Editorial: Bridging Pedagogy and Practice in Chemical Engineering Education

The energy transition, digitalization, and the rise of AI are transforming what it means to be a chemical engineer. As the chemical engineering discipline evolves to meet society’s current challenges, so too must engineering education. Although traditional learning paradigms will be central in getting students up to speed on data analytics, sustainability fundamentals, and updated bioprocessing techniques, another pathway to this evolution involves experiential learning — i.e., “learning by doing.” Experiential learning is an approach to education where students gain knowledge by actively engaging in real or simulated experiences, rather than simply receiving lessons through lectures or textbooks. As an example, in the article on pp. 18–23, Mark Holtzapple discusses how Texas A&M Univ. has integrated a laboratory class into the traditional Mass and Energy Balances core course to reinforce the lecture content and lay a solid foundation for upper-level courses.

One experiential learning model that some universities are implementing today involves formal internships or co-op programs, where undergraduate students are required to join the workforce — at least for a few months — before they can graduate. An example of such a requirement is discussed in the article on pp. 30–34, “Chemical Engineering + Data Science: An Integrated Degree for the Age of AI.” At the Univ. of Illinois, students pursuing the new ChemE + Data Science undergraduate degree need to complete a data science experience practicum, where they must secure an internship, co-op, or undergraduate research position that involves data analysis in an engineering context.

On-the-job learning allows students to apply the chemical engineering fundamentals they are taught in the classroom to the real world. “Being able to see and, even more importantly, work with equipment and concepts that were previously only in a textbook or lecture slide allows students to start transforming into professionals,” said Chris Lowe, Senior Staff Engineer at Takeda Pharmaceuticals and AIChE Annual Meeting Program Chair, in a recent AIChE ChEnected blogpost.

Whether you’re still in the classroom or long past graduation, this special issue of CEP on ChE Education offers insights worth exploring. Flip to page 18 to learn more about how Texas A&M is addressing the looming shortage of engineers; read about how other schools are prioritizing communication (pp. 35–39) and ethics (pp. 45–49) in an effort to graduate more well-rounded engineers; and incorporate some of the “high structure” course design principles from the article on pp. 25–29 into your own meetings to improve engagement. If education is your passion or your profession, this special issue will feel tailor-made for you.

Another great outlet to learn about the latest trends in academia is the upcoming AIChE Annual Meeting. The featured session, “Chemical Engineering Education – Experiential Learning,” at this year’s meeting will discuss how co-op programs are bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace. Session panelists include faculty from universities with proven co-op programs, as well as industry leaders who have worked with universities to establish these programs. Check out the Annual Meeting preview on pp. 50–58 for the full lineup of featured events.

Aside from experiential learning, this issue presents many examples of how thoughtful pedagogy can transform students into the future innovators and problem-solvers that tomorrow’s challenges will demand.

Emily Petruzzelli, Editor-in-Chief