Updates from the Director

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Summary of December Workshop for CHBE 594

March 17, 2025

Today I'm writing to share a recap of a recent workshop held for students in the CHBE 594 course on Leadership Skills and Applications. Held on December 6-7, 2024, the workshop was led by Jim Morris, the Industrial Board Chair of the M.Eng. program and Professional Development Instructor. Before retiring from industry, Morris served as Chief Facilities Engineer for Exxon-Mobil Upstream. 

In preparation for the workshop, the students read several articles and studied two cases on critical leadership skills for team leaders and team members. The workshop itself focused on four key aspects of leadership:

• understanding the purpose of your organization, your projects and your daily activities and how they relate to the overall mission and purpose of your organization;
• the importance of understanding the full breadth of your role and how it relates to others;
• developing and expanding your network, both internal and external to an organization; and
• how to influence and improve the culture of your teams, both as a team member and a team leader.

The highlight of the workshop was a panel discussion with three successful alumni who are previous recipients of ChBE’s Young Alumni Achievement Award.  The alumni – Laura Flessner, Ajay Virkar, and Eryn Schneider – each shared experiences from their leadership journeys and what they considered to be key skills for leaders to develop. The students asked many questions and had a great dialogue on several topics. 

At the end of the workshop, each student began drafting a personal leadership development plan. This document will serve as a guide for how they would take the lessons and skills that they learned in the course and the workshop and apply them to their own careers.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the alumni mentioned above for their participation in the workshop, and to the students for their thoughtful questions. This type of direct interaction with alumni who are already on a successful leadership track is an invaluable resource for our M.Eng. students, and just one example of the benefits of enrollment in our program. 

TSMC ARIZONA visit to ChBE/M.Eng.

February 28, 2025

On February 19, 2025, a team from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC ARIZONA) visited the department and the Master of Engineering program to explore potential long-term collaborations. The discussions focused on senior design projects, engagement events, internships, capstone/practicum projects, scholarships and other opportunities for academic and industry partnership.

As Director of the M.Eng. program, I was pleased to participate in this visit, which – in addition to the TSMC ARIZONA team – also included ChBE department head Chris Rao and several current M.Eng. students. This meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on aligning industry needs with academic training and fostering closer ties between TSMC ARIZONA and the university.

Key takeaways from the meeting included:

• Identifying potential areas for collaboration on industrial design projects.
• Exploring internship and Capstone Project opportunities for M.Eng. students.
• Discussing strategies to enhance student engagement with industry through workshops and networking events.
• Strengthening ties between TSMC ARIZONA and the ChBE department to create a sustainable pipeline of talent.

The visit concluded with a mutual commitment to further explore these initiatives and establish a framework for continued collaboration. The next steps will involve follow-up discussions to define specific partnership programs and implementation strategies.

This was an exciting event for ChBE M.Eng. program in fostering industry-academic collaboration and providing valuable opportunities for students. I look forward to further discussions with the TSMC ARIZONA team and enhancing our connection with the leading industrial companies.

Fireside Chat with Auden Chase

February 11, 2025

Auden Chase graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. After spending some time working in industry, he decided to pursue his professional master’s degree through the ChBE M.Eng. program. Auden recently shared his reasons for deciding to earn an M.Eng. degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, his thoughts on the program, and some advice for prospective students.

What inspired you to join the ChBE M.Eng. program at the University of Illinois?

My initial interest in the graduate program came as the result of a presentation given by a current faculty member. Dr. Paul Kenis, a professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering, gave a presentation to prospective graduate students following a symposium on his electrochemistry research. While I already had some desire to further my education prior to his arrival, the lecture was what eventually convinced me to pursue the graduate program as a full-time student. I eventually returned to school after two years of serving as a consultant in the process control industry.

While I credit this talk as the primary source of my inspiration, there were several other factors that further motivated my decision to join the first cohort. First of all, even though my work experience had equipped me with many technical skills, it did not teach me the leadership and business skills that I needed to be effective in a managerial position. The professional Master of Engineering program at the University of Illinois is unique in that it is specifically designed to integrate these skills with traditional chemical engineering courses. This is due in large part to the internal partnerships formed between the Grainger College of Engineering and the Gies College of Business. Secondly, the graduate program gives students the opportunity to network with individuals who will aid in not only their academic journey, but in their professional journey as well. These networking opportunities are one of the many benefits of the personal development workshops that are included in the curriculum.

What has been the learning experience in the ChBE M.Eng. program that you would like to share with all prospective students?

I think the most important learning experience so far has been the personal development workshops. These events, which are unique to the graduate program, give students the opportunity to gain leadership insights by interacting directly with alumni. Every member that I heard from had advice that was relevant to my future career aspirations. Furthermore, it was inspiring to see the success of individuals who had once been in my position as a full-time student.

As a student in the first cohort, do you feel the ChBE M.Eng. program provides the right environment for learning and professional development?

Absolutely. Despite the small size of the first cohort, faculty members were able to bring us together on multiple occasions to form lasting connections, both on campus and virtually. I also felt that faculty members did a fantastic job at providing resources to support students at every stage of their progress. For example, the director of the graduate program, Dr. Hong Yang, helped students find employment opportunities at the corporate research park on campus. He also put us in contact with members of the graduate student advisory council, who were available to answer questions about organizational policies and procedures.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering this program?

My advice to prospective graduate students is the following: if you choose to attend a professional Master of Engineering program, do not assume that it will be easier than a doctoral degree. These classes are hard, even for those of us who aced their undergraduate courses. However, the work you put in will serve you throughout your entire life. Specifically, the personal development workshops that I attended opened my eyes to possibilities I never thought possible. It also equipped me with the leadership and business skills necessary to realize those possibilities. So, if you want to enhance your job prospects and attend this graduate program, prepare to be uncomfortable. But, more importantly, prepare to grow.

M.Eng. Technical Faculty

March 4, 2025

Our faculty houses experts from various areas of chemical engineering who offer unique insights into course content.  
This video introduces several technical faculty members who teach courses for our program. I hope you will get more acquainted with the prestigious faculty who teach courses for our program.  

Please do not hesitate to contact our program staff at chbe-meng@illinois.edu with any questions, and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Fall 2024 Application Reviews and Offers

March 12, 2024