Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Subject abbreviations: CEE, CHE, ENVE The Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering

David Cocker, Ph.D., Chair Department Office, A220 Bourns Hall

• (951) 827-2423; https://www.cee.ucr.edu/

Professors David Cocker, Ph.D., Chair in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Don Collins, Ph.D. Juchen Guo, Ph,D. Georgios Karavalakis, Ph.D. Haizhou Liu, Ph.D. Ashok K. Mulchandani, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Markus Peters, Ph.D. Ian Wheeldon, Ph.D. Bryan Wong, Ph.D. Jianzhong Wu, Ph.D. Michael Zachariah, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor

Associate Professors Robert Jinkerson, Ph.D. Fudong Liu, Ph.D. Jinyong Liu, Ph.D. Yujie Men, Ph.D. Younjin Min, Ph.D. Ruoxue Yan, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor Ke Du, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors of Teaching Amanda Rupiper, Ph.D. Jiamin Zhang, Ph.D.

**

Adjunct Professor Abhilash Vijayan, Ph.D.

Adjunct Associate Professors Kelley Barsanti Ph.D. Yanran Li, Ph.D.

Adjunct Assistant Professors Leslie Abdul-Aziz Ph.D. Cesunica Ivey Ph.D. Sarah Petters Ph.D.

Cooperating Faculty Roya Bahreini, Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences) Lorenzo Mangolini, Ph.D. Joshua Morgan, Ph.D.

The Department of Chemical and Environmen- tal Engineering offers B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering and in Environmental Engineering, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. For more details, see https://www.cee.ucr.edu/. Chemical Engineering focuses on transforming raw materials into useful everyday products. Chemical engineers turn the discoveries of chemists and physicists into commercial realities. They find work in a variety of fields including pharmaceuticals, materials, chem- ical, fuels, pollution control, medicine, and nuclear and electronic industries. At UCR, the B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering offers stu- dents three options: Biochemical Engineering, focusing on biochemical processes; Nanotech- nology, focusing on nanoscale processes; or Chemical Engineering, emphasizing traditional chemical engineering issues.

The program’s educational objectives are to produce graduates who attain high levels of technical expertise to enable their achievement in diverse chemical engineering practice and research, or in allied careers, prepare them for graduate level education, and enable them to be successful members of the professional community, for the benefit of our constituents.

The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (CHE) Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, abet. org, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular, and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. For additional details, see https:// www.cee.ucr.edu/abet/.

Environmental Engineering deals with design and construction of processes and equipment intended to lessen the impact of man’s activities on the environment. With the growing importance of environmental quality, the environmental engineer plays a pivotal role in modern industrial activity. Environmental engineers are involved in a wide range of activities including the design of alternative fueled vehicles, the development of renewable energy sources, the design of equipment for solid waste collection and disposal, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, air pollution control systems, and hazardous waste management.

The program’s educational objectives are to produce graduates who attain high levels of technical expertise to enable their achievement in diverse environmental engineering practice and research, or in allied careers, prepare them for graduate level education, and enable them to be successful members of the professional community, for the benefit of our constituents.

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental En- gineering (ENVE) Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, abet.org, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Environmental Engineering and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. For additional details, see https://www. cee.ucr.edu/abet#environmentalengineering/.

All undergraduates in the College of Engineer- ing must see an advisor at least annually. Visit student.engr.ucr.edu for details.

All students who request a change of major to Chemical Engineering must meet the following requirements:

• Be in good academic standing • Have no less than a C- in any Math, Science and Engineering coursework

• Have a minimum 2.0 GPA in all Math, Science and Engineering required coursework

• Be able to complete major within maximum allowable units

• Complete all the courses listed below, based on the total number of units earned, prior to submitting the major change request

• UCR transfer students interested in changing to a BCOE major must have been admissible to the major at point of entry, or must satisfy transfer admission and change of major requirements before earning 120 units

• If changing in the 90-119 units category student must have the ability to complete major within 5 years of entry as a Freshmen or 3 years after entry as a Transfer student

• Students who have earned 120 or more units are not eligible for a change of major in BCOE. NOTE: AP/IB units are excluded from maximum unit calculation

Completed 0 to less than 45 units Completion of ENGL 001A with C or better andcompletion of the following with at least 2.500 GPA:

• CHEM 001A or CHEM 01HA

• CHEM 01LA or CHEM 01HLA

• MATH 009A or MATH 09HA

• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA

Completed 45 to less than 90 units Completion of ENGL 001A with C or better and completion of the following with at least 2.500 GPA:

• CHEM 001A or CHEM 01HA

• CHEM 01LA or CHEM 01HLA

• CHEM 001B or CHEM 01HB

• CHEM 01LB or CHEM 01HLB

• MATH 009A or MATH 09HA

• MATH 009B or MATH 09HB

• MATH 009C or MATH 09HC

• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA

Completed 90 to less than 120 units Completion of ENGL 001A and ENGL 001B with C or better and completion of the following with at least 2.500 GPA:

• CHEM 001A or CHEM 01HA

• CHEM 01LA or CHEM 01HLA

• CHEM 001B or CHEM 01HB

• CHEM 01LB or CHEM 01HLB

• CHEM 001C or CHEM 01HC

• CHEM 01LC or CHEM 01HLC

• MATH 009A or MATH 09HA

• MATH 009B or MATH 09HB

• MATH 009C or MATH 09HC

• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA

• PHYS 040B or PHYS 040HB

All students who request a change of major to Environmental Engineering must meet the following requirements:

• Be in good academic standing

• Have no less than a C- in any Math, Science and Engineering coursework

• Have a minimum 2.0 GPA in all Math, Science and Engineering required coursework

• Be able to complete major within maximum allowable units

• Complete all the courses listed below, based on the total number of units earned, prior to submitting the major change request

• UCR transfer students interested in changing to a BCOE major must have been admissible to the major at point of entry, or must satisfy transfer admission and change of major requirements before earning 120 units

• If changing in the 90-119 units category student must have the ability to complete major within 5 years of entry as a Freshmen or 3 years after entry as a Transfer student

• Students who have earned 120 or more units are not eligible for a change of major in BCOE. NOTE: AP/IB units are excluded from maximum unit calculation

Completed 0 to less than 45 units Completion of ENGL 001A with C or better and completion of the following with at least 2.500 GPA:

• CHEM 001A or CHEM 01HA

• CHEM 01LA or CHEM 01LHA

• MATH 009A or MATH 09HA

• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA

Completed 45 to less than 90 units Completion of ENGL 001A with C or better and completion of the following with at least 2.500 GPA:

• CHEM 001A or CHEM 01HA

• CHEM 01LA or CHEM 01HLA

• CHEM 001Bor CHEM 01HB

• CHEM 01LB or CHEM 01HLB

• MATH 009A or MATH 09HA

• MATH 009B or MATH 09HB

• MATH 009C or MATH 09HC

• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA

• C or better ENGL 1A

Completed 90 to less than 120 units Completion of ENGL 001A and ENGL 001B with C or better and completion of the following with at least 2.500 GPA:

• CHEM 001A or CHEM 01HA

• CHEM 01LA or CHEM 01HLA

• CHEM 001B or CHEM 01HB

• CHEM 01LB or CHEM 01HLB

• CHEM 001C or CHEM 01HC

• CHEM 01LC or CHEM 01HLC

• MATH 009A or MATH 09HA

• MATH 009B or MATH 09HB • MATH 009C or MATH 09HC

• PHYS 040A or PHYS 040HA

• PHYS 040B or PHYS 040HB

See Undergraduate Studies section.

See The Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, Colleges and Programs section.

The Chemical Engineering major and the Environmental Engineering major use the following major requirements to satisfy the college’s Natural Sciences and Mathematics breadth requirement.

• 1. BIOL 005A, BIOL 05LA

• 2. CHEM 001A, CHEM 001B, CHEM 001C, CHEM 01LA, CHEM 01LB, CHEM 01LC

• 3. MATH 008B or MATH 009A

Chemical Engineering Students must choose either a Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Nanotechnology option.

• 1. Lower-division requirements (76 units)

• a) BIOL 005A, BIOL 05LA

• b) CHEM 001A, CHEM 001B, CHEM 001C,

CHEM 01LA, CHEM 01LB, CHEM 01LC, CHEM 008A, CHEM 008B, CHEM 008C, CHEM 08LA, CHEM 08LB, CHEM 08LC

• c) CS 009P

• d) MATH 008B or MATH 009A, MATH 009B,

MATH 009C, MATH 010A, MATH 010B, MATH 046

• e) PHYS 040A, PHYS 040B, PHYS 040C

• f) CEE 010

• 2. Upper-division requirements (63 units)

• a) CEE 158

• b) CHE 100, CHE 110A, CHE 110B, CHE 114,

CHE 116, CHE 117, CHE 118, CHE 120, CHE 122, CHE 160B, CHE 160C, CHE 175A, CHE 175B

• c) CHE 130/ENVE 130, CHE 160A/ENVE 160A

• d) ENGR 118

• 3. Option requirements: choose one option

• a) Biochemical Engineering option

(18 units)

• (1) BCH 110A/BCH 100

• (2) CHE 124, CHE 124L, CHE 140

• (3) Four (4) units of technical electives

chosen from BIEN 125, BIEN 140A/ CEE 140A, BIEN 159/CEE 159, BIOL 121/MCBL 121, CEE 125, CEE 132, CEE 135, CHE 102, CHE 150

• b) Chemical Engineering option (16 units)

• (1) Sixteen (16) units of technical

electives chosen from CEE 125 or CEE 135, CEE 132, CHE 102, CHE 131, CHE 136, CHE 171, ENVE 120, ENVE 133, ENVE 134, ENVE 138

• c) Nanotechnology option (19 units)

• (1) CHE 105

• (2) CHE 161
• (3) CEE 135

• (4) Eight (8) units of technical electives

chosen from CHE 102, CHE 131, ENVE 133, ME 114, MSE 160, MSE 161

Visit the Student Affairs Office in the College of Engineering or student.engr.ucr.edu for a sample program.

Environmental Engineering

• 1. Lower-division requirements (76 units)

• a) BIOL 005A, BIOL 05LA

• b) CEE 010

• c) CHEM 001A, CHEM 001B, CHEM 001C,

CHEM 01LA, CHEM 01LB, CHEM 01LC, CHEM 008A, CHEM 008B, CHEM 08LA, CHEM 08LB

• d) CS 009P

• e) MATH 008B or MATH 009A, MATH 009B,

MATH 009C, MATH 010A, MATH 010B, MATH 046

• f) ME 010

• g) PHYS 040A, PHYS 040B, PHYS 040C

• 2. Upper-division requirements (85 units)

• a) CEE 158

• b) CHE 100, CHE 114, CHE 120

• c) ENGR 118

• d) ENSC 100/SWSC 100

• e) ENVE 120, ENVE 133, ENVE 135, ENVE 142,

ENVE 146, ENVE 160B, ENVE 160C, ENVE 171, ENVE 175A, ENVE 175B

• f) ENVE 130/CHE 130, ENVE 160A/CHE 160A

• g) ENVE 121, ENVE 134, ENVE 140

• h) Choose one from CHE 102, CHE 116,

CHE 124, CEE 125, CEE 132, ENVE 138, ENVE/ENSC 144, ENVE 145, ENSC/ENTX/CHEM 135, ENSC 136, ENSC 163, 4 units of HNPG 199H

Visit the Student Affairs Office in the College of Engineering or student.engr.ucr.edu for a sample program.

The Graduate Program in Chemical and Envi- ronmental Engineering offers training leading to the degrees of M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. Fields of specialization include biochemical engineering and bioengineering, environmental biotech- nology, air quality systems engineering, water quality systems engineering, thermodynamics, advanced materials, and nanotechnology.

Combined B.S. + M.S. Five-Year Program The college offers combined B.S.+ M.S. programs in both Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering designed to lead to a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Mas- ter of Science degree in five years. Applicants for this program must have a high school GPA above 3.6, a combined SAT Reasoning score above 1950 (or ACT plus Writing equivalent), complete the Entry Level Writing Requirement before matriculation, and have sufficient mathematics preparation to enroll in calculus in their first quarter as freshmen. Interested students who are entering their junior year should check with their academic advisor for information on eligibility and other details.

Admission Applicants should have a degree in chemical and environmental engineering or closely related fields, have a satisfactory overall GPA from their undergraduate studies, and good letters of recommendation. Normally, students admitted to regular standing have satisfied all prerequisite course work. Under special cir- cumstances, students who have not completed all undergraduate requirements may be admit- ted provided that the deficiencies are correct- ed to the satisfaction of the student’s advisory committee within the first year of graduate study. Courses taken for this purpose do not count towards an advanced degree. Interna- tional students, permanent residents, and even U.S. citizens whose native language is not English and who do not have a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree from an institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test), 213 (computer-based), or 80 (internet-based).

Course Work To ensure that advanced degree recipients in the graduate program have advanced knowl- edge in mathematics and chemical engineer- ing principles that form the foundation for chemical and environmental engineering, a core course program has been implemented. All M.S. and Ph.D. students must participate in the core course program. Students who have completed these (or equivalent) courses else- where may petition to have the core course requirement waived or some of their units transferred (see the Graduate Division policy for transferring course units). Competency in these areas will be tested as part of the comprehensive exam for M.S. students and in the written preliminary examination for Ph.D. students. The current core courses are as follows:

CEE 200 (Advanced Engineering Computations)

CEE 202 (Transport Phenomena)

CEE 204 (Advanced Kinetics and Reaction Engineering)

CEE 206 (Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics)

Academic Appeals Process Policies and procedures relating to Academic Appeals can be found through the UCR Graduate Division link, https://graduate.ucr.edu/ regulations-and-procedures/.

Incoming students without a B.S. degree in chemical or environmental engineering must demonstrate competency in these areas either by taking the appropriate undergraduate courses and/or by passing the written preliminary exam. At UCR, the required courses are CHE 100, CHE 110A, CHE 110B, ENVE 171, CHE 114, CHE 116, CHE 120, CHE 130, and ENGR 118. Students may also be required to take some of the above courses to satisfy the prerequisites of the core graduate courses. Each quarter, all M.S. and Ph.D. students in residence must enroll in CEE 286 (Colloquium in Chemical and Environmental Engineering). In addition, all M.S. and Ph.D. students must participate each year in the CEE Graduate Student Symposium, usually held just before the beginning of the fall quarter.

Professional Development Training

• 1. Two sessions of CEE 286 each quarter will

be dedicated to professional develop- ment. The subjects will include but are not limited to: research ethics, scientific and technical writing, academic careers, employment opportunities beyond aca- demia, and professional networking.

• 2. A weekly one hour networking meeting

with a visiting colloquia speaker.

• 3. Fall quarter fellowship/grant writing

workshops. Focus will be on incoming domestic students applying for NSF graduate fellowships.

The Department of Chemical and Environ- mental Engineering offers the M.S. degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering.

Plan I (Thesis) requires completion of a minimum of 36 units of approved course work including the core courses and submission of an acceptable M.S. thesis. At least 24 of these units must be in regular lecture graduate cours- es (200 series courses). No more than 4 units of CEE 290 or CEE 297 combined and 6 units of CEE 286 or special topics courses (CEE 250 or CEE 260 series) may apply towards the 36 units.

Plan II (Comprehensive Examination) requires completion of a minimum of 36 units of approved course work including the core courses and successful passage of a comprehensive examination. At least 28 of these units must be in regular lecture graduate courses (200-series courses), and none may be in courses numbered CEE 286, CEE 290, CEE 297, CEE 299, or CEE 302.

Examination – The exam consists of three written tests in three different areas emphasizing graduate level fundamental knowledge and breadth of the study area rather than specifics covered in individual courses. Exams areas can include, but are not limited to:

• 1. Advanced Air Pollution Control

and Engineering

• 2. Advanced Chemical Engineering

Thermodynamics

• 3. Advanced Kinetics and Reaction Engineering

• 4. Physical and Chemical Separation Processes

• 5. Transport Phenomena

An oral follow-up session may be requested by the examination committee following its eval- uation of the written exam. No more than two attempts to pass the exam are allowed. Stu- dents who fail the exam once and then want to switch to the thesis plan should contact the graduate advisor. Students who fail the exam twice may not switch to the thesis plan.

The Comprehensive Exam is only offered once an academic year during the Spring quarter. Students should state intent to take the exam by week 10 of Winter quarter. Plan II (Comprehensive Examination, Industrial Biotechnology concentration) requires completion of a minimum of 36 units of approved course work including the industrial biotechnology related courses CHE 124, CHE 124L, CEE 210, CEE 211, CEE 212, CEE 236, CEE 238A, CEE 238B, CEE 238C, CEE 248, and CEE 298-I. A minimum of 2 units of CEE 298-I is required. Students who elect the Industrial Biotechnology track must complete an indus- try-based research project with accompanying written report. This project serves in lieu of a comprehensive final examination. Students whose project and report are deemed “not acceptable” are given one additional quarter to revise them to an “acceptable” level.

Plan II (Comprehensive Examination, Air Quality Engineering concentration) requires completion of a minimum of 36 units of approved course work including:

Required core courses (16 units) CEE 207, CEE 233, CEE 234, CEE 236

Electives selected from the following list (16 units) CEE 200, CEE 202, CEE 204, CEE 206, CEE 220, CEE 1251, CEE 1361, ENVE 1331, ENVE 1341, ENVE 1351, ENVE 1381, ENSC 2272, ENSC 2452, ME 2482, PBPL 2332, ENSC 1351, 2, ME 1171, 2, ME 1361, 2

Required internship course (4 units) CEE 298i

A minimum of 4 units of CEE 298i is required. Students who elect the Air Quality Engineer- ing track must complete an internship and research project with accompanying writ- ten report. This project serves in lieu of a comprehensive final examination. Students whose project and report are deemed “not acceptable” are given one additional quarter to revise them to an “acceptable” level.

1 Credit awarded for no more than 8 units of undergraduate courses

2 Credit awarded for no more than 8 units of out of department courses

Substitutions or other alterations to the over- all course requirements require approval from the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Graduate Advisor. Other courses may be sub- stituted but must be approved by the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Graduate Advisor. Additional courses may be required by the Advisory Committee depending on the student's background and fields of interest.

For the M.S. degree, students must complete a minimum of three quarters in residence in the UC with a GPA of 3.00 or better in all 100- and 200-level course work related to the degree.

Thesis Committee The committee consists of three members. The student and advisor nominate the com- mittee before the end of the first year with the concurrence of the graduate committee. After review of the nominations, the dean of the Graduate Division appoints the committee on behalf of the Graduate Council. The committee, once approved by the graduate dean, rather than the department, becomes responsible for the student’s academic guidance and evalu- ation. The chairman of the committee is the director of the candidate’s research and is nor- mally a faculty member of the CEE department or a cooperating faculty member. A member may be appointed who is a researcher on campus, from off-campus, or a visiting lecturer within the department; however, a memo indicating the academic degree and affiliation of the nominated member, as well as a curric- ulum vitae, must accompany such a request. (Memos need not accompany the nomination of an adjunct faculty member.) After the com- mittee is formed, the committee must approve the subject of the thesis. A joint meeting of the committee members and the student should be held before work on the thesis is begun to ensure the topic is clear and acceptable to all. Once the thesis is completed, all three mem- bers of the committee must approve the thesis and sign the title page. Students must give a departmental seminar presentation of their thesis work to the department and members of the academic community before completing the thesis.

Normative Time to Degree 6 quarters

The Department of Chemical and Environ- mental Engineering offers the Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. Sat- isfying the requirements for the degree consists of four parts:

• 1. Successful completion of an approved

program of course work

• 2. Passing a written preliminary examination

• 3. Approval of a dissertation proposal

• 4. Defense and approval of the dissertation

Course Work Upon choosing a faculty advisor, each Ph.D. student is appointed a Ph.D. advisory commit- tee consisting of two CEE faculty members and the faculty advisor. This advisory committee is responsible for guiding the students in formu- lating their research activities and preparing for the preliminary and qualifying exams.

The program of course work is formulated by each student and a faculty advisor in the first or second quarter after admission to the program and must be approved by the stu- dent’s advisor and advisory committee. Every student must complete a program of study that includes:

• 1. A major area of study intended to increase

the student’s depth of knowledge in an engineering research specialty and

• 2. A minor area of study intended to support

and increase the student’s breadth of knowledge in the major area

The CEE graduate program requires a coherent program of:

• 1. Sixteen (16) units of core courses and

• 2. Eight (8) units of graduate and/or

upper-division work approved by the advisory committee

None of these credits may be in courses num- bered between CEE 250 and CEE 270, CEE 286, CEE 290, CEE 297, CEE 299, or CEE 302. Preliminary Examination The preliminary examination tests students’ understanding of the fundamental principles of chemical and environmental engineering and students’ critical thinking as it relates to engineering research. This exam consists of a critical evaluation of a published scientific journal article, presented orally, followed by questions from a faculty panel on the paper and associated fundamentals. The article will be selected by the faculty panel. The panel will be comprised of faculty from the Chemical and Environmental Engineering department with appropriate expertise in the chosen area of study. On the basis of the oral presentation and answers to questions, the faculty panel will evaluate whether the student passes the exam. Students who fail the examination on the first attempt are granted a second and final attempt to pass a makeup examination. This exam is typically completed during the third quarter of study and after completing four core Chemical and Environmental Engi- neering graduate courses.

Teaching Requirement All students must be employed as teaching assistants for at least one quarter. The pro- gram's educational objectives are to produce graduates who attain high levels of technical expertise to enable their achievement in di- verse environmental engineering practice and research, or in allied careers, prepare them for graduate level education, and enable them to be successful members of the professional community, for the benefit of our constituents.

Oral Qualifying Examination Selection of the five-member Qualifying Committee is as follows: 2 members selected by the Graduate Committee, 2 members selected by the student, and 1 oversight member. The student’s advisor will chair the committee. All members of the qualifying committee are expected to have the appropriate expertise to guide and evaluate a candidate’s research. No more than 1 member can be a non-academic senate member. After review of the nominations, the dean of the Graduate Division appoints the committee on behalf of the Graduate Council. This committee becomes responsible for the student’s academic guidance and evaluation until advancement to candidacy and administers the qualifying examination.

Dissertation Proposal After successful completion of the written preliminary examination, each student, with advisement from an advisor, prepares a dis- sertation proposal. Typically, students submit a dissertation proposal to their qualifying committee within one year after successfully completing the written preliminary examina- tion. The proposal should clearly demonstrate the student’s adequate preparation for the completion of the thesis research, which in- cludes but is not limited to a thorough review of the pertinent literature, a presentation and discussion of the candidate’s own research, and a detailed research plan with sufficient breadth and depth for the completion of the thesis. The qualifying committee chair schedules an oral defense normally within one month of the written proposal submission. The presentation is given only to the dissertation committee members. The oral presentation/defense of the proposal focuses on the dissertation problem. Students should demonstrate considerable depth of knowledge in the student’s area of specializa- tion and a clear understanding of the research methods that are needed for successful com- pletion of the dissertation research. The oral presentation/defense begins with a presen- tation by students on their dissertation topic and is followed by questions and suggestions from the qualifying committee.

On the basis of the written proposal and oral de- fense, the qualifying committee decides whether the student should be advanced to candidacy, asked to modify and enhance the proposal, or requested to withdraw from the program.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination Following advancement to candidacy, students formally focus on their dissertation research. The progress of the dissertation is monitored by the student’s dissertation committee. Can- didates should interact frequently with mem- bers of their dissertation committee to ensure that dissertation progress is acceptable.

The graduate committee nominates and ap- proves the dissertation committee after consid- eration of the suggestions made by the student and thesis advisor. The dissertation committee consists of a minimum of three UCR Academic Senate members. The chair and majority of members must be from Chemical and Environ- mental Engineering. All committee members should be in a position to offer guidance and be able to judge the scholarship of the dissertation work. Upon recommendation of the graduate advisor, doctoral dissertation committees are appointed by the dean of the Graduate Division.

After completing the dissertation research, students must submit a written copy of the dissertation for approval for defense by the student’s dissertation committee. Once a draft has been approved, an oral defense of the dis- sertation is scheduled. This defense consists of a seminar open to the entire academic commu- nity, followed by a question-and-answer period conducted by the dissertation committee.

Students must complete at least six quarters in residence in the UC with a GPA of 3.00 or better in all 100- and 200-level course work related to the degree.

Exam Modality

Oral Qualifying Examination The Oral Qualifying Exam can be taken in any of the following modes: In-Person, Hybrid, or Remote. After consultation with the student, the faculty advisor will have final approval on the mode to be used. The faculty advisor will consider the nature of the research and practicality of presentation to determine the most suitable mode for remote, in-person, or Hybrid modes. The faculty advisor or student must make request to the graduate advisor for the remote option.

All committee members and the student must be present on campus for the in -person exam.

Some committee members and/or the student will participate remotely and all others will be in person for the Hybrid mode.

All committee members and students will attend remotely, when the remote option is chosen.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination The Dissertation and Final Oral Examination follows the same guidelines that govern the Oral Qualifying Exam

Normative Time to Degree Three years for students with a UCR M.S. de- gree in Chemical and Environmental Engineer- ing (five years for those without an M.S. degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering)