About

  •  From its inception in 1997, the chemical engineering program has grown into the largest program in the department, graduating over 35 chemical engineers per year with focus areas in life science, energy management, environmental and paper engineering. 
  • The chemical engineering program, with the health sciences area of emphasis, offers academic paths to medical and dental schools. 
  • Chemical engineering faculty are working closely with the Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, creating research and teaching partnerships, including the Master of Science in Medical Engineering program.
  • The paper engineering program, which is chemical engineering applied to the paper industry, is unique in the state of Michigan and one of only few in the nation. 
  • In addition a major and a minor in paper engineering, the department also offers an undergraduate certificate that is suitable for people graduating in other branches of engineering or chemistry.
  • The Graphic and Printing Science (imaging) program was established in 1950 as Printing Marketing and Management, but merged with the Paper Science and Engineering Department in 1989 to form the Department of Paper and Printing Science and Engineering.  It was renamed the Graphic and Printing Science program in 2010. 
  • In 2012, the faculty voted and the WMU Board of Trustees approved a name change to the Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering. 
  • Job opportunities for our graduates in southwest Michigan include companies such as Kellogg, Post, Pfizer, Zoetis, Perrigo, Stryker, Graphic Packaging, USG, Amway, Albemarle and much more.