Auburn University Department of Chemical Engineering

06/11/2026

From the classroom to the field—Auburn engineers are putting knowledge into action. ⚙️
Pulp & Paper students are gaining hands-on experience through internships and co-ops, tackling real challenges and making an impact across the industry.

Engineered Experience: Auburn in Action
Where our students turn knowledge into real-world impact

This summer, our Auburn Pulp & Paper students are stepping beyond the classroom and into mills, facilities, and operations across the industry.

Through internships and co-op experiences, they’re gaining hands-on knowledge, solving real challenges, and seeing firsthand how their coursework applies in the field.

Follow along as we highlight students making an impact across the pulp and paper industry. 🌲⚙️


-PABE

06/11/2026

Big ideas don't always start with big resources.
Sometimes they start with a pecan shell...that turns into new materials, new solutions, and a startup.
Congratulations to Dr. Symone Alexander, whose innovative research and entrepreneurial work earned her a place on Business Alabama's Women in Tech 2026 list. We're excited to see her research continue turning overlooked materials into real-world solutions!

06/09/2026

We're proud to recognize Auburn Chemical Engineering alum Brad Corson ’83, whose career reflects decades of leadership and impact in the global energy industry. From his start as a project engineer to serving as CEO of Imperial Oil and holding executive roles at ExxonMobil, Brad has led major innovations shaping the future of energy. His journey highlights the far-reaching influence of an Auburn engineering foundation. War Eagle, Brad!

06/04/2026

The future of AI, advanced computing, and modern electronics starts with semiconductor manufacturing—and this summer, Auburn Chemical Engineering Ph.D. student Francis Menukye is helping make it happen.
As a Process Engineering Intern at Lam Research, a Fortune 500 leader in semiconductor fabrication technology, Francis is working with the Through-Silicon Via (TSV) team on research and development for advanced wafer processing. The technologies developed by companies like Lam Research enable the powerful chips that drive everything from artificial intelligence to autonomous systems and next-generation consumer electronics.
Congratulations to Francis on representing Auburn Chemical Engineering at the cutting edge of innovation!🦅⚙️💻

06/02/2026

Congratulations to our very own, Dr. Symone Alexander on being honored in Business Alabama's Women in Tech 2026 list!

Researchers from Auburn University are being recognized on Business Alabama’s Women in Tech 2026 list for groundbreaking work in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, water quality and human-centered technology. These leaders are pushing innovation forward while mentoring the next generation of engineers.

Congratulations to engineering honorees Symone Alexander, Casey Eaton, Kelly Griggs, Suhasini Gururaja, Neha Potnis, and Missie Smith for shaping the future of engineering in Alabama and beyond. 💙🧡

https://wire.auburn.edu/content/research/2026/05/291205-women-in-tech-2026.php

06/02/2026

Celebrating excellence in the Howard Lab! 🐅

Dr. Michael Howard’s research group is advancing the science of soft materials, studying everything from polymers and gels to nanocrystal self-assembly, protein aggregation, and advanced materials design.

This past semester, members of the Howard Lab have earned an impressive list of accomplishments:
• Jinny Cha published in The Journal of Chemical Physics and received the 100+ Women Strong Departmental Annual Graduate Award.
• Mohammadreza Fakhraei published in The Journal of Chemical Physics.
• Benjamin Forson earned recognition through the Frank Sturm Memorial Fellowship, Graduate Student Council Outstanding Graduate Senator Award, and a GERS Honorable Mention.
• Griffin Overton received an Undergraduate Research Fellowship to study nanocrystal stability in ionic liquids.
• Levi Petix’s co-first-author publication was featured on the cover of Molecular Systems Design & Engineering.
• Dr. Michael Howard received a Daniel F. Breeden Endowed Grant to develop innovative resources for teaching chemical engineering mathematics.

From groundbreaking publications and competitive awards to impactful research and educational innovation, these achievements showcase the talent, dedication, and collaborative spirit that define Auburn Chemical Engineering.

Congratulations to the entire Howard Lab on an outstanding semester of success!

06/01/2026

We loved hosting the Pulp & Paper Workshop at Auburn Chemical Engineering last week in collaboration with the Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering! We're grateful to help bring industry and students together for a hands-on experience.

05/29/2026

Dr. Matthew Garnett, a double Auburn Chemical Engineering graduate (’20, Ph.D. ’25), teaches across Auburn’s First-Year Engineering Experience—guiding students from their very first introduction to engineering through foundational courses like thermodynamics. Driven by a passion for teaching, he enjoys seeing students grasp core concepts for the first time and helping them build the problem‑solving skills they’ll use throughout their careers. Dr. Garnett's approach focuses not just on what students learn, but how they think—encouraging curiosity, questions, and instilling the mindset to never stop learning.

“My favorite part about working at Auburn is getting to interact with the wonderful students, faculty, and staff. Auburn has state-of-the-art facilities that make instruction and research fun. I enjoy giving back to the university that has given me so much,” Dr. Garnett said.

Outside the classroom, you’ll find him officiating football or collecting rare books and memorabilia 📚
We’re proud to have Dr. Garnett shaping the next generation of engineers at Auburn Chemical Engineering!

05/27/2026

Not your typical engineering class… ☕️

In the Coffee Lab, students experiment with roasting beans, grind size, temperature, and brew methods—but it’s about more than coffee. It’s about learning how small changes impact a system, thinking critically, and designing solutions.
The semester ends with a competition judged by local coffee shop owners, where students put their ideas to the test.
Because chemical engineering isn’t just theory—it’s understanding the world around you (and sometimes, making a really good cup of coffee).

05/26/2026

Jessica Larsen, Ph.D. ’17, turned her curiosity into breakthrough research—developing nanoparticles designed to cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver life-changing treatments for rare childhood diseases like GM1 gangliosidosis. Her work at Auburn, under Drs. Mark Byrne and Douglas Martin at the Scott-Ritchey Research Center, allowed her to explore the biomedical side of chemical engineering (and yes, even involved a sheep breeding colony 🐑).

After graduating, she took that momentum to Clemson University, where she’s now an endowed associate professor leading research funded by the NSF and NIH. Today, she’s not only advancing therapies that could transform patient outcomes—she’s also mentoring the next generation of engineers to do the same.

This is what a chemical engineering degree can do: take big ideas beyond the lab, push scientific boundaries, and make a real difference in people’s lives.

War Eagle, Dr. Larsen! We’re proud to see where your Auburn Chem E degree has taken you. 🎉