
of this condition.[21]
aldehyde. Chronic exposure to high levels of acetaldehyde
causes irreparable liver damage. Acetaldehyde buildup is also HYPOTHETICAL DRUG FORMULATION
partly responsible for the short-term physiological response SCENARIOS—EVALUATION PHASE
to alcohol consumption typically referred to as “hangovers.”
In this portion of the project, the student teams evaluate the
Studies of alcohol metabolism in some Asian populations
effectiveness of a hypothetical drug, referred to here as Vaxa-
revealed a missense polymorphism in the alcohol dehydroge-
chug, designed to treat alcoholism by artificially reproducing
nase (ALDH) enzyme which inhibits the rate of acetaldehyde
the effects of the alcohol flush reaction. With the pretense of
degradation resulting in an alcohol flush reaction.[16,21,23] The
working as engineers for a hypothetical drug company, stu-
common physiological response to raised acetaldehyde levels
dents must determine the efficacy and safety of their particular
is erythema of the face and neck, a noticeable reddening of the
formulation. Students are instructed that a particular dosage
skin. Severe responses can result in drowsiness, headaches,
of the drug will change how the body metabolizes alcohol,
and nausea. These symptoms can be artificially induced with
implemented in their models as changes to certain parameters.
drugs such as disulfiram (Antabuse), which artificially blocks
To increase the challenge, student teams were assigned dif-
the activity of the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) en-
ferent drug formulations, some of which achieve the desired
zyme. The purpose of this medication is to artificially increase
effects, some of which create alternate side effects, while others
the alcohol sensitivity of a patient as a negative reinforcement
achieve varying levels of success. Table 2 shows five possible
treatment for alcoholism.
drug formulations spanning functional, placebo, overactive,
Model Output for Benchmarks Cases and side-effect prone. The drugs target and alter the function
Figure 2 shows results from the two control scenarios, each of several organs within the metabolic model resulting in
conducted using a basis of a pint of beer (a 355 mL beverage changes to the BAC and acetaldehyde concentrations. Table 2
containing 5% v/v ethanol). Figure 2(a) compares the model’s lists the necessary changes to the model parameters to simulate
predicted steady state BAC vs. beers consumed (using the the effect of each drug. At this point in the project, students
default model parameters) with actual BAC data for an aver- should be aware from working with the alcohol flush reaction
age male weighing 140 lbs. The model reproduces a realistic example that the goal of Vaxachug is to raise acetaldehyde
response to alcohol consumption up to an input of 10 alcoholic levels without significantly disturbing the other variables in
beers. At 11 beers, the model breaks down, due to complete the system (e.g., BAC, metabolite concentration, intake, and
consumption of the limited supply of oxygen and metabolites, waste function).
resulting in negative molar flow rates in the model. While stu- Figure 3 illustrates the effect of each Vaxachug formula-
dents should be made aware of this limit in the model, we note tion, compared to the control case, using the default model
TABLE 2
Drug Formulation Scenarios: Changes to Model Parameters to Simulate Each Drug
Vaxachug-1 (ineffective) Lung (exhale): breath alcohol content is 1 gm ethanol per 2.7 L of air for every 1 gm/mL in blood Diges-
tive: 85% of ethanol and water is absorbed into bloodstream Liver: ADH and MEOS reaction selectivity is 85% Meta-
bolic: 40% of metabolites consumed
Vaxachug-2 Lung (exhale): breath alcohol content is 1 gm ethanol per 2.7 L of air for every 1 gm/mL in blood Liver: ALDH efficien-
(functional) cy is 95% Liver: ADH and MEOS reaction selectivity is 85% Kidney: 85% of acetaldehyde from the liver is excreted
Vaxachug-3 Liver: ALDH efficiency 80%, Metabolic: 80% of metabolites consumed, Kidney: 90% of acetaldehyde from liver is
(overactive) excreted, Kidney: urine content is 0.9 gm ethanol per mL urine for every 1 gm/mL in blood
Vaxachug-4 Metabolic: 50% of metabolites consumed, Liver: ADH and MEOS reaction selectivity is 80%, Liver: ethanol single-
(significant side pass conversion is 30%, Lung: breath alcohol content is 1 gm ethanol per 5 L of air for every 1 gm/mL in blood
effects)
Vaxachug-5 Kidney: 99% of acetaldehyde from the liver is excreted, Liver: ALDH efficiency is 90%, Digestive: 95% of ethanol and
(ineffective due to water is absorbed into the bloodstream, Metabolic: 50% of metabolites consumed
competing effects)

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 25

 The five drug formulations unknown motivated our students to delve deeper to figure out
their formulation’s attributes. The project structure guided the
described here set the stage for students towards analyzing their specific cases by comparing
their results from the drug formulations to the response of the
multiple levels of analysis. They are benchmark cases and of the alcohol flush scenario. All student
designed to challenge students to go reports showed this level of analysis and understanding.
The first level of analysis is determining the drug formula-
beyond simply solving an equation tion activity. To accomplish this, students use their model to
and collecting data and lead them to determine the ethanol and acetaldehyde levels. An insufficient
analysis would conclude that any increase in blood acetal-
performing a more extensive analy- dehyde would constitute an effective drug. Students should
realize that their data from the alcohol flush scenario provides
sis and drawing more thorough a performance benchmark for their drug formulation. Using
conclusions from the results. this benchmark, students can then differentiate between the
different drug scenarios, identifying Vaxachug-2 and Vaxa-
chug-3 as active formulations, while identifying Vaxachug-1,
parameters, and to the alcohol flush reaction scenario. As Vaxachug-4, and Vaxachug-5 as defective. At this point in the
expected, the most significant changes in acetaldehyde con- project, an instructor could reinforce the importance of control
centrations occur in formulations that affect ALDH efficiency experiments and determining the significance of a result by
or ALDH recycle rates in the kidney. The Vaxachug-2 for- comparing to known quantities or verified data.
mulation increases the blood acetaldehyde concentration to A higher level of student analysis is determining how the
0.04 mM, comparable to the alcohol flush reaction scenario, changes in their model affect drug performance and explain-
but by altering the acetaldehyde recycle rates rather than ing how this creates the results that are observed. Students
acetaldehyde metabolism rates. Vaxachug-3 is considered in our class accomplished this in several ways. Some groups
an overactive formulation, because the combined effect of chose to model and analyze each parameter independently
altering two critical acetaldehyde parameters spikes the blood and determine which changes had the most significant effect
acetaldehyde concentration to 0.1 mM, four times that of the and others chose to model combinations of parameter changes
alcohol flush reaction scenario. The Vaxachug-1, Vaxachug- to determine which combination best matches the behavior
4, and Vaxachug-5 formulations are ineffective, though the of the entire formulation. Students who modeled parameters
cause is different for each formulation. The Vaxachug-1 separately were able to differentiate between Vaxachug-1 and
formulation specifically only alters parameters that have an Vaxachug-5, which are both ineffective drugs, but because of
insignificant or mild effect on the ethanol and acetaldehyde different underlying mechanisms, illustrating that results that
metabolism, therefore it acts like a placebo. Vaxachug-4 does appear very similar could arise for different reasons and that
have a significant effect on ethanol metabolism and the ethanol thoroughly understanding how a system works is important
concentration in the breath, but does not significantly affect in drawing the correct conclusion. This teaching point should
acetaldehyde metabolism. Vaxachug-5, however, does alter be discussed following the project.
two parameters that affect the metabolism of acetaldehyde, Although the primary focus is on how the drug affects
but by decreasing the rate of acetaldehyde conversion to acetic acetaldehyde levels, there is room for creativity in designing
acid and increasing its rate of removal from the system, the model drug formulations with significant side effects to further
two effects nearly negate each other resulting in a small net promote student exploration and analysis. We have created
change in blood acetaldehyde concentration. Depending on several of these formulations. One example, Vaxachug-3,
the severity of the response elicited by the particular drug raises acetaldehyde levels far above the drug specifications.
formulation assigned to a team, students must judge its ef- Several groups assigned Vaxachug-3 recognized that there
fectiveness for accomplishing its intended use and discuss could be potential health safety issues with the formulation,
relevant observations. particularly because of the induced physiological symptoms
resulting from high blood acetaldehyde levels. Another exam-
TEACHING POINTS ple, Vaxachug-4, reduces ethanol metabolism and decreases
The five drug formulations described here set the stage for the amount of ethanol that leaves in the breath. Students
multiple levels of analysis. They are designed to challenge in our class recognized that such a combination of effects
students to go beyond simply solving an equation and col- could have a potentially lethal impact on drunk driving by
lecting data and lead them to performing a more extensive increasing driver intoxication while also making detection by
analysis and drawing more thorough conclusions from the breathalyzer more difficult. Similarly, we had a formulation
results. We observed that the challenge and mystery of the where acetaldehyde production is reduced and more ethanol

26 Chemical Engineering Education

passes out in the urine. Here, some teams reported that the class, we showed actual devices (Figure 4, right side) and
drug could potentially be marketed for an alternate purpose explained the connection between an experimental model of
instead of its initially intended purpose; this drug could enable a biochemical process and the in silico model developed by
people to drink socially without feeling negative health effects the students. We asked students to find a scaling ratio between
associated with intoxication and thus they might be able to a human and a microscale body-on-a-chip.
drive safely without any alcohol-induced impairment. Students are given the average blood flow rate in a human
being: Qblood = 6 L/min. They are also informed that a typical
MICROSCALE ENGINEERING— polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on glass “body-on-a-chip”
Exploration of Current Biotechnology Research device can withstand ~15 psi/cm of pressure drop without
Including research topics in the curriculum can effectively delaminating (i.e., when the PDMS and glass layers no longer
expose students to academic research and connect research to adhere) and has channel cross-sections of 300 μm wide 3 20
high-impact applications.[24] Making connections to modern μm tall. The students are provided an equation for parallel
chemical engineering research and societal issues within the plate laminar flow:
context of this project was achieved with a complementary H 3 dP
exercise on drug testing platforms. We set the stage by ex- Qchip = D,
12µ dx
plaining to the students that the most accurate way to assess
the metabolism of an experimental compound in a human is where Qchip is the volumetric flow rate, H is the height of the
to test its effect on human subjects. This assessment cannot be channel, D is the width of the channel, dP/dx is the pressure
made until after the experimental compound is deemed safe, drop in units of pressure/distance, and μ is the viscosity of
however. Therefore, animal testing models are often used as a water at 0.001 Pa-s. Once the students have calculated Qchip,
substitute until safety is assured. This solution is not ideal for they can determine a scaling ratio between the human and
two reasons: 1) animal models are not exactly the equivalent microscale model, defined as R = Qblood/Qchip, where R is
of humans and 2) animal testing is unpopular. An alternative a dimensionless scaling number. Using this scaling ratio,
platform that circumvents these issues would be a welcomed students were asked to scale the volumetric flow rate of beer
advance that students can easily appreciate. required to achieve the same effect as a single pint of beer in
In this exercise, we introduce the concept of process scale the human-sized alcohol metabolism model. These concepts
down which opens a discussion on how microscale engineer- (laminar flow, dimensionless numbers, and scaling) are a
ing, specifically “lab-on-a-chip” research in biotechnology, is preview of future topics in upcoming classes and spotlight
pushing drug discovery research forward.[17-19] A “body-on- unique aspects/skills of the chemical engineering discipline.
a-chip” is a microfluidic device containing microfabricated We encourage instructors to use this starting point to develop
bioreactors infused with living cell tissue used to mimic in more extensive analysis or concepts that could be included
vivo pharmacokinetics in humans experimentally. During in advanced classes.

Figure 4. Scaling down the

essential features of the
human body to create an in
vitro model for drug testing
that accurately mimics the
metabolism of chemicals in-
gested in the body. The small
chip on the right contains
chambers that mimic the or-
gans in the body. Microfluidic
channels containing a nutri-
ent serum connect the cham-
bers on the chip like blood
flow connects organs in the
body. Image credit: Michael
Shuler, Cornell University,
used with permission, also see
Reference 2.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 27

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT RESPONSE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
AND CONCLUSIONS Thanks to Dr. Aaron Sin for advice during project develop-
Here, we described a biotechnology project developed for ment and consultation on the body-on-a-chip aspects. This
a sophomore-level mass balance class. All student groups project was funded, in part, by the Faculty Innovation in
successfully created the required spreadsheet, calculated the Teaching Program, Office of the Provost, Cornell University
correct values for consumption of a beer and their assigned and a National Science Foundation grant # EEC 0824381
drink. Most groups correctly determined if their Vaxachug (to SD). Thanks to Theresa Craighead and Joan Getman, in-
formulation was effective or not. Many groups went on to give dependent evaluators for the Faculty Innovation in Teaching
very nice discussions of further implications. In an indepen- Program, for assistance in measuring student response.
dent evaluation of the course, more than three quarters of the
student respondents recognized connections to “real world” GLOSSARY OF TERMS
engineering and broadened their view of chemical engineering ADH: alcohol dehydrogenase; an enzyme that catalyzes the
(Table 1). Generally, students rated their own and their team conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde in reaction 1 in box 1.
members’ project contributions highly, 6.4 out of 7 on aver- ALDH: acetaldehyde dehydrogenase; an enzyme that cata-
age, and used various models for sharing the workload with lyzes the conversion of acetaldehyde to acetic acid in reaction
varying degrees of success, as summarized in Table 3. 3 in Box 1.
The project was well received by our students in its inaugural BAC: Blood alcohol concentration.
year. Student comments in course evaluations indicated that the
integration of basic course skills, modern topics, and human Cytochrome oxygenase enzymes: A family of enzymes
health motivated them to explore various aspects of the project involved in the oxidation of organic molecules, including
and this consequently enhanced their learning of core concepts foreign organic molecules ingested by the organism.
while also stretching their analysis skills. This student quote Enzyme: A biological molecule that catalyzes biological reac-
echoes what we heard from many students: “I especially like tions to increase the rate of reaction by reducing activation
the fact that the alcohol project integrated some bio aspects of energy barriers or alternate reaction pathways.
chemical engineering because that’s what I believe I would like Extent of reaction: The ratio of the molar reaction rate of a
to go into (this project strengthened that notion).” compound to its stoichiometric coefficient.
Readers may contact Prof. Daniel at sd386@cornell.edu MEOS: Microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system; ethanol
for a detailed spreadsheet of the mass balances and a copy of metabolism pathway that relies on cytochrome oxygenase
the project statement used in class. enzymes to break down ethanol.

TABLE 3
Student Feedback on the Cooperative Learning Group Project Experience
Data source Question/theme Response scale Response grouping Response average
discussed
Student peer Evaluate team member’s Excellent 7 self 6.4
evaluations for project contribution Very good 6
groups Satisfactory 5
Ordinary 4
group members 6.4
Marginal 3
Unsatisfactory 2
Superficial 1
No show 0
Focus groups by Reported theme that “Many students also had positive group experiences, working smoothly with peers,
independent evaluator emerged from focus dividing work according to the strengths of the group members, etc. They understood
group discussions the value of group projects as a harbinger of the way things work in professional set-
tings they will eventually be part of. Some expressed a sense of satisfaction at having
conquered a difficult project.”
Focus groups by Reported theme that “Students generally described their group project experience in either glowing or
independent evaluator emerged from focus grueling terms . . . two models for group work seemed to emerge generally—doing all
group discussions the project tasks together or doing project tasks independently and bringing the parts
together at the end. Their contentment with group projects was largely associated with
whether or not they were comfortable with the model used in their groups and whether
or not everyone in the group bought into the model.”
Course evaluation Student quote “... I especially like the fact that the alcohol project integrated some bio aspects of
chemical engineering because that’s what I believe I would like to go into (this project
strengthened that notion).”

28 Chemical Engineering Education

Metabolism: The summation of all reactions that take place 89(3), 285 (2000)
inside an organism or cell. 9. Wankat, P.C., “Efficient, Effective Teaching,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 35(2),
92 (2001)
Metabolite: A product or intermediate of a metabolic reaction. 10. Farrell, S., and R. Hesketh, “An Introduction to Drug Delivery for
Chemical Engineers,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 36(3), 198 (2002)
Missense polymorphism: A single point mutation in the ge- 11. O’Connor, K.C., “An Introductory Course in Bioengineering and
netic code that results in the production of an enzyme mutant Biotechnology for Chemical Engineering Sophomores,” Chem. Eng.
that has altered function. Missense refers to the modification Ed., 41(4), 247 (2007)
in the code that results in a change in a single amino acid in 12. Lee-Parsons, C.W.T., “Biochemical Engineering Taught in the Context
of Drug Discovery to Manufacturing,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3), 208
the enzyme and impacts proper function. (2005)
NAD: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; an oxidizing agent 13. Birol, G., I. Birol, and A. Cinar, “Student-Performance Enhancement
by Cross-Course Project Assignments: A Case Study in Bioengineering
that participates in the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde and Process Modeling,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 35(2), 128 (2001)
in reaction 1 in box 1. 14. Farrell, S., M.J. Savelski, and R. Hesketh, “Energy Balances on the
NADP: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate; NADP Human Body: A Hands-on Exploration of Heat, Work, and Power,”
Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(1), 30 (2005)
differs from NAD by an additional phosphate group in the 15. Chick, J., K. Gough, P. Falkowski, B. Hore, B. Mehta, B.R. Ritson,
molecule. NADP participates in converting ethanol to acet- and D. Torley, “Disulfiram Treatment of Alcoholism,” British J. of
aldehyde by reaction 2 in box 1. Psychiatry, 161(1), 84 (1992)
16. Derr, R.F., “Simulation Studies on Ethanol-Metabolism in Different
Pharmacokinetics: A branch of pharmacology that studies Human-Populations With a Physiological Pharmacokinetic Model,”
the adsorption, degradation, and elimination of substances J. Pharmaceutical Sciences, 82(7), 677 (1993)
in the body. 17. Sin, A., M.F. Chin, M.F. Jamil, Y. Kostov, G. Rao, and M.L. Shuler,
“The Design and Fabrication of Three-Chamber Microscale Cell
Selectivity[25]: The ratio of moles of desired product formed to Culture Analog Devices With Integrated Dissolved Oxygen Sensors,”
moles of undesired product formed. In this case, the selectivity Biotechnol. Prog., 20(1), 338 (2004)
of reaction 1 over reaction 2 is the ratio between the extent 18. Sung, J.H., and M.L. Shuler, “A Micro Cell Culture Analog (microCCA)
With 3-D Hydrogel Culture of Multiple Cell Lines to Assess Metabo-
of reaction of the ADH process to the overall conversion of lism-Dependent Cytotoxicity of Anti-Cancer Drugs,” Lab Chip, 9(10),
ethanol to acetaldehyde. 1385 (2009)
19. Tatosian, D.A., and M.L. Shuler, “A Novel System for Evaluation of
Single pass conversion[25]: The ratio of the net amount of the Drug Mixtures for Potential Efficacy in Treating Multidrug Resistant
reactant leaving the reactor unit (in – out) to the amount of Cancers,” Biotechnol. Bioeng., 103(1), 187 (2009)
reactant sent into the reactor unit. 20. Lands, W.E.M., “A Review of Alcohol Clearance in Humans,” Alcohol,
15(2), 147 (1998)
TBW: Total body water. 21. Umulis, D.M., and N.M. Gurmen, “A Physiologically Based Model
for Ethanol and Acetaldehyde Metabolism in Human Beings,”Alcohol,
REFERENCES 35(1), 3 (2005)
1. Armstrong, R.C., “A Vision of the Curriculum of the Future,” Chem. 22. The term BAC arose from the correlation of breathalyzer and urine
Eng. Ed., 40(2), 104 (2006) concentration to alcohol in drawn blood; however, the rapid diffusion
2. Westmoreland, P.R., “Chemistry and Life Science in a New Vision of of ethanol and acetaldehyde throughout the water-containing cells of the
Chemical Engineering,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 35(4), 248 (2001) body makes the phrase “blood alcohol concentration” a misnomer.
3. Rugarcia, A., R.M. Felder, D.R. Woods, and J.E. Stice, “The Future 23. Agarwal, D.P., and H.W. Goedde, Alcohol Metabolism, Alcohol Intoler-
of Engineering Education I. A Vision for a New Century,” Chem. Eng. ance, and Alcoholism: Biochemical and Pharmacogenetic Approaches,
Ed., 34(1), 16 (2000) Springer-Verlag, New York (1990)
4. Prince, M., “Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research,” 24. Prince, M., R.M. Felder, and R. Brent, “Does Faculty Research Im-
J. Eng. Ed., 93(3), 1 (2004) prove Undergraduate Teaching? An Analysis of Existing and Potential
5. Hake, R.R., “Interactive-Engagement Versus Traditional Methods: A Synergies,” J. Eng. Ed., 96(4), 283 (2007)
6,000-Student Survey of Mechanics Test Data for Introductory Physics 25. Felder, R.M., and R.W. Rousseau, Elementary Principles of Chemical
Courses,”Am. J. Phys., 66(1), 64 (1998) Processes, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ (2005)
6. Augustine, N.R., Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and 26. Pastino, G.M., L.G. Sultatos, and E.J. Flynn, “Development and
Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future, The National Application of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model for
Academies Press, Washington, D.C. (2007) Ethanol in the Mouse,” Alcohol and Alcoholism, 31(4), 365 (1996)
7. Giddens, D.P., Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving 27. Pirola, R.C., Drug Metabolism and Alcohol: A Survey of Alcohol-Drug
Public Understanding of Engineering, The National Academies Press, Reactions, Mechanisms, Clinical Aspects, Experimental Studies, Uni-
Washington, D.C. (2008) versity Park Press, Baltimore, MD (1978)
8. Haller, C.R., V.J. Gallagher, T.L. Weldon, and R.M. Felder, “Dynamics 28. <https://www.alcohol.vt.edu/Students/alcoholEffects/estimatingBAC/
of Peer Education in Cooperative Learning Workgroups,” J. Eng. Ed., index.htm> p

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 29

ChE curriculum

CFD MODELING OF WATER FLOW

THROUGH SUDDEN CONTRACTION AND
EXPANSION IN A HORIZONTAL PIPE

V.V.R. Kaushik, S. Ghosh, G. Das, and P.K. Das

O
IIT Kharagpur • 721302, India
ver the last few decades, there has been a growing problems. Otherwise the “colorful” results of CFD can lead
interest in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) students to draw wrong or unrealistic predictions. The other
in addition to experimental and analytical methods, major concern of this type of approach is that teaching soft-
for the solution and analysis of fluid flow problems. Several ware products are much-simplified versions of commercial
commercial CFD software packages (Fluent, Star-CD, and CFD software used in industry. Therefore, students will need
CFX) are used in industry to design and analyze different further training to use commercial software products after
types of flow situations. CFD has also been accepted widely this type of course. Recently some courses on CFD were
in engineering education. Traditionally in academia, CFD also developed that use commercial software products in the
methods have been taught at the graduate level. There are two curriculum.[8-12] This type of course prepares students who
different approaches to teaching CFD in current engineering have both theoretical concepts of CFD as well as a working
education. The first is the traditional approach that empha- knowledge of commercial software.
sizes the numerical methods with little or no attention given The objective of the current course is to teach students
to the use of commercial software. The second approach is to the fundamentals of computational fluid dynamics as well
introduce a CFD software in the class without any emphasis as to enable them to handle commercial software indepen-
being given to learning the software.[2] Such software prod-
ucts allow students to get started immediately without proper
V.V.R. Kaushik obtained his Bachelor of Technology degree in chemi-
knowledge of geometry and mesh-creation skills. Students can cal engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur,
generate the results just by the click of a button after setting India. At present he is working as graduate engineering trainee in an
the problem parameters.
oil company.
S. Ghosh received her Master’s of Technology degree from the De-
The traditional CFD education has been aimed at rigorous partment of Cryogenic Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology,
numerical training with the major emphasis on algorithms and Kharagpur, in 2006 and is continuing there as a doctoral student.
Her research interests are experimental and numerical techniques of
code development. In this type of teaching, students require multiphase flow. She has published three articles in well-recognized
a strong mathematical background as well as visualization international journals to date.

power to appreciate the class. Lack of imagination may cause G. Das is a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Indian
Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. Her research interests include
difficulty in understanding several concepts of computational multiphase flow, two-phase instrumentation, and computational fluid
fluid dynamics. This is the major lapse of the traditional way dynamics. She has published more than 60 articles in reputed journals
and conference proceedings. She has several patents from her research
of teaching CFD at the graduate level. work. She is involved with a number of research projects and provided
In the second type, students have an exposure to teaching
consultancy to various public and private industries.
P.K. Das is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering,
software in addition to the theoretical concepts of CFD.[3-7] Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. His research activities cover
In this approach, however, since students can get the results various topics of thermo fluids engineering, such as multiphase flow;
mechanically by the click of a button after setting the problem extended surface heat transfer; analysis, optimization, and dynamic
simulation of heat exchangers; thermal hydraulics of natural circulation
parameters, they often treat the software as a “black box,” just loops; rewetting of hot solids; heat transfer in nano fluids; and hydraulic
to produce “colorful” results. It is more desirable that gradu- jump. He has published several book chapters and around 100 refer-
eed international journal papers. He also has several patents. He has
ate students, with their understanding of the basic concepts, executed a number of projects funded by different funding agencies
be able to validate the results and test the accuracy of any and provided consultancy to various public and private industries. He

simulation. It is also important for the students to understand

is a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering.

the limitations of these software products in solving different © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

30 Chemical Engineering Education

dently. This enables the students to simulate any realistic flow Among the assignments, the first two are common to all
situation and also to interpret the data, analyze the data, and students. The last three are treated as class projects. Students
contribute to the design of the system. Incorporation of com- are required to execute the assignments in the department’s
mercial software into the curriculum can expose students to centralized computer laboratory, in which FLUENT is in-
the same or similar software they may be expected to use as stalled in several PCs. The students are used to handling this
professionals in industry. To prevent students from treating software under the supervision of the course instructor during
the software as a black box, the supplemented projects/as- the tutorial session. Initially, emphasis is given on proper
signments are defined so that the use of CFD becomes a understanding of the design software GAMBIT. After that,
meaningful learning experience that can be applied to real-life students generally solve some simple fluid-flow problems
engineering situations. This paper describes two such assign- (assignments a and b), the results of which can be checked
ments, namely flow-through contraction and expansion. and validated against available analytical solutions. After
this, students are divided into groups and assigned different
COURSE DESCRIPTION projects. They solve the problems using FLUENT and also
This course, entitled CFD Application in Chemical Engi- critically examine the data or analyze the data to generate
neering, was introduced in the autumn semester of 2008 in some fruitful results.
the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. It These exercises allow students to visualize and apply many
is designed for final-year undergraduate and first-year gradu- of the concepts they have learned in the traditional CFD as
ate students. As noted earlier, the objective of the course is to well as Fluid Mechanics classes. These projects constitute
develop theoretical concepts of computational fluid dynamics 30% of the total grade. The gradation is based on the level of
as well as have an exposure to commercial CFD software execution of the project by the group. Each project is divided
(FLUENT). Because it is an elective course, the number into five parts. Completion of each part earns 20% of the
of students is not fixed each year. It varies between 30–35 project marks. The students who can complete the project,
students/semester. validate the results, and develop the required correlations are
The course comprises four hours of lecture class (three awarded an excellent grade (above 90% mark).
theories and one tutorial) per week. Thus, in one semester, Course objectives
the students are exposed to 56 hours of classroom lecture. The
The course has the following objectives
syllabus includes detailed discussion on governing equations,
discretization schemes, staggered grid and pressure velocity a) To understand the basic concepts of CFD
coupling, turbulence modeling, and introduction to multiphase b) To familiarize students with CFD software FLUENT
modeling. Apart from class lectures, the following assign- c) To verify theoretical concept by numerical simulation
ments are given in the class. d) To develop an insight to the design of some complex
a) To develop a 3-D model to simulate the turbulent flow of fluid-flow problems
water (Re=5,000 to 20,000) through a straight horizon- e) To critically examine the results and data
tal. The simulation results are validated against textbook
information.
b) To develop a 3-D model to simulate the turbulent flow STEP-BY-STEP IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
of water through an annulus. The simulation results are ASSIGNMENTS
validated against Bird, et al.[13] This section describes step-by-step implementation of
c) To develop a 3-D model to simulate turbulent flow of wa- two projects (assignments c and d). Initially the students
ter through sudden contraction with diameter ratio (ratio are introduced to grid-generation software GAMBIT. Mesh
of smaller to larger diameter, designated as β) varying models are explained and demonstrated using tutorials and
from 0.3 to 0.9 for the same range of Reynolds (5,000 the user guide. In the first one to two tutorial classes students
to 20,000) number and develop empirical correlation to
are asked to go through the user guide and solve the tutorial
predict the loss coefficients.
problems to get accustomed to the software. Next they are
d) To develop a 3-D model for turbulent flow of water
through sudden expansion for the same range of β and
given a demonstration, using one of the tutorial problems of
Reynolds number as in the previous case and develop FLUENT, to show how to handle the software. The working
empirical correlation to predict the loss coefficients. of the software and several concepts such as continuum, op-
e) To develop a 3-D model for turbulent flow of water
erating, and boundary are explained. Students are asked to go
through return bends and develop empirical correlation through the user guide for understanding the different models,
to predict the loss coefficients. how to choose the appropriate one, and general problems
In all the cases, Reynolds number is defined based on inlet associated with operating the software.
pipe diameter. Hence, to keep the same range of Reynolds After five introductory and practicing sessions students are
number in assignments c and d, the inlet velocity of water is assigned the first two problems as described in the previous
adjusted accordingly. section. They are instructed to check the grid independency
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 31
of the results. With this exercise they get familiar with the ted. For completion of course projects six to seven weeks have
post-processing tools (e.g., velocity contours, x-y plots, path been allotted. Execution of these course projects is carried out
lines) to visualize and analyze the flow fields. Students verify in parts; first the students are asked to construct the geometries
the results for axial velocity profile and pressure drop with and generate the meshes. Next, they need to select the model,
analytical results. They usually get excited upon noting the execute the program, and generate profiles of velocity, pres-
good agreement with text for both the cases. To complete these sure, and pathlines as well as perform the trend matching of
initial assignments a total time of three weeks has been allot- these profiles with textbooks. The progress of each group in

Figure 1.
Schematic of
the geometry
considered for
modeling sudden
contraction.

Figure 2. a) b)
Velocity
contours of
sudden
contraction
at Re=10,000
with
a) ß=0.3,
b) ß=0.5,
c) ß=0.7,
d) ß=0.9.

c) d)

32 Chemical Engineering Education

its project is discussed during tutorial sessions, and after the c) Theoretical analysis:
group members successfully match the velocity and pressure Finally, after successful completion of model development
profiles they are introduced to the concept of loss coefficients and trend matching, students are asked to generate additional
and encouraged to develop correlation to predict it. Two such information that can be useful for designing such flow sys-
course projects are discussed in this section. tems. This is done to encourage students to handle and analyze
a) Assignment: Model development and analysis of data the information available from a model. Flows through such
for sudden contraction: fittings are characterized by a significant loss of mechanical
energy at the plane of area change due to boundary-layer
One of the course projects is to develop 3-D models to separation. Proper knowledge of contraction and expansion
simulate turbulent flow through sudden contraction. Figure frictional energy loss is important in design as well as control
1 schematically represents the flow geometry. The length of the flow system. Consequently, frictional energy losses are
of each section is 0.3 m. The smaller tube diameter is kept expressed in terms of loss coefficient as:
constant at 0.012 m and the larger pipe diameters are varied
from 0.014 to 0.0423 m. such that the ratio of smaller-to-larger U2
h f = kc for contraction (1)
pipe diameter (β) ranges from 0.3 to 0.9. First-order upwind 2
method is used for discretization of momentum equation. The and
turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate equations are also
discretized by this method. For pressure velocity coupling, h f = ke
U2
for expansion ( 2)
SIMPLE[14] is used. At the inlet, velocity of the fluid is speci- 2
fied. The velocity is normal to the inlet plane. A stationary
where U is the velocity in the smaller pipe, hf is the frictional
no-slip boundary condition is imposed on the wall of the pipe.
energy loss per unit mass of flowing fluid, and kc and ke are the
Pressure outlet boundary is used at the outlet. After developing
contraction and expansion loss coefficients, respectively. Past
the model the students analyze the velocity profile (Figures
researchers have studied loss coefficients[15-18] as a function of
2a-d) and then the pressure profiles (Figure 3). The trend of
diameter ratio and estimated kc using the empirical formula
the profile agrees well with that reported in textbooks.
based on area ratio given in White[17] viz.:
This analysis enables students to have a clear understanding
of the effect of sudden contraction on these two variables. k c = 0.42(1− β2 ) (3)
Further, they also visualize boundary-layer separation during
sudden contraction (Figure 4). This enhances their understand- Similarly, in case of expansion the Borda-Carnot equation as
ing of fundamental concepts of fluid mechanics that have been described by Massey[18] is widely used to predict the expan-
taught earlier.

b) Assignment: Model development

and analysis of data for sudden
expansion:
In this assignment students develop
a 3-D model to simulate flow of water
through sudden expansion for the
same range of the Reynolds number.
A schematic of the flow geometry
is shown in Figure 5. The diameter
ratio and length of the sections as
mentioned in Figure 5 are the same
as that of contraction. Figures 6a-d
depict the velocity profile at expan-
sion for the diameter ratio of 0.3 to
0.9 and Reynolds number of 10,000.
Figure 7 depicts the pressure profile in
expansion. Its trend is matching well
with the textbooks. The students also
generate the path lines to visualize the
circulating zone near the plane of area
change (Figure 8). Figure 3. Pressure profile of sudden contraction at Re=10,000 and ß=0.5.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 33

sion loss coefficient as: CONCLUSION
k e = (1− β2 )
2
( 4) This paper discusses the structure of a computational fluid
dynamic course in the Department of Chemical Engineer-
Students calculate the loss coefficients using the pressure ing at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. With the
drop data obtained from the simulation at the contraction- combination of classroom teaching, tutorial sessions, and
expansion plane. Next, the effects of inlet Reynolds number course projects, we have introduced CFD as a design tool
(based on the inlet pipe diameter) and smaller-to-larger pipe to students.
diameter ratio (β) on loss coefficient are analyzed. Figure We observed that students could quickly obtain enough
9a shows the variation of kc with diameter ratio for different knowledge of CFD while investigating fluid-flow problems
Reynolds numbers and compares it with the available literature under the supervision of the instructor. They could gener-
data. Figure 9b represents the same for expansion. A good agree- ate geometry and appropriate meshes in GAMBIT, chose
ment is observed for Idelchik[16] in case of contraction. A devia- physical models, solve numerical problems, and visualize
tion is noted for the larger-diameter ratio in case of expansion. and analyze the flow field with post-processing tools avail-
Finally, students have developed two empirical correlations able in FLUENT.
using software lab-fit for both contraction and expansion loss It has been noted that similar types of course structures are
coefficient in the turbulent regime. proposed by many researchers.[3, 5-7] Most of these courses use
k e = 0.0000045 Re− 1.039β + 1.11 (6) various teaching software with little or no emphasis given on
geometry-creation and mesh-generation steps. As a result,
students get the results me-
chanically by the click of
a button after setting the
problem parameters. In the
present course, students are
first exposed to drawing
software GAMBIT. They
learn to create geometry
and mesh it. They are even
encouraged to perform grid-
independent tests so that
they are accustomed to all
aspects of CFD after the
course. It may be noted that
assignments of the present
course can also be demon-
strated by using teaching
software like Flow Lab.
Thus, the present course
provides an opportunity
Figure 4. Contours of path lines of sudden contraction at Re=10,000 and ß=0.5. for students to apply their
fundamental knowl-
edge and contribute
to the design issues
of such systems apart
from just visual ob-
servation of velocity
and pressure distri-
bution.
Assessment of
students is done on
the basis of level of
completion of each
step of the tutorial
Figure 5. Schematic of the geometry considered for modeling sudden expansion.
34 Chemical Engineering Education
class as well as on
the full comple-
tion of the course
project. Student
improvement is
documented by
conducting a test
at the end of the
semester. Frequent
discussions are
undertaken with
students on the ef-
fectiveness of the
course contents
and assignments.
The course is up- a) b)
graded by regu-
lar feedback from
students. From
the feedback, it is
observed that the
purposes of this
course are ful-
filled, which is to
help students gain
understanding of
CFD application
in industry design
and the internal
structure and op-
eration of CFD
solvers, build up
their knowledge
of fluid mechan- c) d)
ics, and interpret
and validate CFD Figure 6. Velocity contours of sudden expansion at Re=10,000 with a) ß=0.3, b) ß=0.5, c) ß=0.7,
results as well as and d) ß=0.9.
understand some
advanced concepts. Students also preferred FLUENT
as a teaching tool used in the class because FLUENT
is a commercial package used in industry. Hence an
exposure to FLUENT may help them in securing a
good job.

REFERENCES
1. Fluent 6.2 User’s Guide, 2005. Fluent Inc., Lebanon, NH
2. Hu, J., L. Zhang, and X. Xiong, “Teaching Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to Design Engineers,” ASEE Pro-
ceedings (2008)
3. La Roche, R.D., B.J. Hutchings, and R. Muralikrishnan,

Figure 7. Pressure profile of sudden expansion at

Re=10,000 and ß=0.5.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 35
 Flow Lab: Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD) Framework for Undergraduate Educa-
tion, ASEE/SEFI/TUB Colloquium (2002)
4. Hailey, C.E., R.E. Spall, and D.O. Snyder,
“Computational Fluid Dynamics Presented in
the Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum,”
Computers Eng. J.,11, 2-8 (2001)
5. Blekhman, D., “Lessons Learned in Adopting a
CFD Package,” ASEE Proceedings (2007)
6. Sert, C., and G. Nakiboglu, “Use Of Computa-
tional Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in Teaching Fluid
Mechanics,” ASEE Proceedings (2007)
7. Stern, F., T. Xing, D. Yarbrough, A. Rothmayer,
G. Rajagopalan, S.G. Otta, D. Caughey, R.
Bhaskaran, S. Smith, B. Hutchings, and S.
Moeykens, “Development of Hands-On CFD
Educational Interface for Undergraduate Engi-
neering Courses and Laboratories,” Proceedings
ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, June,
Salt Lake City, Utah (2004)
8. Navaz, H.K, B.S. Henderson, and G. Mukkilma- Figure 8. Path lines sudden expansion at Re=10,000 and ß=0.5.
rudhur, “Bring Research and New Technology
Into the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Course in Computational
Fluid Dynamics,” ASEE Proceedings, June, Seattle (1998)
9. Guessous, L., R. Bozinoski, R. Kouba, and D. Woodward,
“Combining Experiments With Numerical Simulations in the
Teaching of Computational Fluid Dynamics,” ASEE Annual
Conference & Exposition Proceedings, June, Nashville, TN
(2003)
10. Aung, K., “Design and Implementation of an Undergraduate
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Course,” ASEE Annual
Conference & Exposition Proceedings, June, Nashville, TN
(2003)
11. Pines, D., “Using Computational Fluid Dynamics to Excite
Undergraduate Students about Fluid Mechanics,” ASEE Annual
Conference & Exposition Proceedings, June, Lake City, Utah
(2004)
12. Bhaskaran, R., and L. Collins, “Integration of Simulation into the
Undergraduate Fluid Mechanics Curriculum using FLUENT,”
ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, June,
Nashville, TN (2003)
13. Bird, R.B., W. Stewart, and E.N. Lightfoot, Transport Phenom-
ena, 2nd Ed., Wiley, New York (2001)
14. Patankar, S.V., and D.B. Spalding, “A Calculation Procedure a)
for Heat, Mass, and Momentum Transfer in Three-Dimensional
Parabolic Flows,” Int. J. Heat and Mass Transfer,15, 1787
(1972)
15. Benedict, R.P., N.A. Carlucci, and S.D. Swetz, “Flow Losses in
Abrupt Enlargements and Contractions,” Trans. ASME, J. Eng
for Power 88,73-81 (1966)
16. Idelchik, I.E., Handbook of Hydraulic Resistance, U.S. Atomic
Energy Comm., AEC-tr-6636 (1966)
17. White, F.M., Fluid Mechanics, McGraw-Hill, New York
(1987)
18. Massey, B., Mechanics of Fluids, Nelson Thrones Ltd., U.K.
(2001) p

Figure 9. Comparison of numerically predicted loss

coefficients with literature, (a) Contraction and
(b) Expansion. b)

36 Chemical Engineering Education

Random Thoughts . . .

HOW TO STOP CHEATING

(OR AT LEAST SLOW IT DOWN)

Richard M. Felder
North Carolina State University
A: Will there be cheating in the course I’m about to teach? Why is cheating so common? Because grades do matter, and
everyone knows it. You can’t tell students otherwise when they
B: It depends. Will there be more than five students in the
know many companies interviewing on campus won’t even
class?
look at them if their GPA is less than 3.5, and if it’s below
A: Yes. 3.8 they can pretty much kiss their chances of going to a top
B: Then, yes. graduate school goodbye.
A: I don’t believe it—not my students! How much would you However compelling the pressures to do it may be, cheating
care to bet? is clearly a bad thing. Cheaters get grades they don’t earn and
sometimes diplomas that wrongfully certify them as qualified
B: How much do you have?
entry-level professionals. Also, there is no reason to expect
While B could conceivably lose that bet, I wouldn’t bet students who take unethical shortcuts in school to stop taking
on it. Cheating has existed on campuses since there were them later in life, such as when they run plant safety inspec-
campuses, but it’s now as much a part of student culture as tions and design toxic-waste treatment facilities. In fact, they
sleeping through 8 a.m. classes. In recent surveys of over don’t stop: cheaters in college are relatively likely to continue
a thousand undergraduates, 80% of the respondents at 23 cheating in the workplace.1
institutions—82% of those in engineering—reported that
In recent years, researchers have begun to study cheating
they cheated at least once in college, and in just the previ-
and the effectiveness of deterrents to it. Carpenter, et al.,1 sum-
ous term most of the engineers cheated more than once on
marize results from a decade of such studies, and Bullard and
exams (33%) and/or assignments (60%).1 In other studies,
Melvin2 describe a program that has substantially decreased
49% of engineering and science students surveyed engaged
cheating in a course where it has been chronic. The rest of this
in unauthorized collaboration on assignments (up from 11%
column presents a few highlights of these papers.
30 years earlier) and 75% copied homework solutions from
bootlegged instructors manuals.2 Carpenter, et al.,1 listed a number of questionable actions
and asked students which ones they would regard as cheating.
The results include copying from another student on an in-
Richard M. Felder is Hoechst Celanese class exam (96%), copying from a crib sheet on a closed-book
Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering
at North Carolina State University. He is co- test (92%), copying another student’s homework (73%), and
author of Elementary Principles of Chemical unauthorized collaboration on web-based quizzes (41%) and
Processes (Wiley, 2005) and numerous
articles on chemical process engineering 1
Carpenter, D.D., Harding, T.S., and Finelli, C.J. (2010). Using re-
and engineering and science education,
search to identify academic dishonesty deterrents among engineering
and regularly presents workshops on ef-
fective college teaching at campuses and undergraduates. Intl. J. Engineering Education, 26(5), 1156–1165. See
conferences around the world. Many of his also Carpenter, et al. , (2006). Engineering students’ perceptions of
publications can be seen at <www.ncsu. and attitudes toward cheating. J. Engr. Education, 23(4), 181–194.
edu/effective_teaching>. 2
Bullard, L.G., and Melvin, A.T. Using a role-play video to convey
expectations about academic integrity. Advances in Eng. Education,
© Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011 in press.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 37

take-home exams (39%). Most survey respondents felt that fall of 2009 when the authors devised a way to catch stu-
instructors (79%) and the institution (73%) are responsible dents copying problem solutions from unauthorized solution
for preventing cheating, but only 22% thought students had keys.) The percentages of accused students who contested the
any obligation to challenge or report it if they saw it. charges dropped from 24% pre-video to 1% post-video (one
At N.C. State University, the introductory chemical engi- out of 63 students, who was subsequently found guilty at the
neering course (CHE 205–Chemical Process Principles) has hearing). A fringe benefit of the system’s success is that other
historically been a prime target for cheating attempts. Lisa department faculty members have begun to use the institu-
Bullard, a faculty member who frequently teaches CHE 205, tional process for dealing with academic dishonesty instead of
and Adam Melvin, a graduate student who has taught it several handling it on their own or simply ignoring it. Students who
times, have developed an effective system for reducing cheat- cheat in a course and are reported are now much less likely to
ing in the course.2 The syllabus provides detailed descriptions try it again, knowing they are likely to be suspended and get
of the activities that count as cheating and the procedure a permanent stain on their transcript if they are caught.
followed when students are caught at them. To reinforce the There are several morals to be drawn from these two excel-
message, Bullard and Melvin and an instructor in the NCSU lent studies.
Communications Department produced a 15-minute video • Define explicitly what you consider cheating and what
of student actors engaged in activities that might or might kinds of collaboration are acceptable. As the statistics
not count as cheating. The students watch the video on-line in Reference 1 suggest, your students’ ideas about it are
and complete a reflection assignment in which they state almost certain to be different from yours. If you don’t
whether each of a number of specified activities would count make your definitions clear, they will invariably default
as cheating, citing the rule in the syllabus or the NCSU Code to theirs. In addition, consider giving the students a voice
of Student Conduct that supports their conclusion. in formulating cheating policies. Students are more likely
When a CHE 205 student is suspected of cheating, the to follow rules they help establish than rules they have no
course instructor has a conversation with him or her, decides say about.
whether the circumstances warrant filing a formal charge, • Follow your institution’s procedures for dealing with sus-
and if the decision is to file, fills out a form stating the infrac- pected cheating. When you yield to the strong temptation
tion and the proposed penalty. If the student signs the form, to handle it entirely by yourself, students you catch may
thereby admitting guilt and accepting the penalty, it goes on not cheat again in your course, but since no one will be
file with the Office of Student Conduct. If no subsequent keeping track of their violations they will be almost certain
violations occur prior to graduation, nothing goes on the to cheat in other courses. Plus, if there is an institutional
student’s permanent record, but if there is one, the automatic honor code, support and enforce it. Strictly enforced honor
penalty is suspension for at least one semester. The student codes reduce cheating.1
may instead decline to sign the form, contest the charge, • Be fair to your students and they will be more likely to be
and have a hearing before either a student-faculty judicial honest with you. When instructors give assignments and
board or an OSC administrator. The outcome of the hearing exams that are much too long or make any of the other
may be to dismiss the charge, uphold the proposed penalty, “top four worst teaching mistakes,”4 students feel they
or impose a more stringent penalty. At hearings, the course are being cheated and many have no reservations about
syllabus, video, and reflection assignment effectively refute returning the favor.
students’ claims that they didn’t know their infractions would
be considered cheating.3 These recommendations won’t eliminate academic dis-
honesty, but if you and most of your colleagues follow them,
To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach, Bullard you might succeed in moving the frequency of cheating from
and Melvin tabulated the frequency of cheating incidents out-of-control to tolerable. Like getting old, it’s not ideal but
and contested charges in the two years before the video was it beats the alternative. p
produced (2004–2005) and the first four years in which it
was shown (2006–2009). The average percentage of enrolled 3
<http://www.che.ncsu.edu/bullard/Academic_integrity.htm> contains
links to clips from the video and the policy statements and reflection
students with reported violations dropped by 40% from 10% assignment.
(2004–2005) to 6% (2006–2008). (It spiked up again in the 4
<www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Columns/BadIdeasII.pdf>

All of the Random Thoughts columns are now available on the World Wide Web at
http://www.ncsu.edu/effective_teaching and at http://che.ufl.edu/~cee/

38 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE curriculum

Integration of
BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS INTO THE
CORE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM:
A Practical Strategy

Claire Komives
San Jose State University • San Jose, CA 95192-0082
Michael Prince
Bucknell University • Lewisburg, PA 17837
Erik Fernandez
University of Virginia • Charlottesville, VA 22904
Robert Balcarcel

O
Genencor, A Danisco Division • Palo Alto, CA
ur era has seen a shift in how educators and research-
ers approach biological sciences from surveillance Claire Komives is a professor in the Chemical and Materials Department
at San Jose State University. She obtained a B.S. degree from Tufts
to unraveling a deeper, mechanistic understand- University and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh, both in
ing.[1] What was once purely empirical is now modeled and chemical engineering. She teaches thermodynamics, material and energy
balances, process safety and ethics, and biochemical engineering elec-
controlled. Chemical engineers have kept pace with and con- tive courses. Her research involves process development studies with
tributed to the advances in technology that have enabled this whole cell biocatalysts.
quantifiable understanding of biological systems. Beginning Michael Prince is a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineer-
in the 1970s – ’80s, areas such as pharmacokinetics, tissue ing at Bucknell University, where he has been since receiving his Ph.D.
from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989. He is the author of
engineering, protein engineering, metabolic engineering, and several education-related papers for engineering faculty and gives faculty
more recently, biological systems engineering emerged within development workshops on active learning. He is currently continuing
the work of Project Catalyst, an NSF-funded initiative to help faculty
ChE departments, resulting in positive and significant impacts re-envision their role in the learning process, and researching the use of
on a variety of industries. At the top of the list of technology inquiry-based teaching methods to correct common student misconcep-

markets was medical technology, due to opportunities with

tions in engineering.

high profit margins. Moreover, as the technologies matured,

Erik Fernandez is a professor of chemical engineering at the University
of Virginia. He obtained a B.S. from the California Institute of Technology
we have seen a radical transformation even in the bulk chemi- and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. He has taught transport, material and
cal industry.[2,3] The motivation to develop bio-based products energy balances, and applied math, as well as biochemical engineering
and biotechnology courses. His respect for the design of biomolecules
includes lower cost, reduced dependency on petroleum re- drives his research interests in biomolecular engineering applied to
sources, and environmental benefits. Indeed, it is estimated protein pharmaceutical formulation and purification as well as protein
self-association issues in human disease.
that the market for bio-based chemicals is approximately 10%
Robert Balcarcel is a Scientist II in the Process Development group at
of the total chemicals market.[4] Genencor, A Danisco Division, in Palo Alto, CA. He obtained his B.S.
At the same time that chemical engineers were playing a
degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. degree
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He conducts process
leadership role in biotechnology research, the undergraduate development for industrial enzyme manufacturing, taking enzyme produc-
curriculum for ChE students remained essentially stagnant. tion from the bench-scale to manufacturing. Areas of expertise include
fermentation, recovery, statistics, and assay development.
Applications in petroleum processing have dominated the
core curriculum, as presented in the enduring textbooks © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 39

 Figure 1a (top right). Number of faculty
downloading problems during the grant
period, as well as the total number of prob-
lems downloaded. Light gray = # of faculty;
dark gray = # of problems.

Figure 1b (lower right). Number of students

downloading problems during the grant
period, as well as the total number of prob-
lems downloaded. Light gray = # of students;
dark gray = # of problems.

of our discipline. Modification to the core cur-

riculum would require updated or altogether
new textbooks with the same ability to apply the
fundamental principles to current application ar-
eas. These changes have been occurring at a slow
pace.[5-8] A number of textbooks on biochemical
engineering were developed that served as excel-
lent resources for elective courses.[9-15] These texts
present essential biology and biochemistry as well
as applications of chemical engineering principles
in bioprocessing, which was typically the target
employment opportunity of graduates at the
bachelor level. Elective courses on biochemical
engineering have generally been taught by faculty
appropriately trained at the Ph.D. level.
Both ChE faculty and the National Science
Foundation (NSF) have recognized the need to
address “bioX,” namely, the broad range of bio-
engineering topical areas, including biochemical,
biomolecular, biomedical, and all engineering life science Perhaps the most significant obstacle to incorporating such
subject matter, in the undergraduate curricula.[16] Many interdisciplinary content into the undergraduate curriculum,
grass-roots efforts have begun and are under way across the as urged by the National Academy of Engineering,[20] is that
United States. To reflect the trend of incorporating biological faculty without formal training in bioX need preparation in
applications, many academic departments have changed their order to effectively incorporate biological applications into
names to Chemical and Biological Engineering, or Chemical their curricula. In many cases, undergraduate chemical en-
and Biomolecular Engineering, or similar, resulting in enroll- gineers have more, or at least more recent, biology training
ment stabilization or gains. Some ChE programs now require than their professors. Faculty developing relevant problems
biochemistry and/or biology courses, at times instead of some for new science applications, such as biotechnology or nano-
traditional chemistry courses.[17] The NSF recently supported technology, must have some appropriate expertise. Many such
a grant though the Division of Engineering Education to Tufts educational problems have been created, but have remained
University for the “Integration of Chemical and Biological in file cabinets for use by their authors.
Engineering in the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Seamless
Approach.”[18] Three workshops were held to “facilitate the BIOENGINEERING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
incorporation of biological engineering into the entire [ChE] BANK WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
curriculum.” NSF also sponsored workshops to discuss the To address the need for an organized, accessible educational
modernization of ChE education[19] with a particular emphasis resource for faculty interested in integrating bioX concepts
on the integration of biology, molecular transformation, and into the core ChE curriculum,[2] a web-based repository of
other frontier areas into the ChE curriculum. A significant solved bioX problems relevant to the undergraduate core
outcome of such projects has been an increased awareness courses has been created.[21] The website, Bioengineering
among ChE faculty of the need to enrich and revitalize ChE Educational Materials Bank or BioEMB, is a MySQL1 secure
education to address the needs of industry and the interests 1 MySQL is open source database software that is now owned by
of students. Oracle.
40 Chemical Engineering Education
database that enables students, faculty, and others access to and through their exposure to these applications, to enable
problems in biological engineering (<http://www.bioemb. students to apply their ChE principles to these interdisciplin-
net>). The problem bank is organized by web pages for each ary problems. Clearly, the overall goal of the project is the
core chemical engineering course. On each course page a set development of the resource for faculty and faculty training.
of commonly used textbooks is posted. Clicking on a book As seasoned biochemical engineers with significant industrial
title will open a page with that book’s table of contents and exposure, the project faculty have a sense of what types of
links to problems that can be assigned according to the problems students need to be able to solve. Hence the ma-
topics in those chapters. This organization allows faculty jority of the project resources have been committed to the
to easily select a problem that can be assigned with other resource development, but assessment of student learning is
problems from the textbook for a given chapter or section. nonetheless essential to show the effectiveness of the project.
Only the faculty are granted a level of access that displays Consequently, the assessment of the project has included
the solutions to the problems. Some security features are probing student performance on simple questions addressing
built into the website to identify if hackers have been able to bioX and non-bioX learning objectives. The testing presented
access the solutions. Each problem shows a title, keywords, in this paper is the second attempt at demonstrating student
an abstract that describes the context of the problem, the performance. The first year of the project, beta testing included
problem statement, and, in the case of faculty access, the typical textbook material and energy balance problems. The
problem solution. Some of the words in the problem state- students overall performed very poorly on the tests (average
ment are highlighted and are linked to a popup dictionary scores across institutions ranged from 0.13 + 0.03 to 0.36 +
to help readers who may be unfamiliar with the technical 0.04 as the lowest and highest average scores out of 1.0). A
terms used. For the initial phase of the project, the table of second round of beta testing was performed that included a set
contents of two of the most commonly used textbooks for of simple concept and calculation questions and, in addition,
the material and energy balance course[22, 23] were posted two measures of “familiarity” were explored, namely student
on the website listing appropriate BioEMB problems to be speed to answer the questions and student perception of their
assigned with other problems from textbook. confidence to answer the questions correctly. The outcome
The website was launched in 2007 and usage statistics are of this second testing is presented in this paper. Additional
shown in Figures 1a –b. Figure 1a shows both the number questions were included on a survey to see if any associa-
of faculty downloading problems by month and the total tions could be found relating student demographics to student
number of problems downloaded each month. All problems performance. The survey also probed student satisfaction
posted were for material and energy balances. These data are associated with the inclusion of bioX applications in their
not necessarily a direct measure of how many problems were course. The following sections present the purpose and type
assigned in courses. Figure 1b shows similar information for of analysis performed.
student downloads. The rise in student downloads towards Demographics of Participating Students
the end of the project reflects the requirement by intervention Three intervention and three non-intervention sites, for
site faculty for their students to register on the website and comparison, participated in the project with 99 and 196 stu-
download their own problems. dents enrolled, respectively. With the exception of one non-
intervention site (with 22 students; survey not completed) all
WORKSHOP FOR FACULTY of the universities participating were public (state) universi-
In addition to the website development, a workshop was ties. Exemption status for carrying out a human subjects re-
held to prepare faculty without formal training in bioX to search project was obtained from all participating institutions.
utilize biological applications in their MEB courses. Faculty Students were enrolled who were taking the material and en-
from 19 institutions participated. The workshop included two ergy balance course. No prior course in biology was required
half-days of lectures that covered basic biology presented of the students. Of the students who completed the survey,
from a chemical engineer. During the final portion of the about 60% were male, over 75% were in their sophomore
workshop, faculty were assigned to teams and challenged year in school, 10% were Hispanic, and the average estimated
to solve 16 problems posted on the website. The goal of the (self-reported) GPA of participants was about 3.3.
problem-solving session was to facilitate that the faculty re- Instructional Objectives
turn to their institutions completely prepared to incorporate
the problems in their course once the semester began. The ability of undergraduates to apply their ChE principles
to biological applications was assessed relevant to learning ob-
MATERIALS AND METHODS jectives normally included in the material and energy balance
course. An evaluation tool was developed that asked focused,
Project Assessment Overview multiple-choice questions to address relevant student-learning
The goal of the project has been to enable faculty to in- objectives. The questions included simple calculations and
corporate biological applications in their core ChE courses, one terminology question. The specific learning objectives
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 41
 TABLE 1
Learning Objectives (LO) Addressed in MEB Bio Test
Test question number in parentheses
LO# Bio learning objective Traditional ChE learning objective
1 Work with common biological units (1) Work with common units for achieving a desired expression (2)
2 Identify typical products of respiration and metabolism for Identify typical products of a combustion process (4)
a whole cell bioprocess (3)
3 Learn and use basic bioprocess terminology (5) Learn and use basic chemical process terminology (6)
4 Use chemical formulas to represent cellular composition Use chemical formulas to represent molecular composition and trans-
and cellular transformations (7) formations (8)

probed are listed in Table 1. These questions attempted to value to the scale, an average could be calculated. One prob-
make a head-to-head comparison of students’ abilities to lem (number 5) had a slightly different scale, which does not
answer bioX and non-bioX questions addressing analogous impair the effectiveness of comparing between intervention
learning objectives. sites and comparison sites. This difference, however, should
Description of Intervention be taken into account when comparing the bioX vs. non-bioX
questions for learning objective 3, as there is a slight differ-
To teach the bioX learning objectives, 11 problems were ence in the confidence scales.
assigned at each of the intervention sites together with the
traditional ChE problems. The intention of the project team DATA ANALYSIS
was that the 11 problems should make up 15% to 20% of the
total problems assigned in the course. Intervention-site faculty The University of Virginia Center for Survey Research
could incorporate them as they saw fit, whether as in-class assessed overall frequencies on all survey and assessment
problems, homework, or exam problems. Intervention faculty variables and on the three created variables of SURVEY
were asked to have their students register on the website and (eight different questions), UNIVERSITY (six different
download their own problems so that they would more readily universities), and SITE (two: intervention and comparison).
access the BioEMB dictionary that is linked to specific words Questions 1 through 5 on the student survey were reversed-
in the problem statements. coded and overall means were provided for those variables.
The percent correct for each assessment answer was calcu-
Evaluation of Outcomes —Knowledge, Speed, and lated and broken down by each of the three created variables
Confidence with t-tests to make comparisons across the intervention and
The test consisted of the eight brief technical questions, comparison sites.
each followed by one question assessing speed in answering
The students’ self-reported times to complete each assess-
the question and also one question asking the student to rate
ment item were collected on the assessment form and the
their level of confidence in answering the question. The six
answers were recoded into numbers of minutes. The mean
testing sites administered the tests between late November
times were broken down with t-tests to make comparisons
and December. Paper tests were given together with a survey
across the intervention and comparison sites (data not shown
(one non-intervention site did not administer the survey).
here because there were no statistical differences between
The test questions were identical, but the follow-up ques-
times for intervention vs. comparison sites).
tions were slightly different on the positive and negative
site surveys as appropriate. Likewise, the students’ self-reported confidence levels for
their answers were assigned numerical values (1-4) and were
To capture an estimation of how long each problem took for
analyzed by t-tests to make comparisons across the interven-
the students to complete, a multiple-choice question with dif-
tion and comparison sites.
ferent time-range options was used. Thus the students were not
expected to time themselves for the solution of the problems To determine the effect of the inclusion of BioEMB prob-
very accurately. For the data analysis, the midpoint of the time lems in the course on student career interest, a three-way
range requested was assigned to the selected response. crosstabulation calculation was performed on the two ques-
tions at (1) intervention vs. (2) comparison sites:
For the students to rate their own level of confidence in
answering each question, again a multiple-choice approach 1. Prior to taking this course, I was interested in a career in
was taken on the test. Their choice of confidence level could biotechnology (two answers—interested, not interested)
fall under “I don’t know how to do this problem,” “Low level 2. How did the “course” or “biotech content” change your
of confidence – enough to try,” “Reasonably confident,” and interest in pursuing a biotech career, if at all? (three an-
“Absolutely confident,” and the numerical values were as- swers—increased interest, made no difference, decreased
signed as 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. By assigning a numerical interest)
42 Chemical Engineering Education
 Figure 2. Average student
Performance Across Inter-
vention and Comparison
Sites. Light gray = Inter-
vention Site; dark gray =
Comparison Site; asterisks
on the figure indicate that
the difference between the
intervention and compari-
son site performance is sta-
tistically higher at the 95%
confidence level.

Pearson Chi-square tests were performed to determine the regarding the products of a combustion process are also
relationship between the two answers of question 1 and the not significantly different between the intervention and
three answers of question 2. comparison sites.
Learning objective 3 addresses terminology. The bioX term
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION probed was “respiratory quotient” [question 5 (Bio-3)] and
The averages for each of the eight problems addressing each the non-bio term was “theoretical oxygen” [question 6 (Non-
of the eight learning objectives in Table 1 across intervention bio-3)]. Familiarity with terminology would be an example
and comparison sites are shown in Figure 2. Asterisks on the of Bloom’s level one learning,[24] or “knowledge.” Two of
figure indicate that the intervention site performance is statisti- the comparison sites answered this question correctly with
cally higher than the comparison site at the 95% confidence a much higher incidence than merely guessing, so it could
level. Thus, it should be noted that the difference between be presumed that they had seen the term somewhere in a
the intervention and comparison sites is significant for the separate course. Even so, the intervention sites did perform
bioX question of Learning Objective 3 and for both the bio better than the comparison sites to a significant degree. While
and non-bio problems of Learning Objective 4. terminology is not the most important tool that an engineer
Upon reviewing the data, some considerations can help must learn, it could be inferred that knowledge of terminology
explain results. The bioX concept tested by problem 1 (Bio- is a necessary first step for interdisciplinary learning, which
1) is simply to convert g/l of fructose into mM. In principle is an important aspect of this project. For students to learn
this does not require any special training, and the question to apply engineering concepts in different technical fields,
was asked to see if students who had more exposure to bioX mastery of different terminology enables communication and
problems during the course would be more comfortable with recognition of concepts.
units associated with small volumes. Most of the problems The questions addressing learning objective 4 are clearly
in the material and energy balance course use mass fractions the most challenging of the set [problems 7 (Bio-4) and 8
and mole fractions, so the use of moles or grams per volume (Non-bio-4)]. Students are required to perform elemental
may have been less familiar to the non-bio students. Based balances for both the bio and non-bio question, including
on the test results, however, it can be said that students who solving a simple set of linear equations, in order to find the
had the bioX problems in their course showed no significant required product stream amounts. Overall the students per-
advantage in terms of solving that simple problem. As one formed poorly on these two problems, however, the students
could expect, there is no significant difference in the test at the intervention sites performed significantly better than
results on the non-bio mass fraction calculation in problem the comparison sites on both the bio and non-bio problems.
2 (Non-bio-1). Likewise, there was no significant difference That the students at the intervention sites performed bet-
in the students’ abilities to solve the problems for learn- ter on both the bio and non-bio questions might suggest
ing objective 2 – [problems 3 (Bio-2) and 4 (Non-bio-2)]. that the students at the intervention sites were somehow
Problem 3 clearly requires more familiarity with biological stronger students overall, but other data collected support
systems, involving the gaseous and liquid-phase products that the students at all the sites had similar capabilities. For
of a bioreactor. While it would be reasonable to expect that example, the self-reported GPAs of the students at both the
students who have solved problems such as “Calculation of comparison and intervention sites were similar. The average
oxygen uptake rate in a fermentor” and “Fermentor water self-reported GPA at the intervention sites was 3.28 (100%
balance” would have had some exposure to fermentation reporting) while that at the comparison sites was 3.33 (42%
processes, it apparently was not enough to enable them reporting). With the exception of one of the smaller com-
to answer the question correctly more frequently than at parison sites, all schools are state universities and attract a
the comparison site. The results for the non-bio problem broad range of students.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 43
 Figure 3. Student average self-reported times to answer questions at intervention and comparison sites. Light
gray = Intervention Site; dark gray = Comparison Site; no asterisks on the diagram indicates that there were no
statistical differences between the times to answer questions between the intervention and comparison sites.

Figure 4. Student self-evalua-

tion of the level of confidence
in answering questions for each
of the four learning objectives
probed. Light gray = Interven-
tion Site; dark gray = Com-
parison Site; asterisks on the
figure indicate the difference
between the intervention and
comparison site performance
is statistically different at the
95% confidence level.

Students’ self-reported times (Figure 3) to answer each SURVEY RESULTS

of the questions were very similar at both the intervention The survey addressed questions about student demograph-
and comparison sites. The similarity in timing could be ac- ics, including gender, race, year in school, and overall esti-
counted for by comparable preparation to answer the ques- mated GPA. The goal of these questions was to determine
tions across the different sites, but this cannot be confirmed if the inclusion of BioEMB problems had an impact on a
without an extensive analysis. The higher amount of time particular group of people. While there were some statistical
to answer questions from learning objective 4 corresponds differences between various groups, in all cases the numerical
to the relative difficulty of those questions in contrast to the differences were too small to draw any relevant conclusions.
first six questions. There were a few notable conclusions when comparing the
Comparing the students’ self-evaluation of their level of intervention and non-intervention sites as aggregates. For
confidence was performed as a way to quantify the students’ example, students agreed that their professor made an effort
“familiarity” with the bio and non-bio questions. The data are to bring biotechnology topics into their course at the interven-
shown in Figure 4. For learning objectives 2, 3, and 4, there is tion sites whereas they disagreed with the statement at the
a statistically significant difference in the reported confidence non-intervention sites.
level to answer the bio questions between the intervention and Students were surveyed about their interest in the Bio-
comparison sites. Regarding the non-bio problems, there is EMB problems as well as their interest in biotechnology in
only a statistically significantly higher (6.3% higher rating) general. Based on the data, student interest in the BioEMB
reported confidence level for the non-bio sites to answer the problems varied from school to school. Of interest, within
question for learning objective 2. the intervention sites, those who were interested in a career
There is a clear trend that having had the bio problems in the in biotechnology before the BioEMB intervention were more
course resulted in a higher level of self-reported confidence to interested afterwards, while those who were not interested in
answer bio questions. With the exception of question 3 (Bio- a biotech career before the course were less interested after
2) the higher level of confidence was coupled to a statistically the course (χ2=7.563, p=.023). At the comparison sites there
higher performance on the bio problems. was no statistically significant affirmation of the students’
44 Chemical Engineering Education
original career interests (χ2=1.422, p=.491), The faculty at two out of four bio-related learning outcomes and even one
the comparison sites did include some bioX problems, as non-bio-related outcome. Students at the comparison sites did
described in the student surveys; however, the problems did not perform statistically better on any of the non-bio ques-
not come from the BioEMB website. tions, suggesting that the intervention did not detract from
In terms of the number and difficulty of the problems, the students’ abilities to apply chemical engineering principles
students also reported variable impressions. Again, these to traditional problems. The intervention did not have an
differences may depend on how the problems were included impact on the speed with which students answered the ques-
in the course. For one of the intervention sites, the problems tions but students at intervention sites had significantly more
were reported to be just about the right level of difficulty and self-reported confidence to answer the questions addressing
even some of the students would have been happy to have biological applications than at the comparison sites. Within
more of them. At the other two institutions, the problems the intervention sites, students who were interested in a career
were reported to be somewhat too difficult and, on average, in biotechnology before the BioEMB intervention were more
students would have been happy to have fewer of them. On interested afterwards, while those who were not interested in
the other hand, at the comparison sites, the response to the a biotech career before the course were less interested after
question regarding the number of problems in the course fell the course. At the comparison sites there was no statistically
between “too few” and “just about right.” Thus, the students, significant affirmation of the students’ original career interests.
on average, would have wanted more biological problems A Phase II project has been funded to include the addition
included in their course. of solved problems for ChE courses for the remainder of the
core undergraduate curriculum beyond material and energy
FACULTY WORKSHOP balances: Transport Phenomena (Fluids, Heat and Mass
Transfer), Thermodynamics, Process Dynamics and Control,
The results of the survey evaluation at the end of the and Reactor Design and Kinetics.
workshop suggested that the attendees viewed the workshop
as helpful to them in adding problems addressing biological ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
applications into their material and energy balance courses.
Participants were challenged with a set of 16 material and Funding: NSF CCLI 0633373 (Phase I) to CK and EJF;
energy balance problems with varying degrees of difficulty NSF CCLI 0817561 (Phase II). Problem Contributors: Todd
and biological content. The problem-solving sessions facili- Przybycien, Daniel I.C. Wang, Joseph Schaewitz, Robert
tated the crafting of clearer problem statements, taking into Beitle, David Wood, Mark Marten, Brian Kelley. Manuscript
account the needs of the non-bio users, and helped to identify review: Richard Felder. Advisory board: Anne S. Robinson,
aspects of the problems that were more challenging for those Carol Heath, Kent Goklen, Jon Coffman, Eliana de Bernar-
without bioX backgrounds. dez-Clark. Statistical Analysis: Jim Ellis, Abdoulaye Diop.
Editorial board faculty: Mark Riley, Rachel Chen, David
In the end-of-workshop survey, 85% of the faculty respond- Shonnard. Website developers: Anthony Tang, Katie Nguyen,
ing agreed that the bioX lectures addressed their concerns Tony Wu. Student contributors: Brian Wong, John Newman,
about lack of familiarity with bioX concepts, 100% agreed Taran Mitchell.
that the bio lectures were effectively presented, 90% agreed
or strongly agreed that the BioEMB website appeared to be REFERENCES
user friendly and effective, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed
1. Shuler, M.L., “Biology in Chemical Engineering Education,” in Bio-
that they would recommend the workshop to a colleague. chemical Engineering XVI, Engineering Conferences, International:
75% of the attendees agreed that the problem-solving session Burlington, VT (2009)
was useful. Finally, several faculty who participated in the 2. Villadsen, J., “Innovative Technology to Meet the Demands of the
workshop offered to beta test the problems in their material White Biotechnology Revolution of Chemical Production,” Chem.
Eng. Science, 62(24) 6957 (2007)
and energy balance courses.
3. Antoni, D., V.V. Zverlov, and W.H. Schwartz, “Biofuels From Mi-
crobes,” Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 77, 23-35 (2007)
CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK 4. Wood, A., and A. Scott, “Bioprocessing: Reaping the Benefits of
Renewable Resources,” Chemical Week, 166(5) 15 (2004)
A website has been developed for hosting solved problems
5. Sandler, S.I., Chemical, Biochemical, and Engineering Thermodynam-
addressing biological applications for undergraduate chemical ics, p. 946, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (2006)
engineering curricula. The number of U.S. institutions that 6. Murphy, R.M., Introduction to Chemical Processes: Principles, Analy-
have downloaded problems as of December 2008 was 32 sis, Synthesis, p. 684, McGraw Hill Higher Education (2006)
chemical engineering departments, representing more than 7. Fogler, H.S., Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 4th ed.,
Prentice Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ (2005)
20% of the total number of departments. In addition, faculty
8. Karim, M.N., and J.B. Riggs, Chemical and Bio-Process Control, p.
from Turkey, Mexico, the UK, Spain, Brazil, Norway, and 578, Ferret Publishers (2007)
Colombia have also downloaded problems for their courses. 9. Aiba, S., A.E. Humphrey, and N.F. Millis, Biochemical Engineering,
Students at intervention sites scored significantly higher on p. 434, Academic Press, New York (1973)

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 45

 10. Bailey, J.E, and D.F. Ollis., Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals, News, 82(10) 34 (2004)
p. 753, McGraw Hill, New York (1977) 18. Exerpts from NSF Grant #0343135 to Tufts University (2003)
11. Blanch, H.W., and D.S. Clark, Biochemical Engineering, p. 702, Marcel 19. Frontiers in Chemical Engineering Education (2003) [cited; Available
Dekker, New York (1996) from <http://mit.edu/che-curriculum/index.html>]
12. Lee, J.M., Biochemical Engineering, Prentice Hall, Inc. (1992) 20. Educating the Engineer of 2020: Adapting Engineering Education to
13. Doran, P., Bioprocess Engineering Principles, Academic Press, Ltd., the New Century, ed. N.A. Press (2005)
London (1995) 21. Arnaud, C.H., “Modernizing Chem Engineering,” Chem. & Eng. News,
14. Harrison, P.W., S.R.R. Todd, and D. Petrides, Bioseparations Science 85(42) 42 (2007)
and Engineering, Oxford University Press (2002) 22. Felder, R.M., and R.W. Rousseau, Elementary Principles of Chemical
15. Shuler, M.L., and F. Kargi, Bioprocess Engineering: Basic Concepts, Processes, 3rd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York (2000)
2nd Ed., Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ (2000) 23. Himmelblau, D.M., and J.B. Riggs, Basic Principles and Calculations
16. Future Directions of Biochemical Engineering: Vision and Priorities, in Chemical Engineering. 7th Ed., Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle
p. 30, National Science Foundation, Bioengineering and Environmental River, NJ (2003)
Systems Division: Arlington, VA (2001) 24. Bloom, B., Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The
17. Halford, B., “Chemical Engineering Education in Flux,” Chem. & Eng. Cognitive Domain, David McKay Co., Inc., New York (1956) p

46 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE curriculum

DRUG DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT,

AND DELIVERY:
An Interdisciplinary Course on Pharmaceuticals

Mark R. Prausnitz and Andreas S. Bommarius

F
Georgia Institute of Technology • Atlanta, GA 30332
or the past five years, Georgia Tech’s School of Chemi- option, and undergraduates from other departments interested
cal and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) has offered in pharmaceuticals. As discussed below, a balanced interdis-
an innovative interdisciplinary course in drug design, ciplinary mixture of students is assured through admissions
development, and delivery, also known as the D4 course. This restrictions.
course was developed due to changes in chemical engineer- This article aims to provide information on the D4 course’s
ing education over recent years, as well as needs within the structure, its contents, and the instructional philosophy behind
pharmaceutical industry for an interdisciplinary approach to it, with the hope that this framework may be directly useful
the development of novel drugs and formulations. It is of- to others or might be adapted to other courses geared towards
fered as part of the biotechnology option track, an undeclared the pharmaceutical and other industries.
certificate offered to ChBE undergrads. One biotech elective
is required for all students in the biotech option, and this Mark Prausnitz is a professor of chemi-
course satisfies that requirement. The D4 course also meets cal and biomolecular engineering at the
requirements in the Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology. He was
educated at Stanford University (B.S., ’88)
and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry; both principal and M.I.T. (Ph.D., ’94). Prof. Prausnitz cur-
course instructors serve as adjunct faculty in one of these rently teaches classes on pharmaceuticals,
additional schools. The course provides the additional advan-
mass and energy balances, and technical
communication. His research addresses
tage of offering instruction in the important biotech area of novel biophysical mechanisms to improve
pharmaceutical development. Aspects of this type of biotech drug, gene, and vaccine delivery using
engineering technologies.
development, such as drug manufacturing and drug delivery,
are underserved in university curricula and consequently offer Andreas Bommarius is a professor in
interesting opportunities for employment of graduates.[1, 2] the Schools of Chemical & Biomolecular
Engineering and Chemistry/Biochemistry
The D4 course was developed through the leadership of at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

the Georgia Tech Center for Drug Design, Development, and

After his Ph.D. at MIT in 1989, he headed
the Enzyme Catalysis lab and pilot plant of
Delivery (CD4). CD4 is composed of close to 40 faculty with Degussa in Wolfgang, Germany, until 2000.
interests in the drug development process. The authors serve He teaches classes in pharmaceuticals,
heat and mass transfer, bioprocess engi-
as its director and co-director. Ten to 15 doctoral students neering, biocatalysis, and process design.
in CD4 receive fellowships each year from a long-standing His research interests focus on biocatalysis
and bioprocessing, more specifically on the
training grant from the Department of Education GAANN development of novel biocatalysts, protein
program. The D4 course was created to serve these CD4 stability, and data-driven protein engineering.

graduate students, ChBE undergraduates taking the biotech © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 47

GOALS OF THE COURSE relevant through occasional guest lectures by experts in the
The overarching goal of the D4 course is to give students field. During the final phase of the class, we examine four
insight into the drug development process in the pharmaceuti- case studies to apply the general lessons covered in the
cal industry.[3, 4] Without specific training, it is not necessarily first part of the class to specific scenarios in industrial and
obvious how to apply chemical engineering principles to this medical practice. Each case study is analyzed for strengths
highly specialized field, as the pharmaceutical industry has its and weaknesses of current and alternative approaches. This
own unique culture based on the critical needs of providing emphasis on real industry examples enables both students
drugs that are both safe and effective. For example, while the and instructors to consider the broader impact of the material
development process might often be complex and inefficient, and the educational philosophy within healthcare, economics,
the drug product must be of extremely high purity. During and other fields.[5]
the drug development process, activities must be documented The course instructors, and many of the TAs and guest
much more extensively than in other industries. In addition to lecturers involved in the course, have significant industry
the detailed structure of the pharmaceutically active ingredient experience. Both main instructors have worked for phar-
itself, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires its maceutical companies and so are able to bring real-world
manufacturing process to be set even before the completion experience to the course material. TAs, often selected from
of clinical trials. Once the manufacturing process is set, it is among graduate students with prior experience in the phar-
expensive and time-consuming to make major changes, such maceutical industry, have to be more active, interested, and
as switching raw materials or adding or dropping steps for knowledgeable than in a typical survey course. They put in
downstream processing. There are also the variables intro- extended hours to explain material to students lacking detailed
duced by having drug delivery in the hands of the consumer background in transport phenomena or bioorganic chemistry,
and the need to assure safe and reliable compliance. Due to and are confronted with group dynamics in connection with
these unique circumstances, there is a need for this course the project-team phase of the class. The lectures on drug
to address the application of biochemical and engineering design are given by a professor from Georgia Tech’s School
principles to this industry. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the lectures on drug
The specific objectives of this course are to (i) appreciate development and drug delivery are given by the instructors
critical issues, perform analysis, and make quantitative cal- of the D4 course. Supplementary lectures on pharmacology
culations related to drug design, drug development, and drug and clinical trials (by Emory University School of Medicine
delivery; (ii) integrate concepts from drug design, develop- faculty) and on pharmaceutical marketing (by an industry
ment, and delivery and appreciate their interdependence; (iii) colleague) are included to continually reinforce the broader
understand the different phases of the pharmaceutical process; significance of course material. This emphasis on real-world
(iv) appreciate the role of alternative methods and broader im- relevance explains the success of the course with students
plications of the pharmaceutical process; and (v) communicate who are mostly seniors and graduate students often about to
with professionals in the pharmaceutical community. enter industry positions.[6]
The three parts of the pharmaceutical industry covered in Existing courses on pharmaceuticals at other universities are
the course are drug design, development, and delivery. Drug typically more narrowly focused, for example, on medicinal
design, which is drawn largely from chemistry, involves syn- chemistry aspects of drug design and discovery or on formu-
thesis of the active ingredient beyond the discovery synthesis. lation aspects of drug delivery systems. We are not aware of
Development involves manufacturing and formulation, which any other course that integrates drug design, development, and
focuses on chemical engineering principles in both industrial delivery in a single course, and explores their connections in
chemistry and biotechnology. Multiple disciplines, including the context of broader societal impacts.
biomedical engineering, are often involved in drug delivery,
the step in which both the route of administration and drug COURSE STRUCTURE AND SYLLABUS
distribution within the body need to be determined and con- Because student interest is high and the class fills easily,
trolled. One of the goals of the training within the course is we have chosen to restrict enrollment to a limited number
to highlight the interdisciplinary connections involved in the of students from each major department: approximately 10
pharmaceutical development process and thereby train stu- students each from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular
dents to have an impact on the industry by taking an integrated Engineering, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and
approach that streamlines the drug development process. Department of Biomedical Engineering. Around 10-15 seats
The D4 course focuses on actual drugs and the processes and are reserved for GAANN Fellows, as the class is a require-
issues surrounding their delivery, whether successful or failed, ment of the fellowship program. The remaining 10 seats are
including continual references to actual drug substances (the filled by graduate students from various departments. Thus,
active ingredient alone) or drug products (active ingredient the class is designed to serve 54 students, approximately 60%
and delivery vehicle). The class also is kept interesting and undergraduate and 40% graduate, who can then be divided
48 Chemical Engineering Education
into 18 interdisciplinary teams of three students each for its assessment in clinical trials, the FDA approval process,
the case study projects.[7-9] This structure guarantees that the and its introduction into the market. One lecture tells the
students will be working and communicating with colleagues story of three innovators in the drug delivery field—Robert
of other disciplines, just as they would in industry. The class Langer, David Edwards, and Alejandro Zafaroni—and pres-
is highly interactive, with interaction and questions not only ents innovative drug delivery systems in the context of the
between students and instructors but, especially during the technical and human factors that influenced their develop-
project-team phase, between the students themselves. ment and ultimate impact on medicine. Another lecture deals
As summarized in Table 1, the course begins with an with the development process and business context of the
overview of pharmaceutical development that features goals, pharmaceutical industry and portrays the risks in develop-
timelines, and constraints that guide the industry. Because ing novel pharmaceuticals, as tight regulations by the FDA,
of the interdisciplinary nature of the course, we also include rigorous testing of candidate compounds, and often long and
optional refresher lectures on biochemistry for engineering involved clinical trials to prove safety and efficacy result in
students and diffusion for chemistry students. The only pre- high failure rate of candidates and thus very high expenses
requisite for the course is one semester of biochemistry. Next, for every successful new drug.
drug design, development, and delivery (i.e., the three Ds) are The drug design module presents key ideas behind the
covered for two to three weeks each. Finally, the student-led search for a compound testable in the clinic and thus able to
case studies are developed and presented. be manufactured on large scale. Concepts such as binding of
a small-molecule inhibitor to an enzyme or to a receptor are
The Three Ds covered, as well as varying the structure of a lead compound
During the overview section of the course, the instructors to improve characteristics such as inhibition constant, sta-
describe the integrated process of drug development from bility, or bioavailability. Rules for the molecular properties
discovering the active ingredient to its formulation into a dos- of successful drug candidates are discussed, most notably
age form, its manufacture using suitable reaction pathways, Lipinski’s Rule of Five.[10]
The first lecture of the
drug development module
TABLE 1 lays out the challenges
D4 Course Syllabus
of drug manufacturing
CLASS SECTION SELECTED TOPICS and formulation, one of
MEETINGS
which is the preeminence
Classes 1 – 4 Introduction Challenges and current methods of drug design, of purity over yield, which
development, and delivery; successful examples;
tutorials; homework 1 requires catalysts with ex-
quisite selectivity. After the
Classes 5 – 8 Drug Design Overview of protein-ligand interactions and
enzyme catalysis; enzyme inhibition and drug initial lecture, one lecture
design; quiz; homework 2 each is spent on manufac-
Classes 9 - 13 Drug Development Manufacturing & process development; small turing of small molecules,
molecule manufacturing; development of protein therapeutic proteins, and
therapeutics and vaccines; quiz; homework 3 vaccines. Foci for each,
Classes 14 - 18 Drug Delivery Pharmacokinetic modeling; methods of delivery; respectively, are the design
drug delivery device commercialization case of environmentally benign
study; quiz; homework 4
processes to decrease both
Classes 19 - 20 Pharmacology and Clinical Guest lecturers; quiz costs and ecological foot-
Trials
print for small molecules;
Spring Break Plant Trip to Puerto Rico – the complex downstream
(optional)
processing to a pure, virus-
Class 21 Pharmaceutical Marketing Guest lecturer free, therapeutic protein;
Classes 22 - 23 Case Study I: Ocular Synthesis by conventional and novel chemoenzy- and the comparison of
Dorzolamide matic routes; topical delivery; molecular design eggs and cell culture for
Classes 24 - 25 Case Study II: Contraceptive Chemical and microbial synthesis; transdermal the manufacture of drug
Hormone Patch and other delivery methods
substance for vaccines.
Classes 26 - 27 Case Study III: Leuprolide Solid-state and enzymatic synthesis; polymeric Another challenge is the
Implant controlled release; broader impacts
necessity of formulation to
Classes 28 - 30 Case Study IV: Insulin Delivery and production methods; stability issues preserve the structural and
Final Exam Final Exam Derived largely from case studies functional integrity of the
Week drug product for at least
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 49
two years in the container identi- TABLE 2
cal to the one for selling the drug, Attributes of Current and Past D4 Course Case Studies
so one lecture deals with issues of
Product name (company) Active ingredients Delivery method
formulation.
Trusopt® (Merck) Dorzolamide Eye drops
The drug delivery module starts
Ortho Evra® (Johnson & Johnson) Ethinyl estradiol, Norelgestromin Transdermal patch
with a lecture on methods used to
Lupron Depot® (Abbott) Leuprolide acetate Injectable implant
design, formulate, and manufac-
ture conventional pharmaceutical Exubra® (Pfizer) Insulin Inhalation
dosage forms, with special empha- Testoderm® (Alza) Testosterone Transdermal patch
sis on oral tablets and capsules, Procardia-XL® (Pfizer) Nifedipine Oral osmotic pump
and also presents mathematical
analysis of drug pharmacokinet-
ics. The subsequent lectures address controlled release, trans- McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson and
dermal, ocular, and other routes of drug delivery in detail. The Johnson.[13] It contains a progesterone analog, norelgestromin,
final lecture presents a detailed discussion of the development and an estrogen analog, ethinyl estradiol, that are released
of microneedle drug delivery systems at Georgia Tech and continuously during each week that the patch is worn. Initially,
in industry, which emphasizes the challenges of bringing a Evra® was a great success, taking a significant share of the
product forward from the initial idea stage through clinical contraceptives market by providing simple and reliable birth
introduction. control using a once-per-week patch. Post-marketing clinical
studies, however, showed that the total estrogen dose from the
Products covered in case studies in the class have included
Evra® patch was significantly larger than that administered
drugs for a range of indications, such as cancer reproduc-
by conventional birth control pills, possibly posing increased
tion, ocular disease, heart disease, and diabetes. Each year
cardiovascular risks.[14] Because the patch and the pill pro-
the course includes four case studies, and every case study
duced similar estrogen levels in the clinical trials, a change
investigates at least two of the three Ds, most often develop-
in the manufacturing process during scale-up to commercial
ment and delivery (Table 2).
production is suspected. These issues led to lawsuits and a
Each case study is analyzed by a team typically of two huge decline in Evra® sales.[15] In response, J&J has changed
undergraduates and one graduate student from at least two product labeling and continues to market the patch.
but typically three different disciplines. By the time the case
In the student presentations, one of the student teams is
study teams are formed, the students have already taken
charged with evaluating the transdermal patch technology
some quizzes and handed in homework, and the instructors
used to make Evra® by considering the nature of the skin
can thereby balance teams according to known strengths and
barrier, the medical suitability of controlled drug release
weaknesses of students.[11, 12]
across skin, and the advantages and disadvantages of different
The scope of the case study assigned to each group is patch designs. Another team takes on alternative methods of
intentionally broad so that the students will do their own contraceptive hormone delivery, including oral tablets, subcu-
research, on the basis of a few lead publications provided by taneous implants, intrauterine devices, and other approaches.
the instructors, and develop their own analysis. One week Hormone synthesis is considered as well: for both ethinyl
before the project is due, each team meets with one of the estradiol and norelgestromin, the conventional methods are
instructors to outline the presentation, make their case, and chemical synthesis starting from residual materials from
receive feedback. When the group presents its case study to plants, such as sitosterol, stigmasterol, and phytosterol from
the class, total contact time is 40 minutes per team, with 20 soybeans or tall oil, the latter itself a residue from pulping.
minutes of presentation involving all three team members, The potentially disruptive technology is a biotechnological
followed by 20 minutes of Q&A primarily by the students, synthesis route combining fermentation and enzymatic steps,
with supplemental questioning by the instructors. possibly combined with a few purely chemical steps.
Case Study Example: Ortho-Evra® patch In addition to the many interesting technical issues as-
(Johnson & Johnson) sociated with this case study, there is a rich set of business,
One of the case studies focuses on the Ortho-Evra con- medical, social, and political issues as well. For example,
traceptive patch, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the business decision to continue marketing the product with
competing methods of drug synthesis during the design phase, updated labeling, rather than reformulating the patch to ad-
development issues related to cost-effectiveness and safety, minister the intended estrogen dose, is addressed. The ethical
and challenges of transdermal delivery and resulting medi- implications of this decision are also discussed, along with
cal issues. Introduced in 2001, Ortho-Evra® is a transdermal the broader issue of access to contraception and associated
contraceptive patch manufactured and marketed by Ortho- disparities around the world.

50 Chemical Engineering Education

Pharmaceutical Industry Plant Tour SUMMARY
During spring break of the semester the course is offered, The instructors developed a course on drug design, develop-
there is an optional five-day trip to visit pharmaceutical indus- ment, and delivery in response to Georgia Tech’s specific need
try plants in Puerto Rico, which is one of the largest worldwide for a class on pharmaceuticals for advanced undergraduate
sites for pharmaceutical manufacturing.[16, 17] During the trip, students and graduate students in CD4 and the pharmaceutical
students tour manufacturing facilities and packaging plants industry’s general need for scientists and engineers trained
to see at least 10 different pharmaceutical and biotechnology in the interdisciplinary field of pharmaceuticals. To balance
manufacturing processes.[18] Groups have visited Amgen, Eli breadth with depth, we extensively use a case study format,
Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pfizer, and Wyeth, and which enables teaching the integrated process of pharmaceuti-
seen small-molecule drug synthesis, protein fermentation cal development in the context of real product examples with
and purification, drug formulation, sterile operations, and their associated technical details and broader societal impacts.
product packaging. The tour ends with a visit to Bacardi, This use of a subject overview coupled with focused case stud-
which features a technical tour of the fermentation and distil- ies is common in law, medicine, and business education but is
lation processes at the world’s largest rum distillery. In their not often employed in engineering courses. It is believed that
free time, students also kayak through a bioluminescent bay, the general structure of the D4 course is useful not only for
become familiar with Old San Juan, and broadly experience material relating to the pharmaceutical industry but could also
a cultural environment different from the U.S. mainland. be used for engineering courses related to other industries.
Figure 1  When implementing such a course, the involvement of
GRADING, ASSESSMENT, AND CHANGES instructors and teaching assistants with industry experience
IMPLEMENTED   is critical, as is the creation and use of relevant case studies
D4 course grades are based primarily on the student
teams’ oral and written project reports and a final Course seemed  well planned  and organized
exam derived largely from the case studies. A series of 2005
homework assignments and quizzes during the initial 2006
phase of the course also contribute to the grade. 2007
At the end of the semester, students assess the 2008
course through anonymous surveys. As shown in 2009
Figure 1, numerical evaluations have been highly
positive, indicating that students found the course Good job covering course objectives/content
to be well structured and implemented. 2005
2006
Written comments, however, have also shown that 2007
students find the course challenging in some ways. A 2008
strength and weakness of the course is that it requires 2009
interdisciplinary knowledge and instruction rooted in
strong chemistry and engineering fundamentals.[7, 8] Class attendance important in promoting learning of material
Often, criticism focuses on the perception that mate- 2005
rial from the student’s own major got short shrift in 2006
comparison to materials from other majors. Student 2007
comments also reveal group dynamics during the 2008
team projects to be a weak point of the students’ 2009
skill set.[9]
The instructor  was an effective  teacher
Changes implemented as a result of student assess-
2005
ments include the addition of tutorials on biochemis-
2006
try and diffusion basics early in the course to assure 2007
common ground among the students. Also, due to 2008
comments about sometimes uneven contributions 2009
to group work, each group member now submits to
the instructors an anonymous e-mail about the per- 0                   1                    2                   3                   4                   5
centage of work done by each member. Instructors Strongly Strongly
check discrepancies, and the result has an impact on disagree agree
 
the final grade. Since this change was implemented, Figure 1. Summary of end-of-semester student survey results from
group cooperation has increased. D4 course.
 
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 51
with published literature, especially in a course for which there Emerging Technologies into the Curriculum Through a Multidisci-
is no textbook. To provide real insight and understanding in plinary Research Experience,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 35(4), 296 (2001)
8. Armstrong, M., R.L. Comitz, A. Biaglow, R. Lachance, and J. Sloop,
a field, the D4 course was based on the philosophy that both “Interdisciplinary Learning for Chemical Engineering Students from
course instruction and content must include the key disciplines Organic Chemistry Synthesis Lab to Reactor Design to Separation,”
related to the pharmaceutical development process. It is vital Chem. Eng. Educ., 42(4), 193 (2008)
both for engineering education and industrial practice to focus 9. Adams, J.U., “Drug Discovery and Development: A Complex Team
Sport,” Science, 319 (5868) Advertising Supplement (2008)
on interdisciplinary knowledge and collaboration, which looks
10. Lipinski, C.A., F. Lombardo, B.W. Dominy, and P.J. Feeney, “Ex-
beyond typical classroom instruction and organization within perimental and Computational Approaches to Estimate Solubility and
a major. Students trained in the D4 course are well positioned Permeability in Drug Discovery and Development Settings,” Adv. Drug
to enter the pharmaceutical industry with the integrative Deliv. Rev., 46(1-3), 3 (2001)
interdisciplinary perspective that will likewise prepare them 11. Felder, R.M., G.N. Felder, and E.J. Dietz, “The Effects of Personality
Type on Engineering Student Performance and Attitudes,” J. Eng.
for entry into other fields as well. Educ., 91(1), 3–17 (2002)
12. Felder, R.M., and R. Brent, “Understanding Student Differences,” J.
REFERENCES Eng. Educ., 94, 57-72 (2005)
1. Block, D.E., “Teaching Biotech Manufacturing Facility Design and 13. Goa, K.L., G.T. Warner, and S.E. Easthope, “Transdermal Ethinylestra-
Regulatory Compliance: Better Equipping Students for a Maturing diol/Norelgestromin: A Review of Its Use in Hormonal Contraception,”
Industry,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 35(3), 188 (2001) Treat. Endocrinol, 2(3), 191 (2003)
2. Lee-Parsons, C.W.T., “A Biochemical Engineering Course Taught in 14. Jick, S.S., K.W. Hagberg, R.K. Hernandez, and J.A. Kaye, “Postmarket-
the Context of Drug Discovery to Manufacturing,” Chem. Eng. Educ., ing, Study of ORTHO EVRA and Levonorgestrel Oral Contraceptives
39(3), 208 (2005) Containing Kormonal Contraceptives with 30 mcg of Ethinyl Estradiol
3. Lipsky, M.S., and L.K. Sharp, “From Idea to Market: The Drug Ap- in Relation to Nonfatal Venous Thromboembolism,” Contraception,
proval Process,” J. Am. Board Fam. Pract., 14, 362–367 (2001) 81(1), 16 (2010)
4. Meadows, M., “The FDA’s Drug Review Process: Ensuring Drugs 15. Phelps, J.Y., and M.E. Kelver, “Confronting the Legal Risks of Pre-
Are Safe and Effective,” Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, scribing the Contraceptive Patch with Ongoing Litigation,” Obstet.
MD (<http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ Gynecol., 113(3), 712 (2009)
ucm143534.htm>) 16. Pharmaceutical Industry Association of Puerto Rico (<http://www.
5. Armstrong, R.C., “A Vision of the Chemical Engineering Curriculum piapr.org/>)
of the Future,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 40(2), 104 (2006) 17. Pharmaceutical market report (Puerto Rico), Caribbean Update, Aug.1,
6. Farrell, S., R.P. Hesketh, M.J. Sevelski, K.D. Dahm, and C.S. Slater, 2007
“Membrane Projects With an Industrial Focus in the Curriculum,” 18. Ostafin, A.E., D. LaClair, and H.T. Schmidt, “A Course in Bioprocess
Chem. Eng. Educ., 37(1), 68 (2003) Engineering: Engaging the Imagination of Students Using Experiences
7. Newell, J.A., S.H. Farrell, R.P. Hesketh, and C.S. Slater, “Introducing Outside the Classroom,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 37(3), 180 (2003) p

52 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE laboratory

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
IN EDUCATION
Through an Undergraduate Lab Exercise

Donald D. Joye, Adam Hoffman, Jacqueline Christie, Mayo Brown, and Jennifer Niemczyk

P
Villanova University • Villanova, PA 19085
roject-based learning, student-centered learning, and a
host of other innovative teaching/learning styles have
Donald D. Joye is a professor of chemical engineering at Villanova
University, where he has spent 29 years, after three years experience
been promoted, discussed, dissected, and advocated in at Lafayette College and two years at Lehigh University. His B.S.E. is
the pages of this journal and others.[1-3] Oftentimes innovative from Princeton University, 1967; his M.S. and P.hD. are from Lehigh,
1969/’72. He has five years full-time industrial experience with several
teaching experiences just happen, because the circumstances different companies, including Sherwin-Williams, Engelhard, and Her-
demand or suggest them. What we did, described herein, may cules, Inc. His major interests are in fluid mechanics, heat transfer,
mass transfer, polymer science, rheology, process engineering, and
not fit precisely into categories suggested by Felder and his education.
coworkers,[1, 2] but it is certainly in the spirit of their advocacies Adam Hoffman earned his B.S. ChE at Villanova University in 2009.
and had a significant payoff in students’ lives. It was a unique Adam is from Lebanon, N.J. His major interests are in biofuels and
experience that could never be replicated in typical lecture- alternative energy. He is presently in the M.S. graduate program at Vil-
lanova with a research project in biodiesel processing. He plans to go
style methods or even undergraduate research activities. on for the Ph.D. and seek, ultimately, an academic position.

In the last decade biotechnology has made significant Jacqueline Christie earned her B.S. ChE at Villanova University in 2009.
inroads into chemical engineering departments across the
Jackie is from Matawan, N.J. Her major interests are in biotechnology,
and she is presently employed at Centocor, Inc. R&D, Malvern, PA.
country, even to the extent that some have changed their names Mayo Brown earned his B.S. ChE at Villanova University in 2009.
to include this new specialty area. Our department decided Mayo is from Milton, Mass. His major interests are material science,
that creating a lab experiment required of all junior chemical biotechnology, fuel cells, and engineering education. He is presently
seeking employment and considering graduate school.
engineers and focusing on one important biochemical appli-
cation would greatly increase the exposure of biotechnology Jennifer Niemczyk earned her B.S. ChE at Villanova University in
2009. Jen is from Seaford, N.Y. Her major interests are biotechnology
at the undergraduate level. This would broaden students’ and sustainability. She is presently doing environmental work with a
horizons and increase their value for potential employers. company on Long Island and about to re-enter college for a degree
in teaching.
Other institutions have done similarly.[4-6]
© Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 53

 for a junior-level lab course, directing the educational
delivery of the experiment to students (i.e., lecturing,
assisting in the calculations, preparation of chemicals),
and grading the reports. The reports were re-graded by
the faculty member prior to entering the grades formally.
The students worked primarily on their own with close
communication with their advisor. During the running of
the lab itself, they functioned as typical TAs, primarily
responsible for oversight and instruction of the students.
As advisor, I checked in on them frequently but tried not
to interfere. Their experiences were archived in a senior
project report,[10] in which they shared their individual
experiences and impressions. The TAs were evaluated on
the basis of what they achieved and the quality of their
final report. This proved to be a rather novel and inter-
esting experience that combined real-world exposure,
project-based learning, and peer interaction. Some of
their reflections on the process are included herein.
This lab exercise was one of six experiments for a
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the apparatus. typical, junior-level, chemical engineering lab course.
The department had purchased the BE2 Chromatography Other experiments included a pumps lab, a heat ex-
Unit from Armfield—an English supplier of engineering labo- changer lab, a refrigeration lab (thermo), a pipes and fittings
ratory equipment[7, 8]—that demonstrates the process of size- lab, and a distillation lab used mostly for visuals. For us, it
exclusion chromatography, an industrially important biotech is the second lab course in a sequence of three. The biotech
operation. The unit (Figure 1) was purchased over the summer lab had to be at an introductory level, as it was intended to
and commissioned by Adam Hoffman, one of the authors, who expose all chemical engineers, not just those with a biotech
was at that time a rising senior.[9] Once the unit was up and interest, to some practice-relevant activity in the biotech
running, it was decided to integrate the experiment into a ju- field. The calculations involved were relatively simple, but
nior-level laboratory course in the spring semester. To prepare the principles were explained in more detail.
for this, further development of the experiment was offered as
a senior project, generally two semesters long and three cred- BACKGROUND
its each semester, that is a requirement for all undergraduate Chromatography is a very widely used separation technique
chemical engineering students to complete before graduating. in the chemical and biochemical engineering fields.[11-14] It is
Most seniors do technically related investigations—running a highly selective process capable of separating components
equipment, building equipment, doing research, etc. By early of closely similar physical and chemical properties. It is
fall, three students—Jacqueline Christie, Mayo Brown, and important both at processing and process analysis scales.
Jennifer Niemczyk, the other authors—expressed an inter- Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopedia, has a good,
est in this opportunity for their senior project. One of them readable article written by a college professor on general
(JC) had actually done chromatography during her summer principles that closely follows the unit described herein and
internship with a local biotech company. Because this was a could be used by the students as an extra reference. Size-
new piece of equipment, the students used the fall semester exclusion chromatography is also known as gel filtration
to develop and test out various ways it could be used in the chromatography and separates proteins and other biological
laboratory and develop the lab instructions. In the spring compounds, and especially polymers, based upon the size of
semester they functioned as teaching assistants on that unit the molecule, or more precisely, the Stokes’ radius, which is
for the junior lab class. the effective radius a molecule has as it moves in solution,
All three seniors had voiced an interest in pursuing the assuming it occupies a spherical volume. This is equivalent to
education profession at some time in their future, and this the end-to-end distance of a polymer chain configuration.[15,
lab exercise was used to give them an opportunity to function
16]
A long, extended molecule has a larger Stokes’ radius than
as educators. All of them had voiced a strong interest, and a compact molecule of the same molecular mass. For the
so motivation was not an issue. Motivation and competence purposes of this laboratory experiment, the Stokes’ radius is
would be critical to the success of any endeavor like this, assumed proportional to the molecular weight.
however. Their undertaking included commissioning the In size-exclusion chromatography a porous, cross-linked
equipment, developing an experimental protocol suitable gel is used to separate compounds of different sizes that have
54 Chemical Engineering Education
been dissolved in an aqueous solution. The gel sits in a
tube, and liquid containing the dissolved compounds is
passed through. Large compounds pass straight through the
column, between the individual beads of gel, because they
are too large to fit into the pores. A smaller compound will
take longer to elute, because it diffuses into the pores of
the gel and has higher retention time in the column. There
is a direct correlation between the size of the molecule and
the time it takes to elute through the column. Typical for
chromatographic techniques, the sample containing the
mixture of compounds is injected into a flowing stream
of aqueous solvent (the buffer solution), and their travel
through the column is hindered by the relative size of
the molecules. In this unit, the recommended species to
be separated had red and blue colors, so the process was Figure 2. Typical elution peaks from absorption data.
dramatically visual. One could see a bluish-grayish region
and a reddish-yellowish region move through the column.
The details of the experimentation were described in the
manual that came with the unit, but references could be
used to supplement and expand on that.
The absorbance plot, which detects the species, can be
used to calculate the eluted volume of a compound Ve by
measuring the time corresponding to a peak height and
knowing the pump delivery rate. Using these values and
Vo and Vt , a partition coefficient, Kav , can be calculated
for each compound in the sample.
Ve − Vo
K av = (1)
Vt − Vo Figure 3. Calibration curve for molecular weight using the
Here Vt is the volume of liquid that flows through the partition coefficient, Kav.
column in order to elute all the compounds. This could be
taken as the end of the last peak. Vo is the volume of liquid at the top end of the column, and 100μL is carefully injected
that passes through the column just before the first sample is into the column. Then, simultaneously, the outlet valve of the
eluted. This could be taken as the beginning of the first peak column is opened, the pump is turned on, and the green “GO”
and should be equivalent to the void volume in the column. button on the computer is struck to start the data recording.
There are somewhat different ways to represent the partition The absorbance is sampled at the time interval selected previ-
coefficient also. If the compounds being separated have a ously (20 sec). Visible separation should be observed as the
similar shape, a plot of Kav vs. the logarithm of the molecular compounds move through the column.
weight will give a linear relationship, or calibration curve,
that can be used to estimate the molecular weight of an un- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
known. Obtaining the calibration curve was the goal of the Regarding the lab results, Figure 2 shows the elution vs.
experimentation for the juniors doing the lab. time curve from which one can see three distinct peaks corre-
The sample was prepared and injected into the flowing sponding to the three compounds to be separated. Peak heights
buffer solution for the operation of the unit. Our samples are clearly identifiable and the times at which they occur are
consisted of a mixture of the following compounds: 0.2 mg of also. This information is used along with the partition coef-
phenol red in 1 ml of buffer solution, 3.0 mg of blue dextran ficient to obtain the calibration curve in Figure 3. These are the
in 1 ml of buffer solution, and 2.0 mg of cytochrome c (col- major results of the experiment. Students would then explain
orless) in 1 ml of buffer solution. These samples were then how to find the molecular weight of an unknown from the
mixed together in a weigh boat to a uniform green color. Then location of the peak and the calibration curve, or, given the
300 μL of the mixture was drawn up into a micro-syringe, molecular weight, estimate the elution time. The subsequent
avoiding air bubbles. The pump is stopped for the injection reports were a group effort, not individual.
procedure. The outlet valve of the column is closed, but the As with all experimental equipment, there were several dif-
inlet is left open. The syringe is then inserted into the septum ficulties with this unit that had to be overcome for a successful

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 55

operation. We had to try a number of different compounds been done before. The hardest part of the whole experience
for the separation, but eventually settled on the ones reported was becoming comfortable with using the unit, as it takes pa-
here, because the peak heights were distinct. tience and time. It was always discouraging when a part of the
The junior students who took the lab were not formally polled unit malfunctioned, but solving and fixing the problem always
as to their experiences with their peer TA “educators,” but all of provided that extra ‘push’ to move forward. Overall, I really
them got enough out of the experience to write an acceptably enjoyed this experience as it has motivated me to become an
coherent short report, and ad-hoc conversations with some educator at some point in my life so that I may continue to
provided evidence they learned something valuable from the inspire those younger than me to strive for their best.”
experience and enjoyed having seniors as their TAs. Jacqueline Christie: “I enjoyed interacting with the stu-
dents throughout my experience. I got to know the junior class
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCES and made some good connections. I was surprised at the lack
The major educational goal of this work was to give senior of interest in some of the groups, as this lab was out of the
students, who voiced an interest in joining the education pro- ordinary for chemical engineers. Grading the lab reports was
fession at some point in their careers, a chance to do some an experience in itself. It was easy to tell which groups were
hands-on learning of what that might be like. All three wrote of attentive and which were not engaged at all.
their personal experiences in their final senior project report, “From my experience as a teaching assistant I have learned
and their reflections are summarized here. All three had a how difficult it is for some professors to get through to some
unique take on their educational role, but they all agreed they students. As I am very interested in the biochemistry aspect
wouldn’t have traded their time on this project for anything of chemical engineering, I liked sharing my knowledge of
else they did in college. It’s a different view from the other side biochemistry techniques and chromatography with students
of the fence, and that was an eye-opening experience for them who share my interest as well as those who may not have a
all. In retrospect, the benefits for the three seniors included great knowledge of biochemistry.”
project-based learning, an exposure to real-world teaching, Jen Niemczyk: “Serving as a teaching assistant has been an
and peer-learning experiences (seniors/juniors). An education- interesting task. This was a great experience that has allowed
based senior project was a great way to realize this goal. The me to learn things about myself, about my fellow classmates,
senior students had to develop and participate in the delivery and a little bit about being a teacher. Grading the lab came as a
of a new experiment for a course they had taken before. They real surprise. I took this lab (course) two semesters ago and was
had to develop learning objectives, refine the operation of the always satisfied with the work my group turned in. Some of the
equipment so that it gave clear, instructive results, develop the lab reports that were submitted were awful (to put this comment
procedure of the experimentation, explain the process to their in perspective a bit, Jen graduated summa cum laude, and by
peers, and assist their peers with the analysis and calculations, the time these junior students are second-term seniors, their
then read and grade the reports. report-writing skills will have improved significantly). Through
The students on the project speak for themselves in the fol- this lab experience I was able to see a little more clearly some
lowing paragraphs, so that the readers can get an unfiltered of the experiences that a teacher can have from day to day. It is
insight into their reactions, frustrations, and joys, and to get very difficult to engage students if they are not really interested.
an idea of what they took away from the experience. It’s also difficult to get them to understand when they are not
entirely paying attention. The groups that experienced the most
Mayo Brown: “We, as a group, tried to keep the explanation success were the groups that asked questions and made an effort
of the unit the same to each group to prevent any inconsisten- to understand what was going on.”
cies or unfair advantage. The explanation was made assum-
ing that students would read the lab experiment before their From a faculty perspective, perhaps the most significant
scheduled period and be somewhat familiar with the procedure insight our “educators” got was that not all students paid at-
to be performed that day. I found that many students failed tention to their lectures (amazing!), and that not all students
to read the lab experiment handout before they came to lab. adapted well to the experiment. Some groups paid attention,
This hindered their understanding of the lab and resulted in and their work was very well done. Others barely lifted an
them struggling while performing the lab. eyebrow, showed no interest, did not pay attention, and their
work was not well done (what a surprise!). The TAs actually
“One aspect I enjoyed the most was the interaction I had failed one group. The TAs were also emotionally disappointed
with the students during both the experimental and calcula- that some students seemed not to appreciate their efforts, but
tion sessions. I personally got to know every junior chemical they were happy when groups showed interest in and grasp of
engineering student, which resulted in them feeling comfort- the material, and they felt the fundamental reward of teaching,
able asking for help. when they saw a clean transfer of knowledge from one mind
“My overall experience as a teaching assistant proved how to another. This was a big thrill for them, as it continues to
difficult, yet exciting, it is to teach something that has never be for us in the profession.
56 Chemical Engineering Education
 I (DDJ) was also happy to see that they used the full 95(2), 123 (2006)
spectrum of letter grades, recognizing that the transfer of 3. Wankat, P.C., “The History of Chemical Engineering and Pedagogy,”
Chem. Eng. Ed., 43(3), 216 (2009)
knowledge is rarely total, and that they could see the “shades 4. Lefebvre, G., S. Farrell, and R.S. Dominiak, “Illustrating Chromatog-
of gray” for partial credit or items overlooked or incompletely raphy with Colorful Proteins,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 41(4), 241 (2007)
described in the reports the student groups handed in. 5. Wankat, P.C., “Using a Commercial Simulator to Teach Sorption
Separations,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 40(3), 165 (2006)
6. Forciniti, D., “Teaching a Bioseparations Laboratory,” Chem. Eng.
CONCLUSIONS Ed., 43(4), 279 (2009)
A biotech lab experiment suitable for junior chemical engi- 7. Armfield, Ltd., <http://www.armfield.co.uk/>
neers was created and successfully performed in order to give 8. BE2 Chromatography Unit, Armfield Ltd., Machine Manual
9. Hoffman, A., “Size Exclusion Chromatography Unit,” report, Villanova
all chemical engineering students in the class an introduction University, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Summer 2008
to a biotech process. The more important educational objec- 10. Brown, M., J. Christie, and J. Niemczyk, “Size Exclusion Chromatog-
tive—to use a senior project with an educational twist for raphy,” Senior Project Report, Villanova University, Dept of Chemical
those interested in the profession—was even more success- Engineering (2009)
11. Ninfa, A.J., and D.P. Ballou, Fundamental Laboratory Approaches
ful. This proved to be quite revelatory and an interesting and for Biochemistry and Biotechnology, J. Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ,
potent way to engage those who may be considering a career pp.93-100 (2004)
in academia at the college or high school level some time in 12. Snyder, L.R., J. Dolan, and J.J. Kirkland, “Introduction to Modern
their future. Others may consider doing something like this to Liquid Chromatography,” 3rd Ed., Wiley Interscience, New York
(2009)
encourage motivated people into the education profession. 13. Sewell, P.A., and B. Clarke, Chromatographic Separations, J. Wiley
& Sons, New York (1987)
REFERENCES 14. Seader, J.D., and E.J. Henley, Separation Process Principles, 2nd Ed.,
1. Felder, R.M., and R. Brent, “The Intellectual Development of Science J. Wiley & Sons, New York (2006)
and Engineering Students, 1. Models and Challenges,” J. Eng. Ed., 15. Rosen, S.L., Fundamental Principles of Polymeric Materials, 2nd Ed.,
93(4), 279 (2004) Wiley Interscience, New York (1993)
2. Prince, M.J., and R.M. Felder, “Inductive Teaching and Learning 16. Painter, P.C., and M.M. Coleman, Essentials of Polymer Science and Engi-
Methods: Definitions, Comparisons and Research Bases,” J. Eng. Ed., neering, DESTech Publishing, Lancaster, PA, pp. 383-395 (2009) p

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 57

 in a traditional design project that may be inappropriate for a
ChE book review community-development project. (After reading this chapter,
I became painfully aware of some of the shortcomings of
Engineering and Sustainable Community several recent design projects in my own class).
Chapter 4 uses a short (2 ½ page) case study to illustrate that
Development community should be at the center of engineering for SCD. The
by Lucena, J., J. Schneider, and J.A. Leydens, authors highlight typical engineering mindsets—overreliance
Morgan & Claypool, 216 pages, 2010, ISBN 978-1608450701 on the scientific method, intense focus on work and achieve-
ment, industrial work contexts, and commitment to objectiv-
Reviewed by
ity—that make it difficult for engineers to effectively consider
Lisa Bullard
community. Practical, concrete suggestions are provided for
North Carolina State University students and faculty to avoid some of these problems.
Many prospective students, in particular, female students Chapter 5 motivates the need for listening to community
and students from underrepresented groups, are attracted to members by describing projects in which ineffective listening
engineering because they want to “help people.” Colleges occurred to the detriment or failure of the project. The authors
of engineering have responded by developing programs and define and describe the dimensions of contextual listening and
projects variously known as humanitarian engineering, suggest an alternative problem-solving, listening-centered ap-
engineering for developing communities, service learning, proach well suited to SCD projects. This approach might also
engineering for sustainability, design for the poorest 80%, be useful in industry, depending on the context of the project.
design for extreme affordability, etc. Do these types of service
The detailed case studies in Chapters 6 and 7 highlight
projects genuinely help the communities being served?
practical problems in implementing community-development
The authors, faculty members at the Colorado School of Mines, projects. Chapter 6 describes an engineering professor and
present an overview of engineering as it relates to sustainable her graduate students who partnered with a village in India
community development (SCD) and raise challenging questions to implement a windmill, and Chapter 7 describes a practic-
about the underlying assumptions behind many well-intended ing engineer who undertook a community mapping project
projects. This book is part of a series of Synthesis Lectures on in Honduras to inform the community on how to use water
Engineers, Technology, and Society, edited by Caroline Baillie safely and effectively.
of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
In Chapter 8 the authors describe their course “Engineering
The authors frame the text around some entrenched myths: and Sustainable Community Development” and reflect on the
• Technological development will lead to economic students’ transformation during the course. Chapter 9 offers
growth and progress. recommendations to students who are interested in pursuing
• Technological development happens independently
SCD and poses relevant research questions for faculty.
from culture, politics, or society.
• Communities are homogenous and can be treated as a The book is written with a student audience in mind; key
“client” or “customer.” terms and critical questions are highlighted throughout each
• Technological applications are universal and can be chapter, and multiple exercises are included as possible
easily transferred across cultural contexts. writing and discussion prompts. The book also addresses
Chapter 1 highlights the tension when engineers, who see faculty questions about how to best structure such courses and
themselves as problem solvers tackling problems that have projects. In addition, administrators responsible for assessing
right or wrong answers, approach the more complex challenge the usefulness, effectiveness, and cost of these programs can
of meeting a community need. The authors pose a series of benefit from this discussion.
guiding questions for both students and faculty. While this book would most likely be used as a textbook in
Chapter 2 provides a history of engineers’ involvement in the context of a course on sustainable development or engi-
development from the 18th century to the present. It traces neering ethics, it would also be a useful resource for chemical
the evolution of the engineer’s role, from that of transforming engineering faculty who teach a design course, either at the
and controlling nature, mapping territory, building national capstone level or in a freshman engineering course. It chal-
infrastructure, acting as agents of economic competitiveness, lenges the traditional assumptions inherent in a design project
to a growing awareness of sustainable development. and gives a practical example of how ABET criteria might be
In Chapter 3 the authors discuss why the assumptions, concretely addressed. In addition, students who are interested
methods, concepts, and practices used in industry may not in a career involving sustainable development would find this
be appropriate for SCD projects. The basis for the discussion book valuable; in particular, the list of current engineering
is a student project that won an “Exceptional Student Hu- programs with this focus could direct students to graduate
manitarian Prize.” By stepping through the project report, the programs in a relevant area. p
authors highlight the “hidden assumptions” typically present © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

58 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE classroom

SOLUTION OF NONLINEAR
ALGEBRAIC EQUATIONS
in the Analysis, Design, and
Optimization of Continuous Ultrafiltration

Greg Foley

U
Dublin City University • Dublin 9, Ireland
ltrafiltration for the concentration and purification of ing undergraduate gets relatively little exposure to sufficiently
macromolecular solutions is an increasingly impor- challenging computational problems in the biologically based
tant unit operation especially in the bioprocessing downstream processes.
industries.[1] While it has traditionally formed only a minor In this paper, we present a variety of problems in the analy-
part of many chemical engineering undergraduate curricula, sis, design, and optimization of the industrially important
the growing importance of bioprocessing within the chemi- unit operation of continuous feed and bleed ultrafiltration.
cal engineering mainstream means that membranes and their The unifying concept in these problems is the solution of
applications are gaining increasing attention. Most unit non-linear algebraic equations. We solve these using a vari-
operations textbooks used in chemical engineering tend to ety of methods employing easily accessible spreadsheet and
give relatively little coverage of membrane processes in com- graphical tools. The problems described would be suitable for
parison with the more traditional separation techniques such inclusion in a junior- or senior-level unit operations or separa-
as liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, and distillation,[2, 3] tions module within a chemical engineering or similar degree
although there are signs that this is changing somewhat.[4] For program, as long as the students have some prior experience
now, however, detailed coverage of membrane topics tends with numerical methods. A problem-based learning approach
be found in specialized books and monographs.[1, 5, 6] While in which students solve these problems in class using a laptop
the growing number of textbooks devoted to biochemical computer is recommended.
or bioprocess engineering has begun to redress this balance
somewhat,[7-9] it still has to be said that these textbooks tend Greg Foley is a chemical engineer with B.E.
to be less mathematical in their focus than traditional unit and Ph.D. degrees from University College
operations textbooks. The works by Ingham, et al.,[10] and Dublin, Ireland, and an M.S. degree in chemi-
cal engineering from Cornell University. He has
Dunn, et al.,[11] represent a determination to extend math- taught many aspects of chemical engineering
ematical modeling to all aspects of chemical and biochemical to students of biotechnology at Dublin City
engineering but their focus is on dynamic problems where the
University for more than 24 years. His main
area of expertise and the focus of his re-
mathematical problem is almost exclusively one of solving search is in membrane processing, especially
ordinary differential equations. The recent, excellent book by crossflow microfiltration of microbial cells and
the modeling of ultrafiltration and diafiltration
Cutlip and Shacham[12] gives hundreds of interesting and chal- processes. He also has an active interest in
lenging computational problems for the chemical engineering teaching innovation and has developed numerous initiatives in this area
including the use of video podcasting and problem-based learning. He
student, presenting a wider range of mathematical challenges, is particularly interested in the interface between teaching and research
including the solution of non-linear algebraic equations, but and the incorporation of research problems into the undergraduate cur-
there are few problems on bioseparation processes such as ul-
riculum is one of his ongoing projects.

trafiltration or chromatography. Thus, the chemical engineer- © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 59

CONTINUOUS FEED AND BLEED This equation and its extension to multi-stage systems are
ULTRAFILTRATION simple but do not have any analytical solution. Given the
We consider the example of continuous concentration of range of computational tools readily available to students,
a protein solution by the feed and bleed mode illustrated in however, there is no need to adopt trial-and-error solutions to
Figure 1. The protein is assumed to have a rejection coefficient this equation, even when extended to multi-stage systems, as
of 1.0, i.e., no protein passes through the membrane. In the has been done in the past.[1] Instead, rapid, reliable, and easily
feed and bleed configuration, a portion of the product stream implemented numerical methods can be used that will not only
(retentate) is recycled back into the feed. This increases the give accurate answers to engineering problems but also provide
mass transfer coefficient in the module, leading to higher the students with excellent opportunities to practice and apply
permeate (filtrate) fluxes. Typically, the flowrate through the what they have learned in their numerical method courses.
module greatly exceeds the inlet flowrate, Q0, and thus the In the following sections we explore the solution of this
system can reasonably be assumed to be well mixed, i.e., the equation for a variety of problem types and extend it to multi-
retentate concentration is taken to be the same as the mean stage systems. Numerical examples are provided for each type
concentration in the module itself.[1] This is in contrast to of problem. Microsoft Excel is used throughout but other
single-pass operation where there is no recycle and the varia- packages such as Matlab, Polymath,[12] or Mathematica[13]
tion of concentration with distance along the membrane must could just as easily have been used.
be accounted for in the analysis.
In all our calculations, we assume that the gel polarization PROCESS ANALYSIS
model applies, i.e., we assume that the membrane is operating Analysis of a Single Stage System
at the limiting flux, given by[1]
In this type of problem, it is assumed that the membrane
cg area, the feed flowrate, the feed concentration, and the mass
J = k ln (1) transfer coefficient are known and constant. The goal therefore
c
is to calculate the exit concentration. A numerical example,
where k is the mass transfer coefficient (assumed constant), cg illustrating semi-manual implementation within Excel of the
is the limiting or “gel” concentration (constant), and c is the Newton-Raphson algorithm, is shown in Example 1.
retentate concentration. The gel polarization model is a subset
of concentration polarization theory in which the convective
flux of solute towards the membrane is balanced by diffusion Example 1
of solute from the membrane back into the bulk flow.[1] The We consider a 1L/min feed of a protein solution that enters
key result of the concentration polarization analysis is that the a single stage continuous feed and bleed ultrafiltration
flux is related to the solute concentration at the membrane. system. The feed enters at 10g/L and cg can be taken to
In general, this concentration is a function of transmembrane be 300g/L. The mass transfer coefficient is 3.5 3 10-6 m/s
pressure, but at high pressures where the flux is constant and and the area is 2.7m2. Use the Newton-Raphson method
equal to its limiting value it can be assumed that the solute to compute the retentate concentration.
concentration at the membrane reaches a limiting value as
Using the numbers provided (and ensuring SI units in all
well. This limiting concentration is denoted cg.
cases), Eq. (4) becomes
The solute balance for the system, assuming complete
rejection, can be written 1.764(1− x1 ) − 3.401− ln x1 = 0 (Ex. 1.1)
Q0 c0 = Q1c1 ( 2) The Newton-Raphson algorithm for solution of this equa-
tion can be written
where Q0 is the feed volumetric flowrate, c0 is the feed con-
centration, c1 is the retentate concentration, and Q1 is the 1.764(1− x1 ( n)) − 3.401− ln x1 ( n)
x1 ( n + 1) = x1 ( n) +
retentate flowrate. An overall balance gives 1.764 + 1 x1 ( n)
Q0 = Q1 + JA (3) (Ex. 1.2)
where A is the membrane area. Combining Eqs. (1), (2), and Starting with an initial guess of x1 = 0.2, the method con-
(3) and using the perfect mixing assumption gives the follow- verges (to three decimal places) after the third iteration
ing governing equation of a single stage system to give x1 = 0.149 and hence c1 = 67g/L. The algorithm is
Q0 c easily implemented in Excel by inserting x1(0) in cell A1,
kA
(1− x1 ) − ln x1 − ln g = 0
c0
( 4) the formula for x1(1) in cell B1, and copying this formula
across the first row of the spreadsheet to complete as many
iterations as desired.
where x1 = c0/c1.
60 Chemical Engineering Education
Analysis of a Multi-stage System—Numerical Analysis of a Multi-Stage System—Graphical
Solution Solution
The extension of the previous analysis to multi-stage sys- It is clear from Example 2 that the availability of packages
tems is simple and merely involves repeated application of the such as Excel makes solution of ultrafiltration problems rou-
same basic technique. In a multi-stage system, the retentate tine and accessible to undergraduate students. The use of a
from one stage forms the feed to the next. It is easy to show purely numerical approach can leave the student somewhat
that the governing equation for stage i can be written disconnected from the physics of a problem, however. Graphi-
c cal techniques have a long history in chemical engineering and
Q0
( x i−l − x i ) − ln g − ln x i = 0 (5) while they are somewhat obsolete as purely computational
kA c0 devices, they retain considerable utility as pedagogical tools.
In this section, we demonstrate a simple graphical technique
For a system with any arbitrary number of stages, N, the
for the solution of multi-stage problems that not only allows
simplest way to solve these equations is to do them sequen-
one to rapidly solve such problems without the aid of a com-
tially as shown for a three-stage system in Example 2.
puter, but also helps to explain the operation of the system in
a language familiar to chemical engineering students. To start,
we let x represent c0/c where c is the exit concentration from
Example 2 an arbitrary stage. For the first stage our governing equations
In this example, 1L/min of a protein solution is fed to can thus be written
a three-stage continuous feed and bleed ultrafiltration cg
system. The feed again enters at 10g/L and cg can be J = k ln + k ln x (6)
c0
taken to be 300g/L. The mass transfer coefficient is 3.5
3 10-6 m/s in each stage and the area of each stage is Q0
0.9m2, thus giving the same total area as Example 1. Use J=
A
(1− x) (7 )
the Goalseek tool in Excel to compute the concentration
leaving the third stage. Eq. (6) is somewhat analogous to the equilibrium curve
With the numbers supplied, Eq. (5) becomes for the first typically encountered in equilibrium stage operations such as
stage: distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, and absorption. Eq. (7)
represents a straight line and can thus be thought of as the op-
5.29(1− x1 ) − 3.401− ln x1 = 0 (Ex. 2.1) erating line of the module. Thus, feed and bleed ultrafiltration
can actually be described with much of the same language, and
This equation can now be coded into any cell in Excel and using many of the same methods, as the more conventional
the Goalseek tool employed. Putting a guess for x1 into unit operations well known to chemical engineers.
cell A1, the following formula is coded into Cell B1:
=5.291*(1-A1) – 3.401 – LN(A1)
The Goalseek tool is then accessed via the “What If” but-
c1 Q1
ton in Excel 2007. To solve for x1, one simply sets cell
B1 to value zero by changing cell A1.
Using a guess of x1 = 0.2, gives x1 = 0.491. The equation
for the second stage thus becomes

5.291(0.491− x 2 ) − 3.401− ln x 2 = 0 (Ex. 2.2)

JA
Solving gives x2 = 0.176 and thus the equation for the
third stage becomes

5.291(0.176 − x 3 ) − 3.401− ln x 3 = 0 (Ex. 2.3)

Solving as before gives x3 = 0.061. Therefore the exit

concentration from the final stage is 164g/L, which is c0
considerably greater than the 67g/L achieved with a
single stage system of the same total area as found in the Q0
previous numerical example.
Figure 1. Continuous feed and bleed ultrafiltration.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 61

 Eq. (7), the operating line, has an
2.0e-5
x-axis intercept of 1.0 and a y-axis
intercept of Q0/A. The concentration
leaving this stage, i.e., x1, can be
found as the point of intersection 1.5e-5
of the flux curve (analogous to an 1
equilibrium curve), i.e., Eq. (6), and
the operating line. The value of this

J (m/s)
approach is the ease with which it 1.0e-5

can be extended to multi-stage sys- 2

tems. Carrying out a similar analysis
for the second stage, we can write
5.0e-6
the following expression for the flux
in the second stage
3

Q0
J=
A 1
(x − x) (8) 0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

where we have assumed equal areas. x

Assuming the mass transfer coef-
ficient is unchanged in the second Figure 2. Graphical construction for multi-stage system.
stage, Eq. (6) can be applied as
before. Now, Eq. (8) is a straight line with x-intercept = x1 In this case, calculation of the required area is trivial. As
and y-intercept = Q0x1/A. Clearly, therefore, Eqs. (7) and (8) shown below, however, calculation of the required area for a
represent parallel lines and the concentration from the second multistage system is a bit more involved.
stage can be evaluated precisely, as done for the first stage. Design of a Multi-Stage System With Equal Areas
A numerical example for three stages of equal area is shown
Using the same notation as in the section entitled “Analysis
in Example 3.
of a Multi-Stage System—Numerical Solution,” we see that
the problem now is to solve the N equations described by Eq.
Example 3 (5) but here the unknowns are the xi for 1 ≤ i ≤ N-1 and A,
Here we repeat Example 2 but use the graphical approach the area of each stage. Because the area can be eliminated by
described above. rearranging of any one of the equations, however, the system
can be reduced to N-1 equations for the intermediate compo-
For this problem, Eq. (6) becomes sitions. Nevertheless, unlike the analysis problem described
J = 1.19 ×10−5 + 3.5×10−6 ln x (Ex. 3.1) earlier where the equations can be solved sequentially, the
design problem requires simultaneous solution of the equa-
From Eq. (7) the operating line for the first membrane tions. A numerical example, employing the Solver tool in
is Excel, is given in Example 4 for a three-stage system.
J = 1.85×10−5 (1− x ) (Ex. 3.2) Optimization of Multi-Stage Systems
In the last section, we showed how the use of a multi-stage
Plotting these two expressions leads directly to the con-
system is superior to a single-stage system. There is no rea-
struction in Figure 2 and x3 can be rapidly computed. From
son, however, why the area in each stage should be the same,
the graph we find c3 = c0/0.06 = 167g/L in close agreement
although in practice using equal areas is probably the most
with the numerical solution obtained previously.
likely choice given the limited range of membrane modules
produced by manufacturers. For a system with N stages, the
goal, therefore, is to find the values of xi that minimize the
DESIGN OF CONTINUOUS UF SYSTEM
total area, At for fixed xN where
In this type of problem, the exit concentration is specified
and the mass transfer coefficient is assumed to be known. For
N
Q0 N (x i−1 − x i )
At = ∑ Ai = ∑ (10)
a single-stage system, therefore, Eq. (4) becomes i=1 k i=1 ln (c g c0 ) + ln x i
Q0 (1− x1 ) k
A= (9) and x0 =1. The optimum is found by applying the N-1
ln (c g c0 ) + ln x1 conditions.

62 Chemical Engineering Education

 x i−1
ln (c g c0 ) + ln x i + −1
 ∂A  xi 1
 t  = − = 0 for 1 ≤ i ≤ N − 1 (11)
 ∂x  ln (c g c0 ) + ln x i+1
(ln(c )
2
 i x
j≠i g
c0 ) + ln x i

Rearranging in each case gives

(ln(c )
2

g
c0 ) + ln x i cg
ln x i+1 = − ln (12)
x c0
ln (c g c0 ) + ln x i + i−1 − 1
xi

In principle, therefore, the values of the xi that lead to a minimum area are found by simultaneous solution of the N-1 equa-
tions represented by Eq. (12). It is worth noting, however, that in the limit where (1-xi) → 0, this expression can be simplified
somewhat. In that case, we can use appropriate Taylor series
expansions (ln(x) ≈ x – 1 and 1/x ≈ 2 – x) and neglecting
all second order terms, we find
Example 4
In this example, 1L/min of a protein solution is fed to a x i = x i−1x i+1 (13)
three-stage, equal area, continuous feed and bleed ultra-
filtration system. The feed enters at 10g/L and cg can be which implies
taken to be 300g/L. The mass transfer coefficient is 3.5 3
10-6 m/s in each stage and retentate concentration leaving c i+1 ci
= (14)
the third stage is 100g/L. The objective is to use the Solver ci c i−1
tool to compute the area of each stage.
which is the relation due to Rautenbach and Albrecht.[4] In
Applying Eq. (5) and using the relevant numbers (includ-
Example 5 (next page), we find the exact optimum area for
ing x3 = 0.1) gives the following equations to be solved
a three-stage system, compare it with the Rautenbach and
4.762 Albrecht approximation, and with the result obtained previ-
A
(1− x1 ) − 3.401− ln x1 = 0 (Ex. 4.1)
ously for a three-stage, equal area system.

4.762 CONCLUSIONS
A
(x1 − x 2 ) − 3.401− ln x 2 = 0 (Ex. 4.2)
Continuous feed and bleed ultrafiltration is a conceptu-
4.762 ally simple unit operation but the logarithmic dependence
A
(x 2 − 0.1) −1.098 = 0 (Ex. 4.3) of the permeate flux on concentration leads to non-linear
algebraic equations, even for the simplest process situations.
These equations were solved with initial estimates of x1 = With modern software and with simple graphical methods,
0.5, x2 = 0.2, and A = 1m2. The equations were coded into however, these equations can be solved quite easily and there
Excel as shown below in Table 1 and Solver was set the is no reason why they should not be covered as an integral
target of setting cell B1 to be zero by changing cells A1 part of an undergraduate module in bioseparation processes.
to A3, subject to the constraints B2 = 0 and B3 = 0. Furthermore, there is plenty of scope here for even more
Solver converged successfully giving A = 0.713m2, x1 = challenging problems using more complex models for the
0.574, and x2 = 0.264. Thus, the total area required is 3 permeate flux.
3 0.713 = 2.139m2. It would be a useful student exercise
to compare the area required if a single stage system
had been used. Applying Eq. (9) should give an area of
3.902m2, thus showing the advantage of the multi-stage TABLE 1
system. Excel Code for Solving System of Algebraic Equations
Column A Column B
As mentioned above, this system of three equations could
(Guess) (Formula)
have been reduced to two equations by eliminating A from
0.5 =4.762/A3*(1-A1) – 3.401 – ln(A1)
any one of the equations, thus giving two equations that
can also be solved with Solver. Again, this would be a 0.2 =4.762/A3*(A1-A2) – 3.401 – ln(A2)
useful student exercise. 1 =4.762/A3*(A2-0.1) – 1.098

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 63

 Example 5 REFERENCES
Again we have 1 L/min of a protein solution fed to a three-stage continu- 1. Cheryan, M., Ultrafiltration and Microfiltration Hand-
book, 2nd Ed., CRC Press (1998)
ous feed and bleed ultrafiltration system. The feed enters at 10g/L and
2. McCabe, W., J. Smith, and P. Harriott, Unit Operations
cg can be taken to be 300g/L. The mass transfer coefficient is 3.5 3 10-6 of Chemical Engineering, 7th Ed., McGraw-Hill (2005)
m/s in each stage. The objective is to find the minimum area required 3. Geankoplis, C.J., Transport Processes and Separation
to achieve a concentration of 100g/L in the third stage. Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Prentice
Hall (2003)
The unknowns in this problem are x1 and x2 (recall that x3 = 0.1) and 4. Wankat, P.C., Separation Process Engineering, 2nd Ed.,
Eq. (12) can be written after a little rearranging as Prentice Hall (2007)
5. Rautenbach, R., and R. Albrecht, Membrane Process,
 1  Wiley-Blackwell (1989)
(3.401+ ln x 2 )3.401+ ln x1 + x − 1 − (3.401 + ln x1 ) = 0 ( Ex. 5.1)
2

 6. Zeman, L.J., and A.L. Zydney, Microfiltration and Ultra-

 1 filtration, CRC Press (1986)
7. Belter, P.A., E.L. Cussler, and W.-S. Hu, Bioseparations:
 x  Downstream Processing for Biotechnology, Academic
1.0983.401 + ln x 2 + 1 − 1 − (3.401 + ln x 2 ) = 0
2
( Ex. 5.2) Press (1988)
 x2 
8. Harrison, R.G., P.W. Todd, S.R. Rudge, and D. Petrides,
Bioseparations Science and Engineering, Oxford Uni-
Excel Solver was set with the target of satisfying the first equation while versity Press (2003)
the second equation was made a constraint. The initial guesses were x1 9. Ladisch, M.R., Bioseparations Engineering: Principles,
= 0.5 and x2 = 0.2. Convergence was achieved giving x1 = 0.465 and x2 Practice, and Economics, Academic Press (2001)
10. Dunn, I.J., E. Heinzle, J. Ingham, and J.E. Prenosil,
= 0.209. Thus, from Eq. (10), the areas of the three stages are 0.967m2, Biological Reaction Engineering: Dynamic Modelling
0.664m2, and 0.473m2, respectively, giving a total area of 2.103m2. This Fundamentals with Simulation Examples, Wiley-VCH
compares with 2.139m2 in the previous example where equal areas were (2003)
used. Thus the benefits of using an optimized system rather than using 11. Ingham, J., I.J. Dunn, E. Heinzle, and J.E. Prenosil,
Chemical Engineering Dynamics: Modelling with PC
a more convenient equal area system are small indeed. Simulation, 2nd Ed., Wiley-VCH (2000)
It is a useful student exercise to compare the exact result found here with 12. Cutlip, B., and M. Shacham, Problem Solving in Chemical
the Rautenbach andAlbrecht approximation, Eq. (13). Students should and Biochemical Engineering with POLYMATH, Excel,
and MATLAB, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall (2007)
find x1 = x13/ 3 = 0.464 and x 2 = x 32/ 3 = 0.215, both of which have values 13. Foley, H.C., Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analy-
that are very close to the exact answer. sis Using Mathematica, Academic Press (2002) p

64 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE curriculum

Experience Gained During the Adaptation of Classical

ChE Subjects to the Bologna Plan in Europe:
THE CASE OF CHEMICAL REACTORS

Sergio Ponsá and Antoni Sánchez

T
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona • 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
he new European Framework on Higher Education ematical competence and basic competences in science and
proposed in the Bologna Process (a process with technology; 4) computer competence; 5) learning to learn;
similarities to the Washington Accord on Engineering 6) social and civic competences; 7) sense of initiative and
Education) entails sweeping modifications in the structure of entrepreneurship; and 8) cultural awareness and expression.
university studies but also in the teaching methodology. The
According to the Bologna Process, the European Associa-
Washington Accord, Sydney Accord, and Dublin Accord are
tion for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, by means of
three multilateral agreements between groups of jurisdictional
the publication of Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assur-
agencies responsible for accreditation or recognition of tertia-
ance in the European Higher Education Area, determines the
ry-level engineering qualifications within their jurisdictions,
European standards and guidelines for internal quality assur-
which have chosen to work collectively to assist the mobility
ance within higher-education institutions. In these guidelines,
of engineering practitioners holding suitable qualifications.
the assessment and involvement of students is highlighted,
The Bologna Process proposes to structure higher education
since it is one of the most important elements in higher edu-
in three cycles (Bachelor-Master-Ph.D.), converging the very
cation. It is evident that the outcomes of assessment have a
diverse structures of higher education in Europe and bringing
profound effect on students’ future careers. It is therefore
them into line with international standards. This implies a
important that assessment is carried out professionally at all
change from a staff-centered approach to a student-oriented
times and takes into account the extensive knowledge that
approach.[1-3] Accordingly, current teaching methodology
exists about testing and examination processes.
has to be converted as also confirmed in the Lisbon Declara-
tion (2007).[4] This involves not only encouraging the use of Antoni Sánchez is an associate professor
learning outcomes and being explicit about what graduates at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
are expected to know and be able to do, but also encouraging (Barcelona, Spain). He has been lecturing
on chemical reactors for more than 10 years.
critical thinking and the active engagement of students. He has participated in several educational
The Bologna Process as well as the Education & Training
programs and
has obtained the
2010 Work Programme[5] establishes that general key compe- Accreditation for
tences are to become more prominent, more important, and Teaching Innova-
tion.
more explicit in curricula. The European Framework for Key
Competences for Lifelong Learning[6,7] identifies and defines Sergio Ponsá is an assistant professor at the
eight key competences necessary for personal fulfillment, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Barce-
active citizenship, social inclusion, and employability in a lona, Spain). His role in lecturing on chemical
reactors has been developed for more than
knowledge-based society: 1) communication in the mother five years in the fields of problem-solving
language; 2) communication in foreign languages; 3) math- and evaluation.

© Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 65

 Tuning Project is a university-driven project that aims to of- PEDAGOGIC BACKGROUND
fer a concrete approach to implementing the Bologna Process
at the level of higher-education institutions and subject areas This experience was gained in the Department of Chemical
in all Europe. The Tuning Project makes the distinction be- Engineering of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB,
tween learning outcomes and competences to distinguish the Spain). Staff in this department provided instruction in diverse
different roles of the most relevant players: academic staff and subjects such as Chemical Engineering, Technical Industrial
students. Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Biotechnology, and
is expected to know, understand, and/or be able to demon- Chemistry, among others.
strate after completion of learning. Competences represent a Engineering is a discipline that is essential to meet the needs
dynamic combination of knowledge, understanding, skills, of people, for economic development, and for the provision
and abilities. Fostering competences is the object of actual of services to society. Engineering involves the purposeful
educational programs.[1] Competences can be subdivided application of mathematical and natural sciences and a body
into subject-specific and generic. It is important to build up of applied scientific knowledge, technology, and techniques.
and develop subject-specific knowledge and skills. It should It seeks to produce solutions whose effects are predicted to
be emphasized, however, that time and attention should also the maximum degree possible in often uncertain contexts.
be devoted to the development of generic competences or While bringing benefits, engineering activity also has poten-
transferable skills. The Tuning Project distinguishes three tially adverse consequences. Engineering, therefore, must be
types of generic competences: 1) instrumental competences: carried out responsibly and ethically, use available resources
cognitive, methodological, technological, and linguistic efficiently, be economic, safeguard health and safety, be en-
abilities; 2) interpersonal competences: individual abilities, vironmentally sound and sustainable, and generally manage
social interaction, and cooperation; 3) systemic competences: risks throughout the entire life cycle of a system.[14]
abilities and skills concerning whole systems, combining
understanding, sensibility, and knowledge.[1] The two subjects in which the new methodology has been
introduced and evaluated are Chemical Reactors, instructed
In the new EHEA, a continuous assessment for learners/ in the fourth year of the chemical engineering degree course,
students is also proposed. This will imply the remodeling of and Chemical Reaction Engineering, instructed in the second
subject evaluation, leaving the final exam evaluation behind year of the technical industrial engineering degree course.
and changing to a continuous assessment of knowledge, The main characteristics of both subjects are shown in Table
understanding, and competences. 1. The contents of both subjects are similar, but they differ
To take a specific case, in the classic methodology that has in the profile of the student participants, in terms of previous
dominated teaching in all fields during past decades, chemical education, age, and future professional career.
engineering professors lecture much of the time in class.[8-12] In addition, the Washington Accord (and the successive
Nevertheless, the new European Framework on Higher Sydney and Dublin Accords)[14] defined the different Graduate
Education requires a complete reconsideration of teaching Attributes and Professional Competency Profiles differentiating
methodology. The new Framework argues that learning between Professional Engineer (chemical engineer), Engineer-
would improve if professors lectured less and used various ing Technologist, and Engineering Technician (both comparable
active- and inductive-learning methods.[8, 13] These methods to technical industrial engineer status in Spain). This document
include, among others, cooperative group learning, clickers details the abilities and knowledge expected of engineers in
(quick tests), guided design, problem-based learning, quizzes, order to satisfy the professional competency profiles. Funda-
laboratory improvements, and computer simulations to form mentally, the main difference in the two qualifications lies in
part or all of the class periods. the emphasis of each subject: Professional Engineer (chemical
This methodology would be in accordance with the Bolo- engineer) graduates must be able to comprehend and apply
gna Process requirements, which would partially substitute advanced knowledge of the widely applied principles and good
the classic lectures/lessons and would reach all the goals practices, while Engineering Technologist (technical industrial
proposed by EHEA. engineer) graduates should be able to comprehend and apply
In our university department, the teaching methodology for widely accepted and applied procedures, processes, systems
two classical subjects—Chemical Reactors (chemical engineer- or methodologies, and standardized practices.
ing) and Chemical Reaction Engineering (technical industrial In general, both subjects (Chemical Reaction Engineering
engineering)—has been modified according to the Bologna and Chemical Reactors), are crucial to the overall degree
Process to provide the students/learners with the knowledge, content since they treat indispensable aspects in engineering
understanding, and competences necessary as well as with education. They are subjects that require a deep knowledge
transversal key competences. The results obtained five years of mathematics, science, and engineering fundamentals. In
after the implementation of the new methodology in both sub- short, the fundamental content of both subjects is the expla-
jects are shown, discussed, and evaluated in this document. nation and development of all the phenomena and processes
66 Chemical Engineering Education
concerning the design of chemical reactors, essentially based criteria, and they can differ significantly from one university
on mass and energy balances. It is also significant that the or country to another, although some general guidelines al-
level of knowledge acquired in these subjects will be also ready exist (European Federation of Chemical Engineering,
reflected later in other subjects or periods during the degree 2005).[16] Thus, the present manuscript could also be used as
course. In particular they will be re-evaluated when students an evaluated example of a subject program and transformed
carry out the Final Project, where they must design a complete methodology. During recent years, it has been observed how
industrial process. the number of student drop-outs in the subjects evaluated in
In terms of enrollment, both are medium-level subjects this document has increased. Furthermore and even more
(about 40-50 students per year). Using the classical lecture negative, is how many students who passed the subjects were
methodology that normally involves a high subject dropout not able to apply, in later courses or subjects, the knowledge
rate, however, the percentage of class attendance is around and abilities that they were supposed to possess (this can be
50%. Students have the perception that these subjects are im- clearly confirmed in the Final Project of the degree). This
portant but difficult to pass. This translates into a high drop-out may indicate that some students are able to pass the subjects
rate through the year, which is also increased by the fact that without learning, or in other words, they miss the chance to
many students find jobs before finishing the course. learn. This fact was also noticed in other subjects, and even
in other degrees, and many times it was attributed to the poor
At present engineering is one of the areas in which fewer
knowledge and intelligence of the new student generations. At
subjects have been modified or adapted to new methodologies
this point, the new proposed methodology may also be used
(especially the core or obligatory subjects), compared to other
for refuting this argument and to improve the learning of the
fields.[15] The traditional methodology applied to the teaching
students. The general objective of the experience presented
of these subjects used lectures, either those corresponding
here is to demonstrate that it is possible to modify the teach-
to theoretical credits, or problem-solving lectures, in which
ing methodology in classical chemical engineering subjects
the lecturer solved problems with little or no student-teacher
while achieving the main goals determined in the EHEA.
interaction (see Table 1). Subject assessment consisted of a
That would mean switching from an old methodology based
final exam or test in which all knowledge and abilities were
on lecture lessons to active and inductive learning methods,
evaluated. Students perceived that this methodology is posi-
making students participate and interact during lectures and
tive for them since they had been taught with similar method-
activities. In addition, some specific objectives are defined
ologies in all degree subjects or courses. Moreover, these are
and highlighted in the following points:
considered as crucial and key subjects by the Department of
Chemical Engineering staff and had been taught by the best • To demonstrate that continuous student assessment is
suitable for these classical engineering subjects.
qualified teachers with extensive experience.
• To compare the implementation of new teaching/learning
LEARNING PHILOSOPHY methodologies in higher engineering studies.
According to the new procedures and methodologies es- • To improve the learning of transversal key competences,
tablished in the EHEA by way of the Bologna Process, older such as leadership, teamwork, and oral and written com-
programs, teaching methodologies, and practices must be munication skills.
modified or in some cases substituted by other new method- • To prove that it is possible to take appropriate action to
ologies and techniques that will fit all Bologna requirements. decrease the level of subject and/or degree abandoning.
To summarize, the new
European Higher Edu-
TABLE 1
cation Framework en-
Main Features of Subjects Studied
forces the application
Subject Chemical Reaction Engineering Chemical Reactors
of new methodologies
to increase and improve Degree Technical Industrial Engineering Chemical Engineering
students’ understanding Length 3 years 5 years
and knowledge acquire- Year of instruction 2nd 4th
ment and to better assess Courses evaluated ’05-’06, ’06-’07, ’07-’08, ’08-’09, ’09-’10 ’05-’06, ’06-’07, ’07-’08, ’08-’09, ’09-’10
the complete learning
Type of subject Obligatory to study (core subject) Obligatory to study (core subject)
process. At present, all
Total credits1 6 7.5
Higher Education Pro-
grams are being modified Theoretical and Problem- 4.5 + 1.5 4.5 + 3
Solving credits1
to better fit the require-
ments of Bologna. Many Students enrolled per year 40 50
times modifications are Main contents Chemical Reactor Design Chemical Reactor Design
made under teachers’ 1 At present, in Spain, one credit corresponds to 10 hours of class participation for students.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 67
NEW PROGRAMS: GOALS AND entiating between isothermal, adiabatic, or neither
COMPETENCES TO BE ACQUIRED isothermal nor adiabatic reactors.
2. To describe the main characteristics of chemical reac-
One of the weak points identified in the old Higher Educa-
tors and their different types.
tion Systems, in which Engineering disciplines are included,
is that the objectives of courses, subjects and grade or degree 3. To design chemical reactors.
programs are not defined or, in any case, they are too vague. 4. To interpret the flow models of chemical reactors.
As established in Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assur- 5. To discern between the theoretical concepts associated
ance in the European Higher Education Area, programs have with chemical reactors and common practices in their
to be redefined in order to clearly inform the students about design.
the assessment strategy being used for the course or subject,
Considering these more concise and specific objectives,
which examinations or other assessment methods they will
students and instructors would be able to evaluate whether
be subjected to and what will be expected of them.[17]
they had really achieved the main goals of the subject or
In this sense, one of the first tasks was to modify the not. The new evaluation system is designed for an objective
old subject program that consisted of a brief list of topics, evaluation of these goals and competences.
introducing new, extended, and detailed program where all
Some competences are subject-area related (specific to
information related to the objectives, evaluation, goals, topics,
a field of study) while others are generic (common to any
etc., were included.
degree course). As is mentioned in the Washington Accord
The EHEA, as established by The Bologna Process and and Tuning documents on Educational Structures in Europe
supported by Tuning Project, intends to make plans of studies and established in the Bologna Process, specific and generic
comparable, compatible, and transparent in all the European competences have to be defined for each graduate profile.[1, 14]
countries by developing reference points at any subject area Also, scientific competences would be included in the new
level. The reference points are expressed in terms of learning subject programs adapted to Bologna Process. In this sense,
outcomes (learning achievement goals) and competences. different competences were defined for Chemical Reactors
Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner is ex- (Chemical Engineering).
pected to know, understand and be able to demonstrate after
• Scientific knowledge and fundamental laboratory compe-
completion of a learning experience. According to Tuning,
tences:
learning outcomes are expressed in terms of the level of com-
1. To be able to apply knowledge of mathematics, sci-
petence to be obtained by the learner. Competences represent
ence, engineering fundamentals, and an engineering
a dynamic combination of cognitive and meta-cognitive skills,
specialization to the solution of complex engineering
knowledge and understanding, interpersonal, intellectual, and problems.
practical skills, and ethical values. Considering the guidelines
2. To know the main reaction systems, separations, fluid
proposed by Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance
dynamics, solid mechanics, and material processing
in the EHEA, Tuning Project, The Education & Training 2010 technologies involved in industrial processes related
Work Programme and The European Framework for Key to Chemical Engineering.
Competences for Lifelong Learning, as well as considering
the suggestions of the European Federation of Chemical Engi- • Specific competences:
neering, new specific learning outcomes and competences to 1. Specific theoretical knowledge:
be achieved by the students of both subjects were defined. a. To understand the main principles of Chemical En-
The following learning outcomes are defined for each gineering: mass and energy balances and kinetics.
subject: b. To attain a profound knowledge of thermodynam-
ics, phase- and chemical equilibria.
• Chemical Reaction Engineering:
c. To possess extensive knowledge of the kinetics of
1. To comprehend the stoichiometric, thermodynamic,
physical processes such as transference of mass,
and kinetic basis of the chemical reactions from an
energy, and movement as well as chemical reac-
engineering point of view.
tion kinetics.
2. To describe the main characteristics of chemical reac-
tors and their different types. 2. Specific practical competences:
3. To design chemical reactors. a. Ability to design chemical engineering processes,
systems, and facilities.
4. To interpret the flow models of chemical reactors.
b. Ability to design solutions for complex engineer-
• Chemical Reactors: ing problems and design systems, components or
1. To learn how to design real chemical reactors consid- processes that meet specified needs with appro-
ering ideal reactors as the basis for design, differ- priate consideration for public health and safety,

68 Chemical Engineering Education

 cultural, social, and environmental consider- For Technical Industrial Engineering, almost all competenc-
ations. es are similar to Chemical Engineers, but with less emphasis
3. Competences appropriate to a Chemical Engineer profes- on knowledge, both theoretical and practical.
sional:
a. Being informed of the contextual knowledge, to NEW TEACHING/LEARNING METHODOLOGY
assess social, health, safety, legal, and cultural To switch from the traditional teaching methodology to the
issues and the consequent responsibilities rel- new one, wide-ranging modifications were carried out. The
evant to professional engineering practice. main changes, as well as the methods and resources used,
b. To understand the impact of professional engi- are indicated below.
neering solutions in social and environmental
I. New subject/course program: the curriculum was com-
contexts and demonstrate knowledge of and need
pletely modified and extended in order to also include
for sustainable development.
the specific goals and competences described above, a
c. To apply ethical principles and be committed to detailed explanation of how the continuous assessment
the professional ethics and responsibilities and would be carried out, and a specific and concise descrip-
norms of engineering practice. tion of the assessed tasks, in terms of how task evaluation
4. Research competences: will be done, the contents and modus operandi of activities
or tasks, and their anticipated time requirements.
a. To conduct investigations of complex problems
using research-based knowledge and research II. Continuous assessment: all activities proposed must be
methods including design of experiments, analy- included in the subject evaluation. This is very important
sis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of because it does not permit the student to discard activi-
information to provide valid conclusions. ties if they are not included in the final evaluation. It is
also essential to establish the schedule of activities/tasks
• Generic competences: according to the program development. An efficient com-
1. To work effectively as an individual, be dynamic and munication system is crucial to provide the final details
organized, and be capable of analyzing and synthe- or instructions for activities as well as for publishing
sizing. the task marks and corrections. In this sense, the use of
the internal University Network (Virtual Campus) was
2. To possess self-esteem and have a spirit of self-im- seminal for the success of the new methodology.
provement.
III. Teamwork activities: Contrary to the previous problem-
3. To be able to solve problems and to obtain reason- lesson methodology, in these new activities, students must
able results when no clue to the solution is given, submit a complete and complex engineering problem, with
with leadership and creativity, and capacity for mak- correct data, correct problem description and considering
ing decisions and managing information. all necessary points to deal with the problem, Later, each
4. To communicate effectively on complex engineering group has to solve another group’s problem. In addition,
activities with the engineering community and with apart from solving, they also have to correct the problem,
society at large, such as being able to comprehend give a critical opinion and propose improvements and
and write effective reports and design documenta- better alternatives. The assessment of these activities
tion, make effective presentations, and give and should include consideration of the level of complexity,
receive clear instructions. creativity and coherency of the problem proposed, and
solving skills, as well as capacity for analyzing, providing
5. To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
argued conclusions, and suggesting improvements.
engineering and management principles and apply
these to one’s own work, as a member and leader in IV. Oral presentations and public discussions: as it is fre-
a team, to manage projects and in multidisciplinary quently a weak point among ongoing engineers, each
environments. student makes at least two presentations during the
course in these subjects. Presentations have a stipulated
6. To work effectively as a member or leader in diverse
length, normally short enough to encourage students to
teams and in multidisciplinary projects.
develop other skills or competences such as the ability
7. To create, select, and apply appropriate techniques, to synthesize information and discern ideas or concepts.
resources, and modern engineering and computer The first presentation is individual and the second is given
tools, including prediction and modeling, to complex by a group. In the group presentation, students have to
engineering activities, with an understanding of the choose the group’s leader who will then be in charge of
limitations. executing the main points of the presentation. This permits
the development of leadership skills.
8. To speak English fluently as the lingua franca for
worldwide communication and relationships as well V. Using specialized software and computer solving prob-
as being able to speak correctly in other relevant lems: The use of specialized software is required when
worldwide languages. simulations or modeling is needed or when the problem

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 69

 solving involves extensive numerical calculations. MAT- On the other hand, students are not positive to the fact that
LAB is the software chosen for problem simulation and the time invested in the subject has been at least doubled.
modeling and for mathematical calculation solving, since It is seen as negative that quick tests force them to be con-
it is one of the most generally used in the engineering centrated and focused on the lecturer’s presentation during
field. The use of computers has been extensive in the
the entire class time leaving them without a single second
engineering sphere in recent years and many references
to the topic exist.[18-20] One group activity is designed to of relaxation. It is just these points that the students value
be carried out by using MATLAB. It consists of proposing negatively, however, that are very highly valued by professors
and solving exceptionally complex problems in non-steady since they are exactly what the new methodology pursues as
state and non-isothermal reactors. Computer modeling goal. Consequently these negative points are considered to
and simulation are required to determine the behavior be “in the nature” of the subject. It is important to note that
of the system and predict the final steady state working students realize that they cannot allow themselves to get dis-
conditions. A specific non-steady state system is given for tracted or to relax during lectures, because in subjects such
each group and students have to develop all necessary as these, with a high level of abstraction, distraction is the
tasks to obtain many final coherent results and the rea-
main obstacle to effective learning.
soned discussions of them. The use of specialized software
and computers for solving engineering problems is also When the new methodology was launched some students
appropriate considering the key competences determined complained because some of them were professionally em-
in the European Framework for Key Competences for ployed and could not attend class when activities had to be car-
Lifelong Learning.[6, 7] ried out. Two different timetables for all programmed activities
VI. Quick tests: during the many lessons some quick tests are were proposed in order to satisfy all students. The first option
carried out with some different objectives.[21] The first one is the standard one and consists of carrying out the activity
is included to provide prompt feedback of the depth of during the normal timetable of the subject for the majority of
students’ understanding. Secondly, it permits students to the students. The second one consists of carrying out the same
engage actively in learning. Finally, the marks obtained in activities but in an alternative timetable in the morning or the
these tests account for the continuous subject assessment afternoon depending on the normal timetable of the subject. The
and the final subject qualification.
students who were working agreed to this option and, finally,
VII. Final subject evaluation by students: Since these are the passed the subject without any problems.
first years of the new methodology application and most The use of the internal University Network is one of the
of students have never been taught using this new meth-
main tools for fluent communication between teachers and
odology, a final subject evaluation inquiry is designed to
obtain reliable feedback about students’ perception of the students. It was seen to be fundamental to the new methodol-
subject. This inquiry is partially shown in Table 2. ogy, receiving more than 1,000 visits for each course.
VIII. Final meeting students-teachers: At the end of the course,
The time requirements on teachers that the new methodol-
teachers have a meeting with some students to go through ogy demands has been carefully assessed. The result is that
the main questions and problems and discuss the main teachers must increase the time dedicated to the subject by
modifications, activities, tasks, etc., in order to hear the 50% (class times and double timetable for activities are not
students’ feelings after completing the course. counted in this assessment). At present, a normal subject of
six credits would mean 60 hours of class and 60 hours of
RESULTS preparation, but with the new methodology, the time dedicated
to the preparation or the correction of activities increases to a
General Results minimum of 90 hours. It also has to be considered that the time
In general, students and teachers are very positive about the dedicated to classes also increases due to the double timetable
new methodology. In the final meeting, it was confirmed that for activities. After implementation of the new methodology,
almost all students favored the new methodology and all of most of the extra time is invested in the correction of clickers
them had the feeling that they have learned more than with a and activities. The continuous subject assessment implies that
conventional teaching methodology. clickers and activities must be corrected as soon as possible
On the one hand, students assign high positive values to the (one week for activities and two days for clickers). This allows
new activities focused on developing transversal key com- the student to continuously evaluate his/her learning.
petences such as teamwork activities and oral presentations Despite the different student profiles found in the two de-
and discussions in public. It is surprising that most of students grees evaluated, the accomplishments of the new methodol-
in the fourth course of a chemical engineering degree have ogy are very similar. The trends observed in both subjects are
never given an oral presentation in public and hence had little similar: low subject quitting rates, the high assimilation of
or no experience in making presentations using specialized all new transversal key competences included, and the pass
software (for example, PowerPoint). percentages of both subjects.

70 Chemical Engineering Education

 In any case, it has been demonstrated that both subjects tion and cooperation with teachers is also well appreciated by
are suitable for the new methodology and, despite different students. Oddly, almost all students think that their classmates
student profiles, both have been remarkably successful. do not like the new methodology, but at individual level, all of
them answer that they are totally satisfied with it.
Subject Evaluation Inquiries Results
At the end of each course, students are asked to fill out a Assessment of the Learning Goals and
questionnaire to determine how they value the subjects and Competences Achieved by the Students
what they think about the new methodology. As the answers The methodologies used for the continuous assessment
given by students are similar for both subjects they are com- of the subjects as well as the final exam evaluation are de-
bined together in Table 2. signed to assess the acquisition of the established learning
Results show that students are greatly satisfied with the goals and competences by the students. To deeply assess the
knowledge and understanding acquired as well as with the new benefits of the new methodology proposed, however, the
transversal key competences developed. The good communica- knowledge and new competences acquired should be also

TABLE 2
Questions and General Answers
Questions Answers Comments
Compared to classic lecture teaching Without exception, all students think that
methodology, do you think that the new new is better
methodology is….
Do you think that classes have been more All agree that classes have been much more
interactive? interactive
With the new methodology, do you have All students answered that classes were
an up-to-date knowledge of the subject? more up-to-date
Do you think that teamwork activities All agree that teamwork activities have
have been a good experience? been positive
Would you recommend new methodology All answer yes
for next course?
Give a mark to lessons The average is 8-9
Do you think that the use of InternalNet- All think that it is a very useful tool
work (Campus Virtual) is positive?
Which activity did you like the most and The most: teamwork activities;
the least? the least: Clickers
What do you think about assessment All think that it is appropriate Some prefer a final exam instead of continuous
system? assessment
How would you define your classmates’ Almost all think that their classmates do not On the contrary, all of them assign positive
feelings about new methodology? like the new methodology values
Do you think that you or your classmates The majority answer no However, it has been demonstrated that the drop-
would have dropped-out if classic meth- out rates have significantly decreased
odology had been applied?
If the subject had been taught by using The majority answer no
classic methodology, do you think that
you would have learned more?
Time commitment that new methodology At least twice as much Some students answer that it is even three times
demands compared with classic method- as much
ology is…
Do you think that continuous assessment Many answered yes, but a few answered
system allows you to pass the subject that it is the same as final exam evaluation
easily?
Comments: How do you think that To coordinate the subject continuous assess-
subject teaching methodology and assess- ment with other subjects, which also use
ment could improve? the same system. Not to use the clickers
for continuous assessment. To increase the
hours dedicated to problem solving.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 71

reflected in subsequent subjects, being more representative REFERENCES
than the Final Project. In this subject, the level of knowl- 1. Universities’ contribution to the Bologna Process. Tuning Education
edge and the competences previously acquired are definitely Structures in Europe. General Brochure. Tuning Project (2008)
demonstrated. During the last years, Prof. Sanchez has also 2. Reichert, S., and C. Tauch, Trends IV: European Universities Imple-
menting Bologna, European University Association, EUA Publications,
participated as groups’ tutor of the Final Project. Therefore, (2005) <www.eua.be>
direct confirmation of the progress in specific abilities such 3. Sursock, A., and H. Smidt, Trends 2010: A Decade of Change in Eu-
as teamwork and leadership among the students has been ropean Higher Education, EUA Publications (2010) <www.eua.be>
possible. In addition, it has been determined that the number 4. Lisbon Declaration 2007. Europe’s Universities Beyond 2010: Diversity
with a common purpose. EUA Publications (2007) <www.eua.be>
of topic-related questions regarding the design of reactors 5. Joint Progress Report of the Council and the Commission on the
and learning outcomes that are supposed to be acquired in implementation of the “Education & Training 2010” work programme.
the particular subject of Chemical Reactors has decreased Council of the European Union. Education Committee. Brussels, 18
40% in the last five years. Furthermore, the quality of the January 2010. 5394/10. EDUC 11. SOC 21, 2010
6. Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18
work and the deepness in detail knowledge regarding reac- December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/
tor design has been considerably improved. Finally, the use EC), 2006
of specialized software has been widely and successfully 7. Key competences for a changing world. Draft 2010 joint progress
adapted by the students in simultaneous and subsequent report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of
the “Education & Training 2010 work programme” Communication
subjects such as Separation Operations, Process and Prod- from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the
uct Engineering, and Heat Transfer, among others, as well European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
as in the Final Project, where students use MATLAB (or Regions. COM(2009)640 final (2009)
similar specialized software) as the main tool for designing, 8. Wankat, P.C., The Effective, Efficient Professor. Teaching, Scholarship
and Service, Allyn & Bacon, Boston (2002)
modeling, and simulating reactors, equipment, and even full 9. Wankat, P.C., “The History of Chemical Engineering and Pedagogy,
plant operations. the Paradox of Tradition and Innovation,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 43(3),
216 (2009)
FUTURE PROPOSALS 10. Felder, R.M., D.R. Woods, J.E. Stice, and A. Rugarcia, “The Future of
Engineering Education. Part 2. Teaching Methods that Work,” Chem.
Given the present framework of changing teaching method- Eng. Educ., 34(1), 26 (2000)
ologies in Spain and, in general, in Europe, we consider that 11. Prince, M.J., ”Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research,”
J. Eng. Educ., 93(2), 223 (2004)
it is important to publish the experience gained. It is crucial 12. Prince, M.J., and R.M. Felder, “Inductive Teaching and Learning
to change the minds of professors who deny their usefulness. Methods: Definitions, Comparisons and Research Bases,” J. Eng.
Therefore, in our opinion, the first step is to provide new Educ., 9(2), 123 (2006)
references of successful application of the methodology in 13. Bologna Work Plan 2009-2012. Bologna Secretariat <http://www.
bologna2009benelux.org>
subjects where previously none existed. 14. The Washington Accord (1989), Sydney Accord (2001), and Dublin
In a second step, the communication with students to Accord (2002). International Engineering Alliance <http://www.
achieve a continuous improvement of the subject is very washingtonaccord.org>
15. Standards for Accreditation. AQU Catalunya. 2005. New Grades
important. Our experience has lasted five years, and in each
Adaptation to EHEA. AQU Catalunya. 2005, Universitat de Lleida,
year several modifications have been introduced, typically for Spain, 2004
the students’ learning improvement. Some of them are very 16. Recommendations for Chemical Engineering Education in a Bologna
simple, such as having two timetables for activities or using Two-Cycle Degree System. European Federation of Chemical Engi-
neering, 2005 <http://www.deb.uminho.pt/eqedu/downloads/EFCE-
specific software, but obviously the teacher must know the
Bologna-Recom-05-09.pdf>
problem to correct them. 17. Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher
Education Area. European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher
CONCLUSIONS Education. Helsinki, Finland (2005)
18. Bungay, H., and E. Kuchinski, “The World Wide Web for Teaching
The reflections, discussions, and results presented in this Chemical Engineering,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 29(3), 162 (1995)
document support the new methodology adopted according 19. Davis, J.F., G.E. Blau, and G.V. Reklaitis, “Computers in Undergradu-
to the Bologna Process and to the EHEA. Our experience ate ChE Education. A perspective on training and application,” Chem.
Eng. Educ., 29(1), 50 (1995)
shows that this methodology is highly beneficial to students 20. Mah, R.S.H., and D.M. Himmelblau, “Role and Impact of Computers
since it increases the depth of knowledge and understanding in Engineering Education,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 29, 46, (1995)
of chemical engineering and also develops substantial trans- 21. Woods, D.R., and H. Sheardown, “Ideas for Creating and Overcoming
versal key competences. Student Silences,” Chem. Eng. Educ., 43(2), 125 (2009) p

72 Chemical Engineering Education

 ChE curriculum

JOURNAL CLUB:
A Forum to Encourage Graduate and Undergraduate
Research Students to Critically Review the Literature

Adrienne R. Minerick

N
Michigan Technological University* • Houghton, MI 49931
ew faculty encounter challenges as they strive to traditionally have had to “pick up along the way” during their
set up their research lab and start a research group. research experience. Few have studied the process for how
Familiarity with current literature is crucial to con- students approach literature reviews; those that have done
ducting sound research, and including a formal education in so discovered it is an involved and iterative process.[4] This
this aspect of research can be beneficial to graduate research manuscript asserts that strategic instruction in this area leads
students and concurrently guide the research group’s publish- to more productive research students sooner by counteracting
ing goals. The involvement of undergraduates has the added literature lethargy, strengthening technical backgrounds, and
benefit of encouraging these students to pursue graduate bolstering the quality of research conducted in a lab group. A
studies in engineering.[14] It should be noted that a previous model of instruction is described and then assessed.
version of this manuscript without the assessment component
Adrienne Minerick is an associate professor
was published in the 2006 ASEE conference proceedings as of chemical engineering at Michigan Tech
paper # AC 2006-2663.[1] having recently moved from Mississippi State
University, where she was a tenured associ-
The training of students in advanced research is by nature ate professor. She received her Ph.D. and
mostly experiential; the inclusion of strategic instruction var- M.S. from the University of Notre Dame and
B.S. from Michigan Technological University.
ies considerably. Most advisors train their students with the At Tech, she teaches graduate Kinetics and
same methods by which they were trained, with slight modifi- Analytical Microdevice Technology courses.
At MSU, Dr. Minerick taught the graduate
cations and adaptations. Experiential training in the laboratory Chemical Engineering Math, Process Con-
can include demonstration strategies such as having students trols, Introduction to Chemical Engineering
watch difficult procedures three times then repeat those pro-
Freshman Seminar, Heat Transfer, and Analytical Microdevice Technol-
ogy courses. Her research is in medical microdevice diagnostics and
cedures three times under supervision before conducting the dielectrophoresis.
procedure independently. Mentoring has received attention © Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2011
recently including publications from the Howard Hughes
Medical Institute[2] and the National Academy of Science.[3] * Work conducted at: 323 President’s Circle, Dave C. Swalm School
Some aspects of the training of students in research are not of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi
State, MS 39762.
typically done in a strategic fashion, however. Reading, Author can be contacted at: 1400 Townsend Drive, Department of
understanding, critiquing, and assimilating facts, suggestive Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Hough-
data, and theories from the literature is a skill that students ton, MI 49931; Phone: 906-487-2796, Email: minerick@mtu.edu
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 73
 While involving students in structured literature critiques The Journal Club activities described have been run con-
is not widely practiced, it is not a new concept and has secutively each semester for six years in one professor’s
been found to be beneficial.[1, 5] Such structured guidance research group comprised of graduate students on research
has been implemented for undergraduates in life sciences assistantships, undergraduate students paid hourly, as well
subjects,[6] hospital physicians and graduate students of as a limited number of prospective students interested in the
molecular medicine, and first-year chemical engineer- group’s research. It was run as a weekly group meeting in 2004
ing students.[7] Courses focused on research methods are and 2005; beginning in spring 2006, it was formalized into a
becoming more common in a variety of fields.[8] Courses one-credit-hour class with a department-approved syllabus,
focused on written / oral communication skills include learning objectives, and formalized reports. Assessment of
formal / informal seminars and written critiques by other literature prowess was conducted at the very beginning of
students,[9] implementation of annual progress reports for Fall 2008 (to catch Spring 2008 participants), as well as at the
graduate students,[10] research project driven writing for end of the Fall 2008, Spring 2009, and Fall 2009 semesters.
non-native writers,[11] mentoring relationships to improve Journal Club utilizes a discussion format, which is particu-
oral and written proficiency of international graduate larly beneficial for young researchers because it demonstrates
students,[12] and studio writing courses for undergraduate and promotes practice of logic skills, critical thinking, and
researchers.[13] Advice on conducting graduate seminars verbalization of ideas.[19]
is available in The New Professor’s Handbook, where the This literature seminar provides a forum within which to a)
authors assert, “a seminar program can go a long way in mentor students to read, discuss, and understand papers in their
helping graduate students acquire the knowledge and skills research field, and b) discuss attributes of academia related to
to become independent researchers.”[15] scholarly writing and publications. Two years of assessment
Academic research is a “publish or perish” type of environ- data show that this structured approach decreases students’
ment.[16] Limited advice exists in the literature to help new apprehensions and intimidation of technical literature and im-
faculty publish,[16-18] and this manuscript asserts that making proves their ability to write and publish technical papers.
manuscript writing and literature review an area of strategic
instruction will increase the publishing productivity of a new STARTING UP THE WEEKLY
faculty member’s research group. Some articles provide stra- LITERATURE REVIEW MEETINGS
tegic instruction for newer faculty on writing grant proposals The experiential advice provided has been developed during
and scholarly papers to persuasively communicate concepts the author’s six years as a tenure-track assistant professor and
and ideas in science and engineering.[16] Particularly prolific first half-year as an associate professor. The author’s research
writers (in the educational psychology field) were interviewed group (and thus class participants) has been comprised of
on why they were so productive.[17] These individuals identi- Ph.D. students, M.S. students, and part-time Research Ex-
fied four categories including collaboration, passion / curios- perience for Undergraduates (REU) students on NSF- and
ity, research skills, and time management. Collaboration was DOE-funded research projects. The group has earned 18
identified as the most common attribute of prolific writers awards at regional / national conferences, published 35 pro-
who collectively broke this into “mentoring received, mentor- ceedings articles, one book chapter, and 11 archival journal
ing given, collaboration with colleagues, and collaboration articles in the last six years. The suggestions included herein
as feedback in the writing process.” The passion / curiosity are a culmination of strategies that have been most successful
category revealed the variety of self-motivations of prolific in mentoring neophyte researchers to obtain a satisfactory
writers. In the research skills category, four subareas were familiarity with the literature and in maintaining knowledge
identified that included focused research in a given unexplored of more senior group members on the current literature.
area of the field, knowing the literature, writing skills, and
research management via thinking of new avenues of the When starting a formalized literature review session, it helps
research field to explore. Time management was the fourth to clearly convey the purpose and importance of the activity.
most common attribute of prolific writers who worked to The following is an excerpt from the class syllabus:
eliminate distractions so they could write, scheduled regular “The purpose of Journal Club is to encourage everyone in
writing instead of sporadic writing, and forced deadlines to get the group to remain abreast of the literature. The discussion
the paper submitted.[17] The literature-review course described of articles tangentially related to your research will benefit
you by increasing the breadth of your knowledge. Your
here is structured to directly teach a) collaboration between
depth of understanding and retention of articles in your own
students in a research group as well as between the professor research area will increase as you practice and prepare for
and students, b) increasing knowledge of the literature, c) leading discussions. The discussion questions will increase
writing skills, and d) deadlines. This Journal Club indirectly the depth of your knowledge. In addition, your involvement
contributes to a) curiosity and enthusiasm in the research in discussions will teach you to think critically and will aid
field, and b) research management by directly discussing new in developing your own experiments and skills. More spe-
directions of research. cifically, after completion of the course, you will be able to:
74 Chemical Engineering Education
 • Critically read current literature in electrokinetics and Letter grade scale:
microdevices. • 90 – 100 % A
• Lead a discussion on a research article. • 80 – 90 % B
• Demonstrate the ability to adapt techniques from articles • 70 – 80 % C
into your own lab work. • 60 – 70% D
• < 60 % F
• Critique techniques and conclusions asserted in the
literature. Daily Grades
• The main activity in this course is the critical reading of
• Conduct a literature search and obtain articles available
assigned articles and integral involvement in discus-
on-campus and off-campus.
sions.
• Analyze data to determine trends and present this to the • Your daily grade at each meeting will be computed as
group. follows:
• Compile a survey of literature on a subject and organize r (30%) Prompt attendance

it for oral presentations, and r (30%) Demonstrate prior knowledge of article (hav-

• Write a research article using your survey of the litera- ing read it prior to the meeting)
ture and the articles presented / discussed during the r (40%) Discussion of topics including asking ques-

semester.” tions, assessment of content, interpretations, etc.

Presenter’s Grade
Secondly, it is important to remain organized and to com-
• On the days you lead discussions, you will need to
municate well in advance the student’s assigned article and
prepare a written article summary (two to three para-
presentation date. The author tried a number of approaches graphs), article review (see example), and an outline of
including a) student selection of articles, b) article selection discussion items. The grading rubric is:
throughout the semester, and c) professor-assigned articles. r (30%) Preparation demonstrated via a thorough

Article selection during a semester either by the professor article review

or the student is not recommended because of high logisti- r (30%) Article summary

cal overhead. The most efficient and effective approach has r (40%) Outline and discussion of topics including an-

been to ask the students to conduct a literature search on a swering and asking questions, assessment of content,
specified topic in advance of the first meeting of the semester. interpretations, etc.
Each student brings their top five articles from this search Remember, you do not have to be an expert on the article,
and quickly summarizes the merits of the articles (based just a guide.”
on reading the abstracts) for the group. The professor and The biggest return from a literature review effort will likely
students select the two or three that the student will present be in the form of student productivity in research writing.
during the semester. By the following Journal Club meeting, The frequent interactions incrementally guide students to-
each student e-mails the entire group an electronic copy of ward greater scientific rigor, quality presentations / posters,
the article. The professor prepares and distributes a schedule laboratory / simulation methodologies, and stronger written
summarizing presenter dates and article citations. This ap- manuscripts. Each semester, students complete individual
proach facilitates a paperless Journal Club and promotes oral presentations and write a final report on their research
examination of supplemental electronic documentation that in archival journal article format; both must include well-
journals publish online. developed literature-review sections. One useful resource for
One recommended approach is to develop a syllabus for students that provides guidance is an article on “Attributes
each semester outlining objectives of the Journal Club, the of Exemplary Research Manuscripts Employing Quantitative
schedule, and expected performance; this can be published Analysis.”[18] An excerpt from the syllabus on expectations
on the lab’s website and updated throughout the semester.[20] with presentations and final reports is included below:
Formalizing Journal Club into a one-credit-hour directed “Oral Presentation: Research Progress and Relation to the
individual study course with a full five-point (A through F) Literature
grading scale helped students prioritize reading the articles. One oral presentation will be scheduled at the end of
In some departments, REU students can use the credits to- the semester.
ward technical elective requirements. The professor benefits Graduate Students: This presentation of ~10 minutes
by documenting the course in annual faculty evaluations as is to include a motivation, background and literature
student credit hours taught. An example grading rubric is: review, premise of your research project, experimental
description, results including plots of data, and inter-
“Grades
pretations / conclusions.
• Daily grade = 30%
Undergraduate Students: This presentation of ~6
• Presenter’s grade = 30% minutes is to include a literature review and overview
• Presentation & Final Report = 40% of your research project and results.
Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 75
 Final Report: Compiled Survey of the Literature before the class. After the meeting, the article summary and
Graduate Students: A final report (12 – 15 pages, discussion notes are posted on the research group’s website
double-spaced), formatted and written in the same tone as well as in the lab group’s EndNote and Dossier databases
and polished state as an archival journal article, will for easy reference.[21, 22]
be due at the end of the semester. A minimum of 15 A Journal Club session starts with the student’s article
references must be discussed at the level commiserate summary, which acts as a brief overview of the introduction /
with published journal articles.
purpose of the article and its applicability to his / her research
REU Students: A final report (5 – 8 pages, double- project. The format that has been most educational for the
spaced) will be due at the end of the semester and will
students is to have them critique the article as if they have
include the same sections as a traditional archival
journal article. Your assigned article and >4 oth-
been solicited as a journal reviewer to assess the quality of
ers pertinent to your own research project should be the manuscript and make a recommendation for publishing
included.” concurrent with suggested edits / feedback to the authors.
Students are provided examples of recent reviews that the
Once a formalized Journal Club activity is in place in a professor has conducted and guided to provide at least the
faculty member’s lab group, it can be adapted and expanded following:
to include non-REU undergraduates not already conducting
A. A summary of the entire article and its context in the
research. The format is also conducive to students at vary- field.
ing skill levels. When a Journal Club is first implemented,
B. An assessment of the content organized by section.
the students are at approximately the same skill level. Once
established, the more senior members voluntarily engage in C. An assessment of language and miscellaneous.
peer-to-peer mentoring. For example, graduate students will D. A critique of figures / tables.
guide first-time students through conducting an initial data- E. An overall assessment and recommendation to the
base search to locate relevant articles (A document guiding editor (accept, accept with revisions, resubmit for re-
students on a literature search is provided on the author’s review after major revisions, do not accept).
webpage.[20]) With regard to scheduling, the newest students This written critique is provided either in hardcopy or elec-
are added to the end of the rotation of presenters so that they tronic form at the beginning of the session. The facilitating
have time to observe how more advanced students structure an student then begins an interactive discussion of the article
article summary and article review, as well as lead discussions. structured by the written critique, the article sections, or open
The climate is such that when a student doesn’t understand format with predetermined questions. The professor provides an
an article, they can freely admit this and the group discusses example in the first session, but gives the students complete lati-
individual understandings until a consensus is reached. tude to conduct their article discussion in their desired format.
Discussions cover five main areas including novel or adaptable
GUIDING THE QUALITY OF PRESENTATIONS research methods, fundamental equations and assumptions in
AND DISCUSSIONS any theory sections, trends and comparisons between experi-
Students do not possess an innate ability to glean informa- mental / theoretical results, and a critique of conclusions based
tion from dense technical articles. It is necessary to strategi- on the data. These are further enumerated below:
cally demonstrate and teach how to read an article and lead 1. The research methods
a discussion on the topic. The entire course is a learning a. What was novel about the techniques?
experience for the students, even taking it semester after
b. Was there anything that could have been done better?
semester. The first Journal Club session of the semester is a
perfect time to provide an example summary and review, and c. Were all variables properly controlled?
demonstrate guiding a discussion. d. Can we adapt anything in our own lab?
The author advises her students to begin studying a technical 2. Theory (if included in the article)
article by reading the abstract, introduction, and conclusions a. What fundamental equations did the authors start with?
first. Next, it can be beneficial to read the figure captions, b. Did the assumptions they made make physical sense
and study the figures and any tables. The students are then within their system?
advised to start back at the beginning and read through the
c. What are the limitations of the final equations?
article, taking notes or underlining as is comfortable. Re-read
paragraphs or sections as necessary, then leave the article 3. Experimental / theoretical results provided in the paper
overnight and read it again the following day to prepare the a. What trends are shown by the figures?
article summary, discussion notes, and article critique for b. What questions are left unanswered?
Journal Club. The students are advised to proofread their
c. Were the author’s conclusions consistent with the data?
notes and to practice their summary and discussion questions

76 Chemical Engineering Education

 4. Conclusions a whiteboard where brainstorms can be graphically demon-
a. What is the next logical step for this research to take? strated. The author has found that discussions sometimes
b. How would you conduct research to answer any unan- migrate to topics that more trained individuals take for
swered questions? granted, such as order of authorship, or that the research
c. How will it benefit the research conducted in our lab?
appears perfectly conducted in a preplanned linear fashion.
Senior research students who have had the experience of
5. Overall developing a poster or presentation are often conflicted that
a. What was well written, well explained, well communi- their own work did not progress in a clean, linear fashion. It
cated in the paper? is good to discuss that when writing an article, the authors
b. What was poorly written / explained / etc. in the paper? have the advantage of hindsight; they can describe what
c. What data analysis / presentation strategies were most worked and progress logically from start to finish. As students
effective? are challenged with writing their own first drafts of articles,
they find that chronology is not always a logical progression
Developing the technical vocabulary and confidence to
of the research story. These discussions add another dimen-
discuss dense technical articles is a skill that develops with
sion of unplanned mentoring that occurs within a successful
practice. Leading a discussion is a skill that is developed via
research group.
practice and perceptive efforts. The art of leading a discussion
sometimes requires strategic guidance, however. As a supple-
THE MERITS OF THIS STRATEGY
ment, students are provided with four resources: “Tips for
Leading Discussions,”[23] “Giving Presentations and Leading As a portion of the course grade, students are asked to write
Discussions,”[24] “Chapter 3: Conducting Discussions” from a final-semester report on their research as described earlier.
The New Professor’s Handbook,[15] and “Chapter 4: Organiz- Non-REU students are asked to conduct a literature search and
ing Effective Discussions.[19] write a review article. For both, contextualization of the Jour-
These sources all agree that the foremost goal is to establish nal Club articles is emphasized. As M.S. or Ph.D. students’
a nonthreatening climate that is inviting to open discussion. research projects progress, they develop their final reports
Very frequently, the students are concerned that they will ap- into manuscripts for submission to journals. The publication
pear “dumb” and so they rush through their prepared notes so trends for the author’s research group while utilizing this ap-
quickly that other students do not have the time to comprehend proach are included in Figure 1. Increases were seen over time
the information and are
relegated to observers
of a monologue. As a
secondary facilitator, it
is necessary for the ad-
visor / instructor to slow
or stop the presenter and
ask questions for under-
standing. The discussion
resources suggest that a
facilitator can de-empha-
size their role in the dis-
cussion by asking open-
ended questions.[23] This
invites involvement by
the group and enriches
the depth of discussion
of the article.
Journal Club sessions
usually end with a dis-
cussion on how to apply
the findings for future
research. It is beneficial
to conduct Journal Clubs Figure 1. Total peer-reviewed journal articles (black, first bar), peer-reviewed proceedings ar-
in a room with a round ticles (dark gray, second bar), other non-peer-reviewed technical articles (light gray, third bar)
table for discussions and and presentations (textured, fourth bar) for the research group from 2003 to mid-2010.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 77

in all categories, most notably in the peer-reviewed articles semester, 3. End of the Spring 2009 semester, and 4. End of
and proceedings categories. Due to time for peer-review, a the Fall 2009 semester. Journal Club was not conducted during
total of eight manuscripts are in press or under review for this the summer months due to conference and travel schedules of
research group at the time of this article submission. the professor and students. Course enrollments from Spring
In addition to the merits of an organized and sustained dis- 2008 through Fall 2009 are included in Table 1. Tracking of
cussion of current literature, a Journal Club activity can also individual graduate students was straightforward due to reten-
add dimension to a new faculty member’s growing credentials. tion of those students. Undergraduates’ involvement in Journal
The author advises developing this activity into a course not Club and research varied each semester due to graduations,
only because it will help sustain participant motivation, but course loads, and progress in the lab.
it can also be included in a tenure and promotion packet as The first five questions were asked to determine how the stu-
a “new course developed.” A Journal Club course can also dents self-rated their backgrounds. The topics included Q1) ex-
be included in your student-contact hours calculation on an- perience conducting literature searches, Q2) confidence obtain-
nual review forms. Additionally, if the class is opened to all ing good profile of published work on a specific research topic,
interested undergraduate and graduate students (i.e., non-lab Q3) experience reading and understanding archival journal
group members), it can lead to increased enthusiasm for your articles, Q4) familiarity with electrokinetics (a primary subject
research area within the student population and potentially in this research group), and Q5) familiarity with microdevices
encourage an undergraduate student to pursue an advanced (a foundational knowledge utilized in this research group). The
degree in your area. remaining eight questions asked the students to self-rate their
When considering adopting a new activity, new faculty skills in a variety of areas including Q6) experience facilitating
should critically assess whether the activity supports their a discussion in a group, Q7) confidence guiding participants
efforts for tenure and to what extent it adds to their existing through content and keeping them participating in content
workload. While it is difficult to quantify time spent mentor- discussions, Q8) experience adapting techniques described in
ing graduate students to read the literature via traditional articles in own research, Q9) experience critiquing techniques
mentoring techniques, the author has felt that Journal Club and conclusions asserted in the literature, Q10) experience
streamlined these efforts considerably. This structured forum compiling a survey of the literature, organizing it logically, and
enabled efficient dissemination of literature-review strategies presenting it to others to show progression of knowledge and
to multiple students at one time while simultaneously follow- missing information, Q11) experience analyzing raw data to
ing up on their progress. The administrative details relating determine trends and dependencies, Q12) experience writing
to grading added a small amount of time, but this was offset research articles. Lastly, the students were given the opportunity
by improved attitudes and efficiency of gleaning important to openly comment on any of the survey questions or to provide
information from the articles. In addition, the structured forum general feedback (Q13). The data obtained from these surveys
promoted documenting the important concepts (via Dossier are outlined below.
and EndNote)[21, 22] and stimulated creative ideas. To judge growth over time, the three graduate students
who participated continuously in Journal Club from Spring
ASSESSMENT 2008 to present were tracked. Their average responses for
A survey was designed and conducted of the stu-
dents enrolled in the Journal Club class from Fall TABLE 1
Graduate and undergraduate student enrollment in the Journal
2008 through Fall 2009. The 13-question survey
Club course in 2008 and 2009. Total graduate students are a sum
was approved by MSU’s Institutional Review Board
of Post M.S. and Direct-Admit Ph.D. These students are concur-
(IRB) for the protection of human subjects.[25] Stu- rently classified as either New or Continuing.
dents all signed consent forms giving permission for
Spring Fall Spring Fall
their data to be included. The survey was designed 2008 2008 2009 2009
to test the hypothesis that the students would gain
Graduate Students 3 4 4 4
confidence and experience with literature review in
Post M.S. 2 2 2 2
the Journal Club class.
Direct-Admit Ph.D. 1 2 2 2
The full survey is included in Appendix A. It should
New - 1 - -
be noted that student perceptions are valuable factors
to consider, as student performance can be negatively Continuing 3 3 4 4
affected by negative perceptions.[26] Undergraduate 3 2 2 4
Students
Students enrolled in the class were asked to com-
New 2 1 - 3
plete the survey at four points in time: 1. Beginning
of the Fall 2008 semester, 2. End of the Fall 2008 Continuing 1 1 2 1

78 Chemical Engineering Education

each question are shown in Figure
2. In the survey conducted just prior
to Fall 2008, these students rated
themselves around 3.5 overall on
the five-point scale allowed for all
questions. This jumped to 4.22 at the
end of Fall 2008, then dropped to
4.13 at the end of Spring 2009 and
increased again to 4.32 at the end of
Fall 2009. What is interesting about
this fluctuation is that it was student
dependent. One student steadily in-
creased in self-rated experience and
confidence, a second student peaked
in Spring 2009, and the third student
self-rated themselves substantially
lower in Spring 2009. As shown in
Figure 2, however, an increase over
time occurs for almost all questions.
In general, the self-rated background
questions showed greater increases Figure 2. Tabulated responses at four points in time for graduate students (Prior to
than the skills questions. Fall 2008 = black diamonds, End Fall 2008 = dark gray squares, End Spring 2009
= light gray triangles, End Fall 2009 = open circles). Average responses for each
A similar analysis was conducted
question are determined from the same three graduate students who were enrolled
for two undergraduates who were continuously in Journal Club from Spring 2008.
enrolled in Journal Club during Fall
2008 and Spring 2009 (Figure 3).
Both completed the survey prior to
Fall 2008, although only one had
been enrolled in Journal Club in
Spring 2008. Substantial increases
are noted (changes from 1 to over
4), likely due to the novice nature of
undergraduates engaging in research
for the first time. A majority of the
students’ self-rated background and
skills increased over the two semes-
ters. Questions 3 and 4 dealt with
experience reading journal articles
and familiarity with electrokinetics
and both of these saw a half-point
decline in undergraduates, but the
same trend was not observed with
the graduate students. Interestingly,
while question 7 on guiding partici-
pants through discussions on content
showed stagnation with graduate Figure 3. Tabulated responses at three points in time for undergraduates enrolled
students after the first semester, an in Journal Club (Prior to Fall 2008 = black diamonds, End Fall 2008 = dark gray
inversion was seen in the under- squares, End Spring 2009 = light gray triangles). Average responses for each ques-
tion are determined from the same two undergraduate students.
graduates’ confidence from Fall 2008
to Spring 2009. The students lead a
discussion twice during a semester and if that student led The changes over time for the types of graduate students
the discussion on a particularly difficult article, this might shown in Table 1 were determined by comparing the first
account for a drop in confidence. survey completed by the student to their survey in Fall 2009.

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 79

 professor. The author briefly
reviews the technical and cre-
dential-building merits of de-
veloping a literature review
course, which include increased
publishing productivity, ac-
crued teaching credentials, and
increased student confidence
in his / her research area and
in research skills. Assessment
of the students enrolled in the
course over a two-year period
shows this increase in self-rated
technical background, discus-
sion facilitation, and literature
suavity.
In conclusion, student in-
volvement in literature discus-
sions teaches critical thinking,
increases technical vocabulary,
guides poster / presentation
Figure 4. Average changes over the time period the graduate students were enrolled in quality, increases technical
the course. The changes are grouped by student experience. The first bar (black) shows knowledge, bolsters confi-
the average change over all students. The second bar (dark gray) shows the increase for a dence, and aids in optimiz-
2nd year (as of Fall 2009) direct-admit Ph.D. student, the third bar (light gray) shows the ing research experiments.
increase for a 3rd year direct-admit Ph.D. student, while the fourth and last bar (textured) Additional benefits include
shows the increase for two post-M.S. Ph.D. students. peer-to-peer mentoring and
streamlined professor-to-re-
This is depicted in Figure 4 for each of the 12 scored ques- search student mentoring. Outcomes of the Journal Club
tions. All changes are positive (i.e., greater in Fall 2009 than activity have also included increased student knowledge of
prior survey) showing the impact that an activity such as the literature, decreased apprehension in younger students
Journal Club has on the growth and maturation of research toward understanding technical publications, and increases
students. It is interesting that regardless of the background in publications within the research group.
and research experience of the students, a positive impact and
growth was observed. REFERENCES
1. Minerick, A.R. “Journal Club: A Forum to Encourage Graduate and
CONCLUSIONS Undergraduate Research Students to Critically Review the Literature,”
New Engineering Educators Division - American Society of Engineer-
This manuscript outlines a strategy to keep all members ing Education Proceedings, June 2006
of a research group abreast of the technical literature in their 2. Howard Hughes Medical Institute Making The Right Moves: A Practi-
field. The goal of such a Journal Club is to counteract literature cal Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty,
Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
lethargy and to train student researchers (M.S., Ph.D., and <http://www.hhmi.org/resources/labmanagement/index.html>, Ac-
REU) how to effectively learn from and critique articles. cessed Jan. 15, 2010
3. National Academy of Science, National Academy of Engineers, and
The purpose and importance of the peer-review process Institute of Medicine. Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public
is included in the Journal Club and seemed beneficial for Policy “Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend: On Being a Mentor to
all participants. Portions of an example class syllabus are Students in Science and Engineering,” National Academy Press, Wash-
provided and resources on leading discussions are given. ington, DC, 1997. <http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=5789>
Accessed Jan. 15, 2010
Learning objectives are enumerated and included such skills 4. Kwan, B.S.C., “The Nexus of Reading, Writing and Researching in the
as learning to critically review the literature and to write Doctoral Undertaking of Humanities and Social Sciences: Implications
archival journal articles. Rubrics are described that could for Literature Reviewing,” English for Specific Purposes, 27(1), 42
be used for grading purposes or as guidelines from which to (2008)
5. Hill, P.J., “Teaching Entering Graduate Students the Role of Journal
provide feedback to the student after facilitating a discussion. Articles in Research,” Chem. Eng. Ed., 40(4), (2006)
Experiential advice is included that yielded the most efficient 6. Tang, B.L., and Y.H. Gan, “Preparing the Senior or Graduating Student
and effective learning experience for the students and the for Graduate Research,” Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Educa-

80 Chemical Engineering Education

 tion, 33(4), 277 (2005) Background
7. Matarese, V., “Introductory Course on Getting to Know Journals and
On ‘Browsing’ a Research Paper: First Steps to Proficiency in Scientific 1. I have experience conducting literature searches.
Communication,” Croatian Medical Journal, 47(5), 767 (2006) a. Strongly agree
8. Kemoni, H.N., “Theoretical Framework and Literature Review in
Graduate Records Management Research,” African Journal of Library
b. Agree
Archives and Information Science, 18(2), 103 (2008) c. Neutral
9. Surratt, C.K., “Creation of a Graduate Oral/Written Communication
d. Disagree
Skills Course,” American J. Pharmaceutical Ed., 70(1), (2006)
10. Pierson, M.M., “Annual Progress Reports: An Effective Way to Im- e. Strongly disagree
prove Graduate Student Communication Skills,” J. Eng. Ed., 86(4),
363 (1997) 2. I am confident that I can obtain a good profile of pub-
11. Levis, J.M., and G.M. Levis, “A Project-Based Approach to Teaching lished work (past and present) on a specific research topic.
Research Writing to Nonnative Writers,” IEEE Trans. on Professional a. Strongly agree
Communication, 46(3), 210 (2003) b. Agree
12. Watkins, S.E., and R. Green, “Speaking and Writing Proficiency of
International Graduate Students in Elective, Mentoring Environments,” c. Neutral
J. Eng. Ed., 92(2), 147 (2003) d. Disagree
13. Thompson, N.S., et al., “Integrating Undergraduate Research Into e. Strongly disagree
Engineering: A Communications Approach to Holistic Education,” J.
Eng. Ed., 94(3), 297 (2005) 3. Please rate your experience at reading archival journal
14. Compton, W.D., “Encouraging Graduate Study in Engineering,” J. articles.
Eng. Ed., ASEE, July 1995, 249-255
15. Davidson, C.I., and S.A. Ambrose, The New Professor’s Handbook, a. Very proficient (can read / skim it once and under-
Chptr 3: Conducting Discussions, Anker Publishing Company, Inc. stand all)
Bolton, MA (1994) b. Proficient (can read closely once and understand all)
16. Reichert, W.M., T. Daniels-Race, and E.H. Dowell, “Time-Tested c. Sufficient (can understand most after rereading
Survival Skills for a Publish or Perish Environment,” J. Eng. Ed.,
91(1), 133 (2002)
closely)
17. Mayrath, M.C., “Attributes of Productive Authors in Educational d. Inefficient (can understand some after rereading
Psychology Journals,” Educational Psychology Reviews, 20, 41-56 closely)
(2008) e. Very inefficient (understand little after much re-
18. Smart, J.C., “Perspectives of the Editor: Attributes of Exemplary
reading)
Research Manuscripts Employing Quantitative Analysis,” Research
in Higher Education, 46(4), 461 (2005) 4. Please rate your familiarity with electrokinetics.
19. McKeachie, W.J., Teaching Tips: A Guidebook for the Beginning
College Teacher, 8th Ed., D.C. Heath and Company, Lexington, MA,
a. Expert
(ISBN: 0-669-06752-0) (1986) b. Master
20. Medical Micro-Device Engineering Research Laboratory (M.D. –ERL) c. Apprentice
website, <http://www.MDERL.org>, Accessed Jan. 15, 2010
21. EndNote: Software for managing bibliographies, <http://www.endnote.
d. Novice
com/>, Accessed Jan. 15, 2010 e. Completely unfamiliar
22. Vortimac Software, Informational Management Program called Dossier,
available at <http://www.vortimac.com/>, Accessed Jan. 15, 2010 5. Please rate your familiarity with microdevices.
23. Tibbitts, Felisa, “Tips for Leading Discussions” Human Rights Educa- a. Expert
tion Association, <http://www.hrea.org/pubs/tips-discussion.html>, b. Master
Accessed Jan. 15, 2010
24. Suber, P., “Giving Presentations and Leading Discussions,” Earlham c. Apprentice
College. <http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/courses/leaddisc.htm>, d. Novice
Accessed Jan. 15, 2010 e. Completely unfamiliar
25. Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at
Mississippi State University, <http://www.orc.msstate.edu/irb/>, Ac-
cessed Jan. 15, 2010 Skills
26. Ferreira, A., and A. Santoso, “Do Students’ Perceptions Matter? A Study 6. I have experience facilitating a discussion in a group.
of the Effect of Students’ Perceptions on Academic Performance,”
a. Strongly agree
Accounting and Finance, 48(2), 209 (2008)
b. Agree
APPENDIX A: COURSE SKILLS AND c. Neutral
ATTITUDE ASSESSMENT d. Disagree
This survey is to assess your current familiarity and skill- e. Strongly disagree
level with regards to a) searching the literature for relevant 7. I am confident that I can guide participants through
published work related to your research project as well as specific content in a research article and keep them interac-
b) reading articles and extracting important information to tively participating in content discussions.
understand the work that was done and how to apply it to a. Strongly agree (all participants provide full sentence
your own research. statements about concepts)

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 81

 b. Agree (most participants contribute statements about in a manner that shows progression of knowledge and sug-
content) gests what information is missing.
c. Neutral (most participants will provide short feed- a. Strongly agree (I can do this independent of guidance)
back) b. Agree (Can do some independent, need some guid-
d. Disagree (some participants provide some feedback) ance)
e. Strongly disagree (participants say little, nod or agree c. Neutral (Need guidance, can follow instructions)
when appropriate) d. Disagree (Need guidance, sometimes need repeat to
follow instructions)
8. I have experience adapting techniques described in
e. Strongly disagree (please don’t make me do this!)
articles in my own research.
a. Strongly agree (I do this regularly without guidance 11. I have experience analyzing raw data (list of numbers)
from anyone) to determine trends and dependencies.
b. Agree (I recognize opportunities for this and need to a. Strongly agree (I can do this independent of guidance)
discuss with others) b. Agree (Can do some independent, need some guidance)
c. Neutral (I recognize relations when others point them c. Neutral (Need guidance, can follow instructions)
out to me) d. Disagree (Need guidance, sometimes repeat guidance
d. Disagree (I rarely see how literature is related to my to follow instructions)
project) e. Strongly disagree (please don’t make me do this!)
e. Strongly disagree (articles are from a different planet
than my project) 12. I have experience writing research articles that combine
the skills from 7 through 11.
9. I have experience critiquing techniques and conclusions a. Strongly agree (I can do this independent of guidance)
asserted in the literature. b. Agree (Can structure a complete first draft, need guid-
a. Strongly agree (regularly recognize trends and limita- ance refining to final draft)
tions, others rarely recognize things I didn’t already c. Neutral (Need guidance structuring first draft, guid-
see) ance refining to final draft)
b. Agree (regularly recognize trends & limitations, learn d. Disagree (Need guidance on some sections and guid-
from other’s insights) ance on first through final drafts)
c. Neutral (sometimes recognize limitations, learn from e. Strongly disagree (Need guidance on each section and
other’s insights) step by step approach)
d. Disagree (Rarely recognize trends & limitations,
rarely follow other’s insights) 13. Please comment on anything that influenced your an-
swers to 1 through 12 here:
e. Strongly disagree (I feel lost)
(i.e., for #1, have you previously learned to read
10. I have experience compiling a survey of the literature on research articles in another course / educational
a subject, organizing it logically, and presenting it to others experience?) p

82 Chemical Engineering Education

Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter 2011 83
84 Chemical Engineering Education