ABET Accreditation

Mission Statement

The Department of Chemical Engineering is dedicated to providing edu­cational opportunities in chemical engineering to a highly selective, predominantly undergraduate student body of talented individuals. The department encourages close interactions between students and the faculty, who are dedicated to education and actively engaged in scholarship that enriches the educational program. The program emphasizes active learning with a strong laboratory component. The department nurtures the intellectual, professional and personal devel­opment of its students and faculty in order to prepare and encourage them to be highly competent professionals and responsible members of society.

Program Educational Objectives

Following the definition presented by ABET, the department's educational objective statement broadly reflects the career accomplishments and expecta­tions of alumni who graduate from the program: Alumni will experience success in a variety of postgraduate environments, including, but not limited to, chemical engineering professional practice and advanced study.

Student Outcomes

Graduates of the program shall meet the following ABET Criterion 3 student outcomes at the time of graduation by demonstrating all parts of the four Outcome Categories that follow.

ABET Criterion 3 Student Outcomes

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Bucknell Chemical Engineering Program Outcome Categories

Outcome Category 1: Technical Competency

• 1.A Content Competency. Students will display basic competency in each of the technical areas identified as essential to chemical engineers. ABET Criterion 3: (1)
• 1.B Curricular Integration. Students will be able to apply knowledge of technical concepts beyond the specific course where material is first taught. ABET Criterion 3: (1, 7)
• 1.C Analysis/Evaluation. Students can apply material beyond simple recall of facts. ABET Criterion 3: (1)
• 1.D Lab Skills. Students will have familiarity with, and ability to operate, modern laboratory equipment. Students gain an appreciation of health and safety concerns in the laboratory. Students will have the ability to apply appropriate software tools to help them solve problems. ABET Criterion 3: (6)

Outcome Category 2: Intellectual Development

• 2.A Design. Students learn to solve realistic engineering problems that may not be fully specified and do not have a single answer. ABET Criterion 3: (1, 2, 7)
• 2.B Experimental Process. Students will exhibit skills for planning, designing and conducting experiments or research, and analyzing information. ABET Criterion 3: (1, 6, 7)

Outcome Category 3: Societal Responsibility

• 3.A Breadth: Global/Societal. Students will be exposed to a balanced and broad-based curriculum, and will enhance their awareness of global and societal issues. ABET Criterion 3: (2, 4)
• 3.B Ethical/Regulatory/Political. Students will learn to analyze problems that include ethical, regulatory and/or political issues. ABET Criterion 3: (1, 2, 4)
• 3.C Process Hazards. Students can identify and assess potential hazards throughout the design and operation of chemical processes. (2)

Outcome Category 4: Professional Development

• 4.A Communication. Students will achieve a satisfactory level of mastery of oral and written communication. Students will experience presenting their work to peers and/or professionals. ABET Criterion 3: (3)
• 4.B Teamwork. Students will demonstrate a mastery of skills for effectively leading and participating in team activities. ABET Criterion 3: (5)
• 4.C Independent Learning. Students will demonstrate independent learning skills, particularly in the capstone design and laboratory courses. ABET Criterion 3: (1, 7)
• 4.D Professional Development. Students will recognize the importance of continual professional development. ABET Criterion 3: (3, 4)