Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

  • Intake: 3-4
  • Typical Offer: A level: A*A*A IB: 40-42 with 7,7,6 in higher level subjects
  • Essential Subjects: Mathematics, Chemistry
  • Desirable Subjects: Physics, Further Mathematics, Biology
  • Assessment: Pre Registration Assessment 
  • Faculty website: www.ceb.cam.ac.uk

Tripos:

The Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology tripos is a direct entry course for students applying for October 2023 entry or onwards. All applicants applying this year will no longer be able to apply to the previous Chemical Engineering course, which required students to study Engineering or NaturalSciences in their first year of university.

The course is arranged over 4 years:

Part IA - Introduction to Pure and Applied Sciences
 
• Introduction into Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Sustainability
• Fundamental Mathematics, Chemistry and Cell Biology
• Introduction to Product Design
• Practical and Project Work
 
Part IB - Fundamentals in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
 
• Principles behind chemcial and biochemical transformations.
• Computational Skills
• Practicals and Project Work
 
Part II - Applications and Design
 
• Advanced topics in Process Engineering and Biotechnology
• Process design and operations
• Design Project - Conceptualisation to detailed industrial design
 
Part III - Advanced and broadening topics
 
• Energy Technology and Sustainability
• Advanced Design
• Choice of advanced topics
• Research Project
 

Further details of the course curriculum can be found at: https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/undergraduates/prospective-students

Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Queen

s’

 All applicants for this tripos must take the Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA).

Based on the results of this assessment, applicants may be invited for interview. There will be a single 30 minute interview during which we will explore topics in chemistry, physics and biology. We will also assess your mathematical knowledge/dexterity, and gauge your motivation to study engineering.

Gap years

Queens' welcomes applications from final-year school candidates intending to take a gap year, and from post-qualification applicants embarking on a gap year. Most such students spend the year gaining valuable industrial experience. At Queens', we find that the life skills acquired during gap years, and particularly the experience of living and working independently, stand students in good stead for university life.

Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Fellows 

  • Dr Zachariah Bond, MA MEng AMIChemE, Director of Studies (external)


    I am a teaching associate at the department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. I am involved in the design of the new four year Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology degree which starts in 2023.

    My research interests are in Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage specifically in the use of Chemical Looping technology to convert solid biomass to energy or synthesis gas with zero or net negative CO2 emissions. I focus specifically on the fluid-dynamics and heat transfer characterises of gas-emitting particles in fluidised media.

  • Dr Mark Williamson

    Current research: 

    The development of sensors for the control of industrial processes in which the water vapour content of the system affects the product quality and/or the process efficiency. This includes baking (food), drying (paper, textiles, ceramics) and boilers (steam generation, space heating). A second area of research is the development of heating systems for tunnel ovens and driers. Commercial CFD software (ANSYS CFX) is being used in conjunction with full-size prototype testing to develop optimised gas-fired heating systems. Our aim is to develop a system in which radiant and convective heat transfer to products travelling on a conveyor can be independently adjusted over a wide range without affecting the simultaneous control of water vapour concentration in the atmosphere surrounding the product.