Welcome to the Chemical & Materials Engineering (CHME) program at New Mexico State University.  In CHME at NMSU, we pride ourselves on providing all of our students the research opportunities of a large university combined with the excellence in teaching and small class size of small university.  We offer chemical engineering degrees at the B.S., M.E. (coursework), M.S. (research), and Ph.D.(research) levels).  Our faculty have strong research programs in biomaterials/bioprocessing, flow cytometry, energy materials (catalysis, batteries, and fuel cells), computer modeling and simulation, and nuclear materials.

I often get the question of “What does a chemical engineer do?”  Yes, chemical engineers work in traditional fields such as petroleum refineries and chemical plants, but also in area such as polymers and plastics, paints and coatings, pulp and paper, glass, microelectronics, and materials.  When looking at life sciences, chemical engineers go to medical school, become involved in pharmaceutical production, personal care product development and manufacturing (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, makeup), and manufacture of over-the-counter health care products.  Many chemical engineers complete graduate degrees in biochemistry, chemical biology, biophysics, and biomedical engineering to contribute to the health of all people.  Chemical engineers also take the lead in environmental remediation and pollution prevention.  This doesn’t include the chemical engineers involved in the processes to make and package food.  How else do Cheetos® have just the right amount of orange cheese dust to stick to our fingers and our face?  Many alumni maintain contact with the department, interact with the current students, and post photographs through our Facebook page. 

But “What do chemical engineers really do?” you might insist.  The answer is that we take our math and physics skills and combine that with our specialty, chemistry, and use that knowledge to convert this less expensive feed stock into this more valuable product.  This includes knowledge about reactivity to make as much product as possible, but also involves heat transfer to heat or cool a stream to allow for the reaction to occur or mass transfer to separate out the unwanted products and purify the desired products.  While civil engineers focus on the “bridge” and mechanical engineers make a new car “bumper”, chemical engineers focus on the “process” to make our products.

The NMSU Chemical & Materials Engineering Department has an active student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering. The student chapter has been named one of the Outstanding Student AIChE Chapters by the national organization on a number of occasions. The chapter addresses both the professional development needs of students, and organizes social events that bring students at all levels together to eat, laugh, study and provide outreach about chemical engineering to any interested group. Students take great pride in their accomplishments as an organization and the support they provide to their fellow students.  We even have our own CHME commons study space and reading room right in the department. This strong sense of family and camaraderie assures your academic and personal needs won’t get overlooked during your time in this program.  We like to reinforce tis concept of family by providing our graduates with Aggie Hardhats.  This tradition started in 2008, and hardhats are provided to CHME grads by the department at the Sociedad ceremony the evening before graduation.

Las Cruces and the surrounding area have an average of 360 days of sunshine each year. This region is a paradise for those who enjoy time out of doors to hike, bike, or climb mountains.  It also provides a unique opportunity to not worry about the weather and focus on classes and coursework.

We welcome your inquiries by email, chme@nmsu.edu. You’re also welcome to stop by the office to discuss the Chemical Engineering program at NMSU over a cup of coffee or tea. The NMSU Chemical & Materials Engineering program has a perpetual cup of coffee and tea awaiting you, compliments of an endowment by Luke Barry Shires, the first Chemical Engineer to venture west of the Mississippi River and first department head of CHME at NMSU.

Go Aggie CHMEs!

Written by Joseph H. Holles, Ph.D., P.E., Professor and Academic Department Head of Chemical & Materials Engineering and Bob Davis Professor