In the chemical enterprise (industry, government and academia), chemists and chemical engineers are involved in and are responsible for the development of new products, materials and manufacturing processes. These activities include developing manufacturing processes that are environmentally friendlier, safer for workers and society, and economically more sustainable.  They participate in and contribute to all segments of the supply chain, from cradle to grave. In the industrial sector, they work hand in hand with other engineering professionals, business, intellectual property and environmental safety and health.  Thus, it is critical for chemists and chemical engineering students to better understand the grand challenges of industry and to be better prepared to contribute to the long term sustainability of the enterprise. The course objectives are to educate chemists and chemical engineers about their critical role and responsibilities in the chemical enterprise as a whole, to introduce them to the complex and fascinating world of the chemical enterprise, and to provide students with the education and tools they need to address the grand challenges of the enterprise.  This course provides students with a team based, multidisciplinary experience necessary to solve most of the complex problems faced by the enterprise today. The major component of the course is LCI assessment of the manufacturing process of existing commercial products.  The students develop virtual manufacturing processes based on patented literature and by applying green metrics; they identify opportunities for improving the long-term sustainability of each product.

Fundamentals and challenges for a sustainable chemical enterprise

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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