About Chemical Engineering
The chemical engineering curriculum was first listed in the 1903 university catalog, and the first graduate was Robert F. Hyatt of Monticello, Arkansas, in 1907. Mr. Hyatt was also captain of the baseball team and left-half back of the football team. The first course to be labeled as Chemical Engineering appeared in the 1935 catalog; it was a chemistry course called "Elements of Chemical Engineering." Since then the department—as well as the chemical engineering field—has grown in scope and scale.
Like all programs in the U of A College of Engineering, our enrollment continues to rise. We generally have 200-250 undergraduate students and 40 graduate students enrolled in our programs. Most of our undergraduate students are from Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas, but we also have students from many other states and throughout the world. Approximately 50% of undergraduates are female. In addition to external and university scholarships and fellowships, the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering was able to offer over $100k in scholarships in AY24-25 to undergraduate and graduate students.
Our goal is to have every one of our students participate in one or more experiential learning activities such as research, co-op/internship, and study abroad during their undergraduate studies. Research opportunities are enhanced by student research grant funding through the Honors College. Chemical Engineering regularly has the highest percentage of Honors students in the College of Engineering. Although the majority of our graduates enter industry after graduation, an increasing number choose to attend graduate school or professional programs such as medical, dental, law or pharmacy schools. Starting salaries averaged more than $78,000 for B.S. graduates in 2024.
Faculty, staff, and students are engaged in research programs funded by federal, state, and industrial sources. Membrane separations is the major focus for several faculty, and our department is the lead site (with the University of Colorado Boulder, Pennsylvania State University, and New Jersey Institute of Technology as partners) of the Membrane Science, Engineering, & Technology (MAST) Center, one of the longest-running university-industry research partnerships fostered by the National Science Foundation. The world-class work of our faculty in chemical process safety and life cycle assessment has saved lives and resulted in more sustainable approaches to food production. Our biochemical and bioprocess engineering programs have spun off companies producing new therapeutic drugs. In partnership with the Institute for Nanoscience & Engineering and the Arkansas High Performance Computing Center, our research teams are designing, fabricating, and testing the next generation of nanomaterials.
Contact Information
Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Arkansas
3202 Bell Engineering Center
800 West Dickson Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201
Phone: 479-575-4951
FAX: 479-575-7926
Vision
To be a leading land-grant chemical engineering program that advances engineering education and research to solve pressing societal problems that enhance the quality of life and sustain the future
Mission
Through high-quality research, education, and service, the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering produces outstanding chemical engineering professionals renowned for their technical proficiency, practical skills, and strong ethical values.