One degree, many career choices

Transforming the products we use everyday, at scale.
Personalise

1st in Australia

QS World Rankings 2027

2nd in Australia
Shanghai Ranking of Academic Subjects

19th in the World 

QS World Rankings 2027

You are the future in environmental technology, energy, functional materials, food and health.

Chemicals are the building blocks of our modern life. Chemical engineers transform these tiny molecules into products and advanced technologies to solve today’s challenges. It’s no wonder that you can find them everywhere: in food and pharmaceutical manufacturers, water utilities and renewable energy providers.

The UNSW School of Chemical Engineering teaches students to look at the essence of the products we use every day, with the aim of reimagining and improving their manufacture and use. They learn to combine problem-solving with design-thinking to do everything from producing sustainable and nutritious food, engineering the next generation of medicine, to decarbonising industry by developing green energy technologies and solutions that scale. 

We see the world as one big design challenge that can be solved on a microscopic level and universally implemented. Together, we create innovations that continue to transform modern life from the chemical up.

Latest news

Women engineers honoured as UNSW awards celebrate excellence and Ada Lovelace Medal winner

Jul 08, 2026
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering School of Computer Science and Engineering School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering School of Chemical Engineering School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering School of Biomedical Engineering

Research & impact

Photographs of chemical engineers

Our research

We provide solutions that introduce better-performing materials, refine and improve manufacturing processes, and address the increasing importance of sustainability in our endeavours.
Photographs of chemical engineers

Research areas

We push the frontiers of such areas as advanced process systems engineering, biomaterials and medical devices, food and health, macromolecular and interfacial engineering, and sensor technology and advanced materials.
Exterior of the Chemical Sciences building on the UNSW Kensington campus

Research centres

Our research centres are internationally recognised for their multidisciplinary approach that brings together expertise from a range of fields. We're committed to solving some of the biggest, most challenging problems facing the world.

Ways to connect