PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Energy Technology Concentration)

Research Foci

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is a highly diversified engineering and science discipline. The Department’s research can be classified into four major areas:

Advanced Materials

Nanomaterials, zeolites, novel polymers, polymer composites, polymer interfaces, and surfaces as well as polymer/ceramic membranes. In-depth studies are being carried out in rheology, non-Newtonian flow, heat and mass transport, and process control associated with the injection-molding process.

Bioprocess Engineering

Environmental biotechnology, Chinese traditional medicine (novel extraction, drying, packaging), biosensors (applications to wastewater treatment, gene chips), food industries (batch processing), mathematical modeling/simulation, and process control. Research activities are supported by HKUST’s Biotechnology Research Institute.

Environmental Engineering

Air pollution formation and abatement, aerosols, deodorization of indoor air, catalytic and advanced oxidation, electrocoagulation and electrooxidation, advanced methods for wastewater treatment, hazardous wastes, and micro-contamination, waste minimization, and cleaner technologies.

Product and Process Design

Chemical processes, biochemical processes, environmental fate and transport, and surface phenomena and effects. The design of high value-added products, such as fuel cells, food additives, pharmaceuticals, is also an active research area.

Energy Technology Concentration

Energy has been considered a core research area within the broadly-based disciplines of environmental science and technology. It is one of the most salient emerging disciplines amongst many in the fields of engineering, science, and social science. Energy Technology research covers many areas, including sustainable technology, conventional technology, and energy efficiency, and conservation. The interdisciplinary postgraduate research program in Energy Technology in the School of Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology provides long-term support to our ongoing educational training and fast-developing research in technology in general.

Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of Energy Technology, research and training in the field are integrated with different disciplines so that students can be equipped with the necessary knowledge and experience.

Working at the cutting edge of the field with top international scientists, our postgraduate programs seek to ensure that each student:

• Attains an in-depth understanding of fundamental yet advanced chemical engineering topics;
• Exercises intellectual curiosity in probing chemical engineering subjects at the frontiers of chemical engineering;
• Develops skills to pursue new knowledge, both basic and applied, independently; and
• Engages in pioneering research in this and related disciplines.