The discipline of chemical engineering grew out of applied and industrial chemistry at the start of the 20th century. At the University of Iowa, our 120+ year history began in 1903. Explore the timeline below to learn more.
1900s
1903: A series “Courses in Applied Chemistry” appeared for the first time in the University of Iowa catalog. The applied chemistry series was initiated under the leadership of Dean Amos Noyes Currier (1888-1907) in the College of Liberal Arts. Instruction was by William Karslake (PhD, Johns Hopkins University, 1895). From this inception in 1903 until 1927, chemical engineering at the University of Iowa was part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
1905: The term "Chemical Engineering" was first used in the University of Iowa catalog.
1910s
1919: The faculty gained its first member with specific training in chemical engineering, Dr. Hubert L Olin.
1920s
1926: A cooperative program in chemical engineering was established. The chair of chemistry at the time, Edward Bartow, and the dean of the College of Applied Science, William Raymon, formed the cooperative initiative.
1924: The student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE) was formed. It was the sixth student chapter in the United States.
1926: The Department of Chemical Engineering was first accredited.
1927: The College of Applied Science became the College of Engineering.
1940s
1949: Karl Kammermeyer was appointed head of chemical engineering and was a major force in the department until his retirement in 1973. We honor Professor Kammermeyer through the Kammermeyer distinguished lecture and the Kammermeyer graduate research award.
1950s
1950: The Department of Chemical Engineering included five faculty members.
1970s
1972: Lilia Abron became the first African American woman in the nation, and the third woman at the University of Iowa, to earn a PhD in chemical engineering.
1973: In September, the Chemical Engineering Department was renamed the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.
1974: College reorganization to matrix structure, eliminating departments.Curricular programs would include Chemical Engineering during this period.
1980s
1983: College of Engineering reorganization reestablished Chemical and Materials Engineering.
1984: Alpha Phi Chapter of Omega Chi Epsilon, an honorary chemical engineering society, was granted a charter at the UI.
1989: Department was officially renamed to the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering.
1990s
1998: Process Safety Lab opened. CBE was “first in the nation to establish a process safety course with an accompanying laboratory.”
2000s
2000: The Department of Chemical Engineering grew to include 10 faculty members.
2001: Official dedication of the Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences. CBE moved from the Chemistry Building into the Seamans Center following this four-year $31 million modernization project
2020s
2023: The department continues to grow and currently has 15 faculty members.
Faculty History
The department has grown continually throughout its history, increasing from five faculty members in 1950 to its current 15 faculty members. The table below lists former and current faculty.
| Faculty member | Years |
|---|---|
| Hubert L. Olin (Head 1919-1944) | 1919-1950—Emeritus |
| John L. Beal | 1934-1936 |
| L. Wallace Cornell | 1936-1937 |
| J. Howard Arnold | 1937-1944 |
| William L. Faith (Head of Div.) | 1944-1945 |
| C. S. Grove (Head of Div.) | 1945-1948 |
| James O. Osburn (Acting Head 1948-1949) | 1946-1985—Emeritus |
| Karl Kammermeyer (Div. & Dept. Head) | 1949-1973—Emeritus |
| Coleman J. Major | 1950-1965 |
| Robert W. Roberts | 1961-1962 |
| Arthur F. Vetter | 1962-1987—Emeritus |
| Sun-Tak Hwang (Program Chair 1978-1982) | 1966-1982 |
| J. K. Beddow | 1968-1997—Emeritus |
| Richard Tock | 1970-1974 |
| Kirk C. Valanis (Materials Div. Chairman) | 1974-1978 |
| Gregory Carmichael (Chair 1982-1995, Interim Chairman 1998-1999) | 1978- |
| Ravindra Datta | 1981-1998 |
| Susan M. Selke | 1983-1984 |
| David W. Luerkens | 1984-1993 |
| David G. Rethwisch | 1985- |
| Randall A. Yoshisato | 1985-1989 |
| Jonathan S. Dordick (Chair 1995-1998) | 1987-1998 |
| Victor G. J. Rodgers | 1989-2005 |
| David W. Murhammer (Chair 2007-2012) | 1989- |
| Audrey A. Butler, Lecturer | 1989-2017 |
| John M. Wiencek (Chair 2002-2007) | 1995-2007 |
| Tonya L. Peeples | 1995-2018 |
| Gary Aurand, Adjunct | 1995-2018 |
| Robert Linhardt | 1996-2003 |
| Alec B. Scranton (Chair 2000-2002) | 2000- |
| Julie L. P. Jessop | 2000-2018 |
| C. Allan Guymon (Chair 2012-2022) | 2002- |
| Charles O. Stanier | 2004- |
| Venkiteswaran (Mani) Subramanian | 2005-2018 |
| Jennifer Fiegel | 2006- |
| Eric Nuxoll | 2008- |
| Chris Coretsopoulos | 2012- |
| Syed Mubeen | 2014- |
| Jun Wang (Interim Chair 2022-present) | 2016- |
| Jing Zeng, Lecturer | 2016- |
| Beth Rundlett | 2018- |
| Joe Gomes | 2019- |
| Matt McGill | 2022- |
| Hyeongmin Seo | 2024- |
| Zhe (Andy) Wang | 2024- |