(221d) Vanderbilt’s Process Innovation Center: A Multipurpose Facility for Teaching Chemical Engineering Lab and Design Courses

Russell F. Dunn, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor of
the Practice 

Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering

Vanderbilt
University

Nashville,
TN 37235-1604

Ph:
615-343-4268

russell.dunn@vanderbilt.edu

G. Kane Jennings, Ph.D.

Department Chair

Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering

Vanderbilt
University

Nashville,
TN 37212

Ph:
615-322-2707

Kane.g.jennings@vanderbilt.edu

Scott A. Guelcher,
Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering

Vanderbilt
University

Nashville,
TN 37212

Ph:
615-322-9097

scott.guelcher@vanderbilt.edu

Vanderbilt’s
Process Innovation Center: A Multipurpose Facility for Teaching Chemical
Engineering Lab and Design Courses

A state-of-the-art Chemical Engineering Process Innovation Center (PIC) has been created over the past
seven years at Vanderbilt to allow immersive education of our junior and senior
level chemical engineering students. Key
core teaching components in this facility has been developed over the past six
years. Three key disciplines are
emphasized and integrated through the use of this facility for four laboratory
and design courses. The key disciplines
fundamental to chemical engineering education that are emphasized are:

1.    
Hands-on operation of lab scale chemical process and product
equipment

2.    
Computer-based design of chemical processes and products

3.    
Incorporating safety in chemical process and product design,
scale-up and operation

A specific description of the integration of chemical engineering
lab, design and safety courses will be provided along with a detailed
description of the center. This approach
will highlight the immersion experience that chemical engineering students at
Vanderbilt receive through the use of this center.