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Incorporating Biotechnology in the Chemical Engineering Curriculum

Nada M. Assaf-Anid and Helen C. Hollein

Chemical Engineering Department Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY 10471

Abstract:

The projected growth of the biotechnology industry in the coming decades warrants changes in traditional chemical engineering curricula. To meet this new challenge, Manhattan College has implemented curriculum changes that aim at preparing graduates to meet the demands of the food and pharmaceutical industry with a basic knowledge of biology and biochemistry for entry-level chemical engineers. Sophomores are now required to take one of two biology courses (Genetics or Molecular Biology) with biology majors. As seniors, students can elect to take another biology course (Immunology, Pharmacology, or Physiology) or a biochemistry course as their advanced science elective. Other opportunities are available to them such as enrolling in Bioreaction Engineering, Bioseparation Engineering, Membrane Process Technology, Industrial Microbiology and/or Biological Treatment Processes as senior engineering elective courses. Research opportunities in the areas of biochemical engineering are also available through collaborations with the Biology Department at Manhattan College and the Earth Engineering Center at Columbia University.

Introduction:

From its inception in 1958, the Chemical Engineering Department at Manhattan College has sought feedback from its Advisory Board and employers to improve its programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the 1960s the local manufacturing industries were mostly chemical and petrochemical including: Exxon Research & Engineering (NJ), Mobil Research & Development (NJ), Texaco (NY), Universal Oil Products (NY), Union Carbide (NY, CT), and American Cyanamid (NY, NJ & CT). In recent years, many of those industries have closed their Northeast sites causing a shift in the local job market towards the food and pharmaceutical industries. This has led to the addition of representatives from Pfizer (NY, CT), Merck (NJ), Nestle (NJ), and Kraft (NY, NJ) to the Advisory Board. Future additions will include members from other local food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology companies that hire our graduates including Bristol Myers-Squibb, Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, OSI Pharmaceuticals, PepsiCo, and Seagrams.

In an effort to continuously meet the needs of our constituencies (employers and students), and encouraged by the reported 11% increase in employment in the pharmaceutical sector between 1994 and 1997 in New York State 1, plus the doubling in size of the biotechnology industry in the U.S. as a whole between 1993 and 1999 2, we have revised the chemical engineering curriculum. This paper presents those revisions at both the undergraduate

Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Hollein, H., & Assaf-Anid, N. (2002, June), Incorporating Biotechnology In The Chemical Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10811