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.
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Students own what they invent at the University of Waterloo. This makes University of Waterloo an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Here support is available to commercialize innovations and nurture new start-ups. Learn more.
Interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering?
- Our curriculum is highly relevant to industry, with flexibility so you can specialize in areas of interest.
- Smallest class sizes of all the engineering programs, you will experience individualized support from your instructors and a tight-knit community.
- A large faculty complement including nine Research Chairs, with a wide variety of expertise ranging from biotechnology, nanotechnology, polymers and materials science, to environmental and energy topics like global climate change and fuel cells. See our research areas for an overview.
- Access to Chemical Engineering experts for career suggestions, research experience or guidance during senior-level design projects.
- Paid co-op work experience in a wide variety of Chemical Engineering-related jobs.
Interested in pursuing a Master of Engineering, Master of Applied Science or PhD in Chemical Engineering
Thinking about using your chemical engineering knowledge to advance your career, satisfy your intellectual curiosity and build upon your passions? Investigate the opportunities available to you in the Department of Chemical Engineerin
Did you know that you get paid to do a research-based degree?
Did you know that domestic graduate students pay less for tuition than undergraduate students?
Did you know that if you did not get accepted into the University of Waterloo's undergraduate engineering programs, you have a good chance of being accepted into our graduate program?
A graduate degree in Chemical Engineering will allow you to have a career in a multitude of employment sectors. From developing next-generation batteries and fuel cells, to biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, to mitigating climate change through carbon capture.
Learn about Professor Valerie Ward's research in biomanufacturing using biological processes to manufacture products like antibiotics or proteins for pharmaceutical applications and more.
Are you wondering what Chemical Engineering is? Check out our new animation!
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 student wins first place in 2025 GradFlix Competition
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.
Bioinspired micro-robots use light to swim
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 wins the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo Equity & Inclusivity Award
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.