The PhD program in Chemical Engineering (further in the text: PhD program), fully taught in English, is designed to provide a sophisticated knowledge base and advanced skills at the expert level for individuals planning a career in academia, industry and research settings in any of the subfields of the Chemical Engineering discipline. The program focuses on the development of an in-depth understanding of the nature, implementation, and evaluation of chemical engineering principles and applications, together with the growth of research skills. The current areas of research interest for the PhD in Chemical Engineering encompass a wide spectrum, with specific focus on priority areas for Kazakhstan, such as: energy generation, conversion and storage; environmental protection, remediation and resource efficiency; hydrocarbon processing; plastics production and processing; food processing; bioprocesses; red, green and white biotechnologies. These areas are also aligned with well-known research priorities, such as: Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (Information and Communication Technologies; Nanotechnologies; Advanced Materials; Advanced Manufacturing and Processing); Environment, Future and Emerging Technologies; Health, demographic change and wellbeing (Improving diagnosis; Innovative treatments and technologies; Integrated, sustainable, citizen-centered care). By the completion of the PhD program, students will be capable of designing and conducting independent, innovative, original and high-quality research related to a variety of topics in chemical engineering. In addition, program graduates will be prepared for working in industrial and academic environments in the positions of e.g. university faculty members, senior researchers, engineers, and product developers.
(*) Course may be waived for NU graduates and replaced by a Level-8 course (core or elective) selected by the student’s supervisory committee and approved by the corresponding departmental committee.
(**) All participating schools and departments with Level-8 courses
(**) All participating schools and departments with Level 800 courses.
Year 1: Spring Semester (2nd Semester)
Year 2: Summer Term (2nd Summer Term)
Year 3: Fall (5th Semester)
Year 3: Spring (6th Semester)
Year 3: Summer Term (3rd Summer Term)
Year 3: Fall (5th Semester)
Year 4: Spring (8th Semester)
#If not submitted/defended
Year 4: Summer (4th Summer Term)
Research Methods&Ethics
Course description: The course will facilitate the understanding of research planning and development, while enhancing the PhD student skills for reading, interpreting, writing and presenting his/her scientific and technical ideas to the peer community. The course will also deliver theory and examples of a variety of research methods and ethical principles associated to them.
Brief description: This course delivers a formal training for PhD students aiming at helping them in understanding how to conduct their research in a rigorous and ethical manner.
Thesis Research
Course description: This course is designed to monitor progress and develop understandings, skills, and outlooks to conduct original, independent research at the PhD level. The student will develop (with the advisor’s guidance) a research plan at the beginning of the semester that will state a research problem/question/hypothesis, its background, outline a research strategy and experimental approach, method of data collection, interpretation and validation, and method of communication of the project results to others. The research plan is used as the basis for assessment of the student’s research progress.
Brief description: This course is designed to monitor progress and develop understandings, skills, and outlooks to conduct original, independent research at the PhD level. The student will develop (with the advisor’s guidance) a research plan at the beginning of the semester that will state a research problem/question/hypothesis, its background, outline a research strategy and experimental approach, method of data collection, interpretation and validation, and method of communication of the project results to others. The research plan is used as the basis for assessment of the student’s research progress.
Advanced Chemical Reactions
Course description: The course is addressed to PhD students and aims at reinforcing and enhancing the knowledge they have on chemical reaction engineering. The fundamentals of reaction kinetics and isothermal ideal reactor design will be reviewed. Then, the effects of residence time distribution and mixing history on the conversion in non-ideal reactors will be discussed. Catalytic reactors will be presented and the estimation of Thiele modulus will be demonstrated. Heterogeneous non-catalytic reactions will be covered for the case of solid-fluid systems. The principles presented will be connected with relevant applications, especially in the production of innovative materials. Specifically, advanced topics will be covered, like chemical vapor deposition reactors and applications, providing students with a broader appreciation of the applications of reaction engineering principles and methods in materials production. Students will have to make literature review on a topic in the field of chemical production of an advanced material and present their work at the end of semester. The PhD level project will be delivered to class in the form of a lecture in accordance to PLO-9 of the PhD Program.
Brief description: The course is addressed to PhD students and aims at reinforcing and enhancing the knowledge they have on chemical reaction engineering. The principles presented will be connected with relevant applications, especially in the production of innovative materials. Specifically, advanced topics will be covered, like chemical vapor deposition reactors and applications, providing students with a broader appreciation of the applications of reaction engineering principles and methods in materials production.
Current Research Literature
Course description: The course is addressed to PhD students and aims at reinforcing and enhancing the knowledge they have on chemical reaction engineering. The fundamentals of reaction kinetics and isothermal ideal reactor design will be reviewed. Then, the effects of residence time distribution and mixing history on the conversion in non-ideal reactors will be discussed. Catalytic reactors will be presented and the estimation of Thiele modulus will be demonstrated. Heterogeneous non-catalytic reactions will be covered for the case of solid-fluid systems. The principles presented will be connected with relevant applications, especially in the production of innovative materials. Specifically, advanced topics will be covered, like chemical vapor deposition reactors and applications, providing students with a broader appreciation of the applications of reaction engineering principles and methods in materials production. Students will have to make literature review on a topic in the field of chemical production of an advanced material and present their work at the end of semester. The PhD level project will be delivered to class in the form of a lecture in accordance to PLO-9 of the PhD Program.
Brief description: The course is addressed to PhD students and aims at reinforcing and enhancing the knowledge they have on chemical reaction engineering. The principles presented will be connected with relevant applications, especially in the production of innovative materials. Specifically, advanced topics will be covered, like chemical vapor deposition reactors and applications, providing students with a broader appreciation of the applications of reaction engineering principles and methods in materials production.
Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
Course description: This PhD level graduate course covers both statistical and classical thermodynamics. The classical thermodynamics discuss the laws of thermodynamics and their applications to equilibrium and the properties of materials, including phase equilibrium modeling, the concepts of chemical and electrochemical potential and fugacity, surface thermodynamics, interpretation of experimental data and evaluating different thermodynamic models for multiple phases and chemical reaction equilibrium. Furthermore, this course shows application of chemical engineering thermodynamics to real world problems using process simulation software. The course includes a research project, which will be presented to the class in the form of a lecture.
Brief description: This PhD level graduate course covers both statistical and classical thermodynamics. Furthermore, this course shows application of chemical engineering thermodynamics to real world problems using process simulation software. The course includes a research project, which will be presented to the class in the form of a lecture.
Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
Course description: This PhD level graduate course covers both statistical and classical thermodynamics. The classical thermodynamics discuss the laws of thermodynamics and their applications to equilibrium and the properties of materials, including phase equilibrium modeling, the concepts of chemical and electrochemical potential and fugacity, surface thermodynamics, interpretation of experimental data and evaluating different thermodynamic models for multiple phases and chemical reaction equilibrium. Furthermore, this course shows application of chemical engineering thermodynamics to real world problems using process simulation software. The course includes a research project, which will be presented to the class in the form of a lecture.
Brief description: This PhD level graduate course covers both statistical and classical thermodynamics. Furthermore, this course shows application of chemical engineering thermodynamics to real world problems using process simulation software. The course includes a research project, which will be presented to the class in the form of a lecture.