Celebrating 100 Years of Chemical Engineering at Yale

On Friday evening, April 4th, 2025, students and faculty of Yale's Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering gathered in the garden room of ZINC restaurant in downtown New Haven to commemorate 100 years of chemical engineering at Yale. Industrial engineering which evolved into chemical engineering was established in the 1922–23 academic year under the leadership of Professor Harry A. Curtis, the department has surpassed its centennial milestone, as noted by Professor Paul Van Tassel in his welcome address.​

The event featured randomly assigned seating at tables of five to eight people, encouraging students from various classes to engage and connect. Senior faculty member Professor Michael Loewenberg actively participated, greeting former students and introducing himself to students that had not yet taken his classes.

Student event organizers Gaukhar Alzhanova ’25 and Shahribonu Azamatova ’25, both chemical engineering majors, commenced the evening with welcoming remarks. They also curated a projected timeline showcasing the department's evolution since its establishment in the 1922–23 academic year under Professor Harry A. Curtis. Following their introduction, Van Tassel, director of undergraduate studies for Chemical Engineering, delivered a speech highlighting the department's rich history and development. He emphasized the department's unique integration of fundamental sciences with engineering principles—a synergy that has been a hallmark since its inception. Van Tassel also noted the well-rounded nature of Yale's chemical engineering students, who benefit from a comprehensive education encompassing humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, all while acquiring the technical skills typical of an engineering degree. This holistic preparation, he asserted, equips Yale's chemical engineering graduates.

Professor Jordan Peccia expressed gratitude to both junior and senior faculty of chemical and environmental engineering for their contributions to both society and the community. He underscored the department's strength, describing it as "small but mighty," and highlighted Yale's recently heightened commitment to engineering and STEM fields, citing the university's substantial $2.5 billion investment in new engineering buildings and initiatives aimed at advancing these disciplines. He noted the integration of Environmental Engineering with Chemical Engineering as a forward-thinking and dynamic approach to addressing global challenges, exemplifying Yale’s progressive measures.

Concluding the speaking series, Josh Palmer, a Yale College alumnus from the Class of 2021 with a degree in chemical engineering, now a product engineer at MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, shared insights from his professional journey. Palmer reflected on his experiences in the industry, discussing both triumphs and challenges. He credited his time at Yale, including laboratory work and coursework, for preparing him for his current role, both technically and in the ways that Van Tassel mentioned, knowing how to connect and speak with people, how to write—hallmarks of a Yale education. ​

The gala not only celebrated the department's storied past but also brought together faculty and students of all years, reinforcing the enduring legacy and promising future of chemical engineering at Yale.