All courses taken for credit must be approved in writing by the student's research advisor prior to course enrollment. The choice of a research advisor and project is the most important decision of your graduate program. In order to ensure that you have as much information as possible to make your choice, we have formalized the interviewing and selection process. This process may include presentations by the faculty and interviews with the entire faculty. You may consider any research area that is of interest to you.
Many faculty members have research programs that cover more than one area.
You are encouraged to explore all possibilities before you solidify your choice of general research area and a specific research advisor. Before selecting a research advisor, you may be asked to listen to presentations and interview every member of the Chemical Engineering faculty. Each Ph.D. student must select a research project and advisor no later than October 1 or February 15 of the first semester, depending on whether entry into the program is in Fall or Spring semester, respectively. Within two months of the time the student passes the Admission to Candidacy Examination, the advisory research committee of no fewer than four members including the Department Chairman will be selected. At least one member of the committee must be from a department other than Chemical Engineering.