MEng in Chemical Engineering - Biorenewables in Ames United States | Iowa State University

Carbon-based compounds serve as the fundamental building blocks for society's fuels, chemicals, and materials. The emergence of chemical engineering as a field aligned with technological advancements in processing carbon from fossil sources like petroleum, natural gas, and coal into useful products. Current biorenewable studies focus on creating similar processes using carbon obtained from plant matter. Although established chemical engineering principles from fossil carbon processing remain relevant, biomass feedstocks present unique challenges demanding innovative approaches. Advancements are necessary across multiple disciplines including protein design, genetic engineering, microbial metabolism, biological systems analysis, purification methods, reaction processes, and catalytic techniques to effectively harness biomass resources.