CBE 340 - Mass Transfer and Separation Processes (Spring 2018 - 2024)
Mass transfer is the process by which mass is transported by diffusion and/or convection. It is a cornerstone of chemical engineering and is the third "pillar" of transport phenomena. We study mass transfer from both fundamental and applied perspectives, ranging from molecular to continuum descriptions. Mass transfer and thermodynamics provide the framework needed to analyze separation processes, which are also essential in chemical engineering. We study ways to separate mixtures of chemical species using single equilibrium stages, multistage cascades, and absorption/stripping. Additional separation processes are studied in CBE 445.
CBE 506 - Advanced Engineering Mathematics (Fall 2013 - 2023)
Development of mathematical methods relevant to chemical & biomolecular engineering and related disciplines: Abstract vector spaces; eigenvalue problems; solution techniques for ordinary differential equations; Sturm-Liouville theory and generalized Fourier series; stability analysis; solution techniques for partial differential equations; integral transforms; Green's functions; regular and singular perturbation theory
FYS 129 - Engineering Immunity (Fall 2022)
This seminar will explore the immune system through the lens of engineering. We will use quantitative reasoning and engineering design principles to address topics in immunology including: How does the immune system fight infection? How are vaccines developed? What is cancer immunotherapy? How can the immune system be harnessed to enhance tissue regeneration and wound healing? Immunoengineering is a highly interdisciplinary field, and students will work across disciplines to understand and communicate how the immune system can be engineered to improve human health.
This first-year studies (FYS) seminar is supported by NSF CAREER Award PHY-1753017.
FYS 129 - Exploring COVID-19 (Fall 2020)
The emergence of the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 has reshaped the world around us. This seminar will explore COVID-19 through the lens of engineering and physics. We will investigate the biology of viruses and explore many of the same unanswered questions confronting scientists and policy makers. How does our immune system fight the coronavirus? How does the virus spread from person-to-person and within large populations? How are tests and vaccines for COVID-19 being developed? We will use quantitative reasoning and “back-of-the-envelope” calculations that allow us to pare questions down to their essential features. Through the semester, students will develop and evaluate guidelines for social distancing and public policy. Students from all academic disciplines are welcome!
This first-year studies (FYS) seminar is supported by NSF CAREER Award PHY-1753017.
CBE 631 - Statistical Mechanics (Spring 2015)
Advanced topics from equilibrium statistical mechanics: liquid state theory; computer simulation methods; phase transitions. Time-dependent and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics: descriptions of dynamics (Liouville, Langevin, Fokker-Planck, and master equations); time correlation functions; linear response theory; far-from-equilibrium statistical mechanics (aggregation, coarsening, diffusive reactions, etc.)
CBE 691 - Biomolecular Kinetics and Cellular Dynamics (Spring 2014, 2016)
This course addresses contemporary problems in cell biology using mathematical approaches rooted in the physical sciences. Students will formulate and analyze kinetic models describing biomolecular processes ranging from receptor-ligand binding and enzyme kinetics to gene regulation and signal transduction. The course will emphasize how networks of biochemical reactions give rise to functional cellular responses. We will study the relationship between structural features of networks and cellular function, the consequences of noise in biomolecular networks, and the influence of space and diffusion on biochemical reactions. We will develop techniques to study both deterministic and stochastic dynamics, and in the process will explore many case studies from contemporary literature. Students are expected to play an active role in the course and will have the opportunity to independently explore areas of active research in systems biology.