
Research
Penn State chemical engineers don’t just show up for class—they’re changing the world.
Our research at Penn State is positioned to tackle some of today’s most pressing society challenges in order to shape the future. Our researchers work to:
- Expand the supply of food, energy, and clean water to meet the needs of a growing and developing global population
- Improve people’s health by working toward new and better medical treatments
- Develop new materials and pathways to chemical products that are more affordable, sustainable, and environmentally beneficial
- Enable the use of renewable, sustainable energy for transportation
- Protect and improve the environment for generations to come
Penn State chemical engineers work creatively and in collaboration with other experts across campus and around the world, use laboratory experiments and theory, and develop computer models to make advances that touch people’s lives.
Join us and launch your research career at Penn State.
Research Focus Areas
- Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology
- Energy and Environment
- Interfaces and Surfaces
- Materials and Nanotechnology
- Separations and Transport
- Systems Engineering


