explores chemistry, physics, math, and biology through innovative investigation into nanotechnology, bioengineering, complex fluids, transport phenomena, renewable energy, pharmaceutical engineering, materials science, and catalysis. This title was a reflection of the industry that stirred the island’s economy and growth. A few of the courses offered at that time were Organic Chemistry, Heat Engin
eering, Sugar Manufacture, Sugar Analysis, Physical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering I, Sugar House Practice, Sugar House Calculation, Sugar House Machinery, Industrial Organic Chemistry, Hydraulics, and Sugar Cane Production. This specialized engineering program eventually gave rise to the Chemical Engineering Program. In 1925, the program’s first two students arrived, obtaining their bachelor’s degree in 1930. The first female graduated from the Engineering Faculty in 1955, and two years later, in 1957 the first female completed her bachelor’s degree from the Chemical Engineering Department. Currently, almost 70% of students entering and graduating from the Chemical Engineering Program are female. Between 1958 and 1970, the Chemical Industry represented the biggest sector of economic growth in Puerto Rico. The most striking area of development corresponded to the Petrochemical Industry, which invested $500 million during this period. Today, this would amount to an investment of more than $2.5 billion. The arrival of Dr. Rafael Muñoz Candelario in 1959 marked the beginning of a new era in the Chemical Engineering Department. He is hailed as the father of modern Chemical Engineering in Puerto Rico. He is responsible for initiating a transformation in the Department’s academic agenda that allowed specialists in this field to adjust to the technical demands of a rapidly growing and ever-changing industry. Today, The Chemical Engineering Department at UPRM is committed to training and producing the best Chemical Engineers in the country and in the world. In addition to our alumni, the local industry should be committed to promoting, helping, and collaborating with the Department to allocate funds for the advancement of research and infrastructure. It is only through joint effort that Puerto Rico’s industries can count on an exceptionally skilled workforce trained in the finest Chemical Engineering School in the Spanish-speaking world.
