Research

Research at the School of Chemical Engineering

The School of Chemical Engineering is a premier Australian research school and leads the world in a number of identified research strengths.

The School’s researchers are constantly pushing the boundaries to achieve international research breakthroughs in a diverse range of areas including bioengineering, nanomaterials, high performance polymers, metallurgical engineering as well as waste and water resource management.

UQ chemical engineers work in partnership with many international institutions and companies, and have an impressive track record of technology transfer through consulting and collaborative research projects.

World renowned staff

The School's reputation for research excellence attracts academia from around the world. Many staff are clearly recognised as leaders in their fields. The School counts within its ranks four Australian Research Council (ARC) Fellowship holders:

• Professor Max Lu, Federation Fellow and Professor of Nanotechnology
• Professor Anton Middelberg, Federation Fellow and Professor of Bioengineering
• Professor John Zhu, Queen Elizabeth II Fellow and Professor of Chemical Engineering
• Dr Lianzhou Wang, Queen Elizabeth II Fellow (Chemical and Materials Engineering)

School staff regularly contribute to international conferences and journals, provide expert consulting services and work extensively with government and industry on a wide variety of projects. Government and industry members draw on staff expertise to inform policy, process and decision making, which in turn support and direct development in Australian and international environments.

International reputation 

The University of Queensland is ranked 41st in the world according to the Times Higher Education Supplement 2009 (UK) and is one of Australia’s top three research universities. Within this environment the School's academic staff, research fellows and research students progress projects of national and international significance.

Outstanding research performance

The School has a strong track record of government and industry collaboration, attracting nationally competitive grants and contributing extensively to top-tier academic journals.

Exciting research

The School conducts research in a wide range of fields, addressing some of the major challenges facing the world today. Examples of current projects include:

• Nanotechnology to reduce large-scale emissions
• Engineering tissue to replace torn cartilage
• Converting waste to plastic 

Leading Research Centres and Institutes

School staff are associated with a large number of research institutes, centres and groups. These specialist academic groupings draw together expertise from around the world to drive research innovation and deliver benefits to industry and society.

Strong research culture

The School is committed to fostering intellectual and professional academic growth in its fields and to providing quality facilities and resources. There is strong leadership and support for research staff while students have easy access to supervisors, mentoring programs, high quality resources and professional development sessions.

Commitment to recruiting the best students

The School of Chemical Engineering aims to recruit the best domestic and international students from around the world to augment its strong research profile. Information on scholarships is available from the scholarships section of the UQ Engineering website. Tuition fee-waivers are also available for outstanding international students who undertake selected, funded research projects.

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