Changes in Chemical Engineering: New Faces, New Location

Looking at dendrimer models are, l. to r., Alan West, chemical engineering; co-chairs Drs. Turro and Flynn; James Thomas, chemical engineering; Donald Tomalia of Michigan Molecular Institute; and Huk Yuk Cheh, chemical engineering.

A new and invigorated Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry is taking shape on the eighth floor of Mudd. The Department has been enhanced by the joint appointment of five faculty from Chemistry - Professors Bruce Berne, Louis Brus, George Flynn, Ann McDermott, and Nicholas J. Turro - who share a common interest in soft materials science with a number of the present chemical engineering faculty.

Drs. Flynn and Turro have been elected co-chairs of the newly constituted department, and Carl C. Gryte has been elected vice-chair. This new interdisciplinary move reflects the holistic view of chemistry and engineering that preceded the split between the chemical sciences at Columbia in 1905. According to Dr. Gryte, the accredited undergraduate program will remain much as it has been. However, growth is expected in collaborative research as barriers between classical chemical disciplines fade, with emphasis given to ``soft material'' science and analysis.

In October, the Department hosted a mini-symposium on the applications of dendrimers, small polymeric nanoparticles discovered by Donald A. Tomalia of the Michigan Molecular Institute. ``This gathering is typical of what this new association can do,'' said Dr. Flynn, ``We are building bridges between chemistry and chemical engineering, and bridges between this combined Columbia group and the outside world to enhance research.''

Dr. Turro was equally enthusiastic about the collaboration. ``This is very exciting stuff,'' he said. ``In the case of dendrimers, chemists will translate its structure into a practical use, and chemical engineers will take the concept and turn it into a viable product of technology and commerce.'' Both see opportunities for similar synergistic interactions in other areas, including many within the University itself.