The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.
Design and analysis of processes involving chemical change. Strategies for design, such as creative thinking and (re)definition of the design goal. Methods for analyzing designs, such as mathematical modeling, empirical analysis by graphics, and dynamic scaling by dimensional analysis. Design choices in light of process efficiency, product quality, economics, safety, and environmental issues.
An introduction is given to the science and technologies of producing electricity and transportation fuels from renewable energy resources (biomass, geothermal, solar, wind, and wave). Students will be introduced to quantitative calculations and comparisions of energy technologies together with the economic and political factors affecting the transition from nonrenewable to sustainable energy resources. Mass and energy balances are used to analyze the conversion of energy resources.
Supervised research on a specific topic.
Directed group study consisting of supplementary problem sets, review sessions, and discussions related to chemical engineering. Topics vary with instructor.
Material and energy balances applied to chemical process systems. Determination of thermodynamic properties needed for such calculations. Sources of data. Calculation procedures.
Thermodynamic behavior of pure substances and mixtures. Properties of solutions, phase equilibria. Thermodynamic cycles. Chemical equilibria for homogeneous and heterogeneous systems.
Analysis and prediction of rates of chemical conversion in flow and nonflow processes involving homogeneous and heterogeneous systems.
Course Objectives: The focus of this course is on developing insights into chemical processes and operations through the use of modeling and computations. This is not a programming course. The instructors will provide introduction to the use of Aspen and the other codes, but the majority of the learning will be through the active use of these programs by the students in solving assigned problems.
Student Learning Outcomes: The course will be consistent with the overall objectives of the Chemical Engineering curriculum as outlined in the ABET guidelines.
Principles of fluid mechanics and heat transfer with application to chemical processes. Laminar and turbulent flow in pipes and around submerged objects. Flow measurement. Heat conduction and convection; heat transfer coefficients.
Principles of mass transfer with application to chemical processes. Diffusion and convection. Simultaneous heat and mass transfer; mass transfer coefficients. Design of staged and continuous separations processes.
Experiments in physical measurements, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, kinetics, and separation processes. Emphasis on investigation of basic relationships important in engineering. Experimental design, analysis of results, and preparation of engineering reports are stressed.
Design principles of chemical process equipment. Design of integrated chemical processes with emphasis upon economic considerations.
Course Objectives: Teach students the strategies used in the design of chemical processes through an authentic industrial project.
Student Learning Outcomes: • Develop an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
• Develop the ability to design an integrated chemical engineering-based process to meet stated objectives within realistic constraints.
• Establish proficiency in the design process and project management fundamentals.
• Gain an understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities.
Analysis of the dynamic behavior of chemical processes and methods and theory of their control. Implementation of computer control systems on process simulations.
This course intends to introduce chemical engineers to the basic concepts of biochemical engineering. The course focuses on the use of chemical engineering skills and principles in the analysis and design of biologically-based processes. The main emphasis will be on biochemical kinetics, heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena as they apply to enzyme catalysis, microbial growth and metabolism, fermentation and bioreactor design, product recovery and downstream processing. Fundamental topics in biological sciences will be introduced as necessary throughout the course.
The second of a two-semester sequence intended to introduce chemical engineers to the basic concepts of biochemical engineering. The course focuses on the use of chemical engineering skills and principles in the analysis and design of biologically-based processes. The emphasis will be on biochemical kinetics, protein engineering, cell growth and metabolism, bioreactor design, downstream processing, pharmacokinetics, drug delivery, and ethics.
Laboratory techniques for the cultivation of microorganisms in batch and continuous reactions. Enzymatic conversion processes. Recovery of biological products.
Study of momentum, energy, and mass transfer in laminar and turbulent flow.
Principles and application of electrochemical equilibria, kinetics, and transport processes. Technical electrolysis and electrochemical energy conversion.
An interdisciplinary course on the synthesis, characterization, and properties of polymer materials. Emphasis on the molecular origin of properties of polymeric materials and technological applications. Topics include single molecule properties, polymer mixtures and solutions, melts, glasses, elastomers, and crystals. Experiments in polymer synthesis, characterization, and physical properties.
Chemical processing and properties of solid-state materials. Crystal growth and purification. Thin film technology. Application of chemical processing to the manufacture of semiconductors and solid-state devices.
Optimal design of chemical processes and unit operations, emphasizing the interactions between technical and economic considerations. Analysis of process risks. Chemical and biomolecular process design in the presence of uncertainties. Interest rate determinants and their effects on chemical process feasibility and choices. Relationships between structure and behavior of firms in the chemical processing industries. Multivariable input-output analyses.
This nanoscale science and biomolecular engineering course will cover emerging topics in applied biotechnology and nanotechnology. Topics include enzyme kinetics, enzyme inhibition, recombinant protein generation, cell culture, genome editing, drug design, nanoparticle-based gene and drug delivery, fluorescence imaging, and sensors. The course will also probe the interface of biology with nanomaterials, and standard microscopic techniques to image biological structures and nanoscale materials.
A senior honors thesis is written in consultation with the student's faculty research advisor. This is a required course for students wishing to graduate with honors in Chemical Engineering.
Original research under direction of one of the members of the staff.
Lectures and/or tutorial instruction on special topics. Please refer to the Notes section in the Academic Guide for the current course description.
After an introduction to the different aspects of our global energy consumption, the course will focus on the role of biomass. The course will illustrate how the global scale of energy guides the biomass research. Emphasis will be placed on the integration of the biological aspects (crop selection, harvesting, storage and distribution, and chemical composition of biomass) with the chemical aspects to convert biomass to energy. The course aims to engage students in state-of-the-art research.
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit under special circumstances: Repeatable when topic changes with consent of instructor.
Special laboratory or computational work under direction of one of the members of the staff.
Supervised experience in off-campus organizations relevant to specific aspects and applications of chemical engineering. Written report required at the end of the term. Course does not satisfy unit or residence requirements for the bachelor's degree.
Supervised research on a specific topic. Enrollment is restricted; see Introduction to Courses and Curricula section in the General Catalog.
The course aims to introduce a variety of mathematical and computational methods useful in solving research problems pertaining to chemical and biomolecular systems. The course covers a wide range of topics from linear algebra and matrices, differential equations, and stochastic methods. Even though the focus is primarily on analytical methods, most of the concepts will be demonstrated with computations and applications. The goal of the course is to ensure that the students are aware of a wide range of computational methods that can be useful in their research and to provide the students with sufficient background in applied mathematics that can be useful in reading the science and engineering literature.
Topics covered include molecular thermodynamics of pure substances and mixtures, interfacial thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and computer simulations.
Molecular processes in chemical systems, kinetics and catalysis. Interaction of mass and heat transfer in chemical processes. Performance of systems with chemical reactors.
Adsorption and kinetics of surface reactions; catalyst preparation and characterization; poisoning, selectivity, and empirical activity patterns in catalysis; surface chemistry, catalytic mechanisms and modern experimental techniques in catalytic research; descriptive examples of industrial catalytic systems.
Electrode processes in electrolysis and in galvanic cells. Charge and mass transfer in ionic media. Criteria of scale-up.
Principles of surface and colloid chemistry with current applications; surface thermodynamics, wetting, adsorption from solution, disperse systems, association colloids, interacting electrical double layers and colloid stability, kinetics of coagulation, and electrokinetics.
Basic differential relations of mass, momentum, and energy including creeping, laminar, and turbulent flow, boundary layers, convective-diffusion in heat and mass transfer, and simultaneous multicomponent mass and energy transport. Analytic mathematical solution of the equations of change using classical techniques including: separation of variables, similarity solutions, and Laplace and Fourier transforms.
Formulation and rigorous analysis of the laws governing the transport of momentum, heat, and mass, with special emphasis on chemical engineering applications. Detailed investigation of laminar flows complemented by treatments of turbulent flow systems and hydrodynamic stability.
An introduction to the hydrodynamics of capillarity and wetting. Balance laws and short-range forces. Dimensionless numbers, scaling and lubrication approximation. Rayleigh instability. Marangoni effect. The moving contact line. Wetting and short-range forces. The dynamic contact angle. Dewetting. Coating flows. Effect of surfactants and electric fields. Wetting of rough or porous surfaces. Contact angles for evaporating systems.
An in-depth study of the current methods used to design and engineer proteins. Emphasis on how strategies can be applied in the laboratory. Relevant case studies presented to illustrate method variations and applications. Intended for graduate students.
Fundamentals in biomolecular engineering. Structures, dynamics, and functions of biomolecules. Molecular tools in biotechnology. Metabolic and signaling networks in cellular engineering. Synthetic biology and biomedical engineering applications.
This is an independent study course for international students doing internships under the Curricular Practical Training program.
Lipid bilayers constitute the membrane that encloses every animal cell and many of its interior structures, including the nuclear envelope, the organelles and the endoplasmic reticulum. This is a unique course devoted to modern developments in this exceptionally active field of research, ranging from models based on continuum theory to recent developments based on statistical mechanics.
Current and advanced study in chemical engineering, primarily for advanced graduate students.
After an introduction to the different aspects of our global energy consumption, the course will focus on the role of biomass. The course will illustrate how the global scale of energy guides the biomass research. Emphasis will be places on the integration of the biological aspects (crop selection, harvesting, storage, and distribution, and chemical composition of biomass) with the chemical aspects to convert biomass to energy. The course aims to engage students in state-of-art research.
Explore strategies for maximizing the economic and societal benefits of synthetic biology and minimizing the risks; create "seedlings" for future research projects in synthetic biology at UC Berkeley; increase multidisciplinary collaborations at UC Berkeley on synthetic biology; and introduce students to a wide perspective of SB projects and innovators as well as policy, legal, and ethical experts.
After a brief review of quantum mechanics and semi-classical theories for the interaction of radiation with matter, this course will survey the various spectroscopies associated with the electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma rays to radio waves. Special emphasis is placed on application to research problems in applied and engineering sciences. Graduate researchers interested in systematic in situ process characterization, analysis, or discovery are best served by this course.
This course introduces students to the concepts and techniques involved in the design and physical characterization of advanced functional materials consisting of well-defined interfaces. Throughout the course, principles of supramolecular chemistry on solid surfaces are applied to functional systems. Materials with different connectivity and structure at the active site are compared for development of understanding. Specific topics include catalysis, separations, encapsulation, and biomedicine.
This course, which is based on Gert Strobl's book addresses the origin of some of the important physical properties of polymer liquids and solids. This includes phase transitions, crystallization, morphology of multiphase polymer systems, mechanical properties, response to mechanical and electric fields, and fracture. When possible, we will develop quantitative molecular models that predict macroscopic behavior. The course will address experimental data obtained by microscopy, light and neutron scattering, rheology, and dielectric relaxation.
This course is part of the product development initative sponsored by the department of chemical engineering. It focuses on real-life practices and challenges of translating scientific discovery into commercial products. Its scope is limited in most circumstances to situations where some knowledge of chemical engineering, chemistry, and related disciplines might prove to be particularly useful. The course primarily uses case studies of real-world new product development situations to simulate the managerial and technical challenges that will confront students in the field. We will cover a wide range of topics including basic financial, strategic and intellectual property concepts for products, managing risk and uncertainity, the effective new product development team, the evolving role of corporate R&D, the new venture product company and the ethics of post-launch product management.
This course is a part of the product development initiative sponsored by the department of chemical engineering. The course builds on the coverage in 295P of real-life practices of translating scientific discovery into commercial products. We will cover a wide range of advanced product development concepts including technology road maps, decision analysis, six sigma, product portfolio optimization, and best practices for field project management.
Special laboratory and theoretical studies.
Lectures, reports, and discussions on current research in chemical engineering. Sections are operated independently and directed toward different topics.
Lectures, reports, and discussions on current research in chemical engineering.
Discussion, problem review and development, guidance of large scale laboratory experiments, course development, supervised practice teaching.
Individual study in consultation with the major field adviser for qualified students to prepare themselves for the various examinations required of candidates for the Ph.D.