Department of Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Name of Department:                               Department of Chemical Engineering  
Name of Ag. Head Of Department:          Dr. Abah A. Michael Achadu
Contact E-mail:                                         michael.achaduThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.              
Contact Phone Number(s):                      08037416513

1. Background

The Federal government of Nigeria founded the University of Port Harcourt in 1975 as a Faculty of the University of Lagos. The faculty gained the university status in 1977. The academic units of the university are organized into colleges, faculties and Departments. One of such academic units is the Faculty of Engineering.

Engineering may be taken herein as the science and mass application by which the properties of matter and sources of energy are made useful to man in structures, machines, plants and products; engineers ensure safety for all in the society in these products. For short, an engineer is an inventor, an innovator, a builder, and a problem solver. He turns scientific knowledge into goods and services that are useful to man. Engineering is one of the few vocations recognized worldwide as a profession.

An aspiring student who wants to make a career in Engineering profession must be faced with two questions: “why be an engineer?” and what does it take to be an engineer?” the first question needs to be explained to him/her in such a manner that would enable him/her appreciate what an engineer does. When you become an engineer, you get a chance to solve important problems confronting your local government areas, cities, countries and the world today. Wherever the obstacles to progress are technical, wherever buildings and bridges are needed, wherever new processes and products are waiting to be invented or modified, etc. engineers are there. They have chosen to be involved in the development of devices and systems, from research through design, development and testing to manufacture, marketing and maintenance.

What does it take to be an engineer? Not any kinds of person can study engineeringg. You can be an engineer if you have a ’’curiosity” about the world, a strong interest in mathematics and science, and a desire to make a difference by way of solving problems. If you are looking for a career with unlimited opportunity, if you enjoy the challenges of mathematics, science and satisfying novel societal needs, then engineering is for you!

There is a specific branch of Engineering for every interest. Here at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, we presently have seven branches or programmes: Chemical, Civil and Environmental, Electrical/Electronic, Mechanical, Petroleum and Gas engineering.’ ere is every' opportunity for our programmes to grow in number and strength to meet new challenges and societal needs. The Faculty of Engineering of our university has a location advantage, positioned in the petroleum and gas rich Niger Delta, and thus, the society has great expectations on its mandate in research and development, and supply of skilled manpower.

As an engineer, you may be involved in research and development, teaching/training design, construction or manufacturing, technical sales’ an marketing, facility maintenance, information technology or management; you may become a manager, a project director, or a company director. And because the primary constituency of an engineer is always the society in which he/she dwells, you may even become a politician.

The Chemical Department admitted her first batch of students in the 1982/83 session. Since then, over 1929 graduates out of which fourteen of them made first class honours. However, many of the graduates are working with some key industries around Port Harcourt and beyond. Evidences are available to show their performances at their place of work.

The Department commenced her postgraduate programmes in the 1995/1996 session: Postgraduate diploma (PGD), Master of Engineering (M.Eng) and Ph.D. degree programmes. The department has since been graduating students at postgraduate level.

Philosophy and Objectives of the Chemical Engineering Department, and the Intended Learning Outcomes for the Chemical Engineering graduates

1.2.1 Philosophy of the department

The philosophy behind the Chemical Engineering programmes is aimed at training and bringing up engineers who would be knowledgeable in basic physical-biological sciences and would be able to apply this knowledge to engineering principles for conversion of raw materials and energies into more useful forms that would benefit man and her environment.

 1.2.2 Objectives of the department

These include to:

i)     Stimulate students’ interest in chemical engineering science

          ii)    Produce manpower for the industries

iii)  Be able to churn graduates that possess the requisite capacity to pursue postgraduate programmes

iv)   Develop and train research-oriented graduates

v)   Equip graduates with the requisite skills to make them self- reliant.

1.2.3 Intended Learning Outcomes for the Chemical Engineering graduates

The graduates should be able to:

i) Apply knowledge in chemical engineering sciences and skills to identify, formulate, analyze, evaluate and solve complex chemical engineering problems

ii) Communicate effectively

iii) Work effectively in a team while assuming different roles

iv) Conduct research with the view of solving real life problems in the society

v) Apply entrepreneurship skills in developing/designing products geared towards solving societal problems

vi) Apply chemical engineering design to produce products that meet the needs of the society while considering safety, political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors

Embrace the professional ethics and responsibility towards the society and environment and, being able to apply them

1. Admission Requirements

Candidates applying to the undergraduate programme in Chemical  Engineering should have five credit pass in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English language and Biology (or agricultural science) at  WAEC and or NECO at not more than two sittings.

Candidates are also expected to have a minimum score of 200 out of 400 in both the UME and post UME before they can be admitted into the department

Chemical Engineering Programme Structure

The programme structure in chemical engineering requires five academic calendar years (of ten semesters) of which nine of the ten semesters are actually used for formal class room/laboratory studies. One semester (in the fourth year) and the two long vacations (at the end of third and fourth year) are used for industrial training. At the fifth year of studies, students are assigned research project topics and design project topics which they are expected to defend at the end of the tenth semester under an external examiner not below the rank of a senior lecturer.

2.0       ACADEMIC AND SENIOR TECHNICAL STAFF

2.1       Past/Present Deans

2.2.      Past and Present Heads of Departments

2.3 Academic Staff of the Department of Chemical Engineering

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