Welcome to Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo

As part of Canada's largest engineering school and most innovative university, the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo is home to approximately 1,000 students, faculty and staff, and has thousands of alumni worldwide.

Our Department consistently ranks among the top two universities in Canada and the number one university in Ontario in Chemical Engineering according to the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.

In addition to offering undergraduate and graduate programs in chemical engineering, the Department provides academic expertise and support to Waterloo's collaborative nanotechnology and biomedical engineering programs.

The department's collaborative research culture, engaging teaching practices and state-of-the-art facilities create a vibrant learning environment where students are empowered to solve the problems our world faces.

Remote video URL
Remote video URL

Learn about Professor Christian Euler's research in biotechnology to develop novel microbial pathways to valorize waste products such as CO2, its reduced derivatives, and plastics toward the creation of a circular economy.

Remote video URL

Are you wondering what Chemical Engineering is? Check out our new animation!

Remote video URL

Chemical Engineering Lab Tour

Join us for a tour of the Chemical Engineering undergraduate labs in the Douglas Wright Engineering Building at the University of Waterloo.

Find out more by exploring the programs, research and news stories on this site.

News

Chemical engineering graduate student Ananya Muralidharan took first place in this year’s GradFlix competition! Three other chemical engineering graduate students were finalists!

GRADflix is an annual competition that invites graduate students to present their complex research in a way that is accessible to a wider audience. Graduate students create presentations using a combination of live footage, slideshows, and animations to showcase their work. A panel of judges from various fields at the University of Waterloo selects the top four videos, which receive cash prizes. Additionally, there is a Finalist’s Choice Award determined by voting from fellow participants.

Launched in 2018 by the University of Waterloo’s Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA), GRADflix is funded by graduate students through the Graduate Studies Endowment Fund. Three other chemical engineering students were also finalists.

Inspired by the movement of water striders cruising on the surface of water, a research group led by Professor Hamed Shahsavan have designed smart, soft microrobots whose movements can be controlled by light, offering exciting possibilities in environmental remediation and biomedical applications.

Imagine autonomous robots deployed to clean up microplastics in bodies of water. The research also has potential in biomedical applications. Microrobots could be guided inside the human body to conduct medical procedures.

“We’re moving toward smart swimming robots with more autonomous behaviour, by making them respond to external cues like light, or magnetic fields,” said Shahsavan, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering

 Professor Tizazu Mekonnen has been awarded the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo Equity & Inclusivity Award for his work as the inaugural director of the Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) PhD Project.

Championing Diversity in Academia

Diversity is recognized as a critical driver for innovation and growth across all sectors. Yet, at the highest levels of academia—especially within STEM disciplines—there remains a concerning underrepresentation of Black and Indigenous scholars. IBET launched by the University of Waterloo's Faculties of Engineering and Mathematics in January 2021, is addressing this disparity head-on.

IBET Fellows receive $30,000 annually for four years while pursuing their doctoral degrees. This funding is critical in alleviating the financial burden of engaging in PhD studies, allowing students to focus entirely on their research.

Mekonnen has been the director since the program's inception in 2021. Under Mekonnen’s leadership, the initiative has grown from having five Canadian engineering faculties to include 19 universities and has more than 55 fellows enrolled. Mekonnen was recently unanimously re-elected to continue his directorship through 2025.