Description (.pdf)

The Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering (CBEE) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) seeks to fill a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in the broad field of computational science and engineering, including areas such as applied machine learning, bioinformatics, computational fluid dynamics, data science, environmental informatics, environmental modeling, microbial ecology, molecular modeling, multiscale modeling, and systems biology. We are especially interested in applicants that conduct interdisciplinary research and complement the current expertise in our department and college.

Qualifications

The successful candidate is expected to build an externally-supported research program, address novel challenges in their field, teach undergraduate courses in our core chemical engineering curriculum, and work with diverse faculty, students, and staff. Candidates should hold a doctoral degree in chemical, biomedical, or environmental engineering or a related discipline. We are particularly interested in candidates that are committed to diversity and inclusiveness. Historically underrepresented minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. The anticipated start date for this position is August 2020.

General Information

The CBEE department (https://cbee.umbc.edu) is a vital component of the College of Engineering and Information Technology. Current departmental research focuses on biochemical, biomedical, bioprocess, environmental, and water resources engineering. The CBEE faculty maintains diverse, active, and successful research programs amounting to over $5 million in external research support in FY2018. Our faculty are also active participants and leaders of interdisciplinary research centers, including the Center for Advanced Sensor Technologies and the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education. CBEE faculty members regularly collaborate with researchers from nearby institutions and federal agencies. In addition to departmental space and facilities, the recently opened Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building provides 123,000 square feet of flexible research and education spaces that incorporate modern biochemical, cellular, and molecular research facilities and support interdisciplinary research and teaching in the life sciences. The CBEE department actively promotes mentorship opportunities for new faculty members through the Faculty Development Center, which supports the development of effective teaching methods, and the Advance Program, which supports the advancement of women at all faculty ranks.

UMBC is a public research university with approximately 14,000 students. The department has approximately 300 undergraduate and 40 graduate students, 13 tenure-track faculty, and three full-time lecturers. At the undergraduate level, the department provides tracks in three areas: traditional Chemical Engineering; Biotechnology/Bioengineering; and Environmental Engineering and Sustainability. All three tracks lead to the B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. At the graduate level, the department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in (1) Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and (2) Environmental Engineering. Our students participate in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, the Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program, and the Center for Women in Technology, which have achieved national renown for inclusive excellence through the successful training of underrepresented students for careers in academia and industry.

The UMBC High Performance Computing Facility is an interdisciplinary core facility that has been continually upgraded with support from the National Science Foundation. The facility is configured with nearly 200 compute nodes across cpu and gpu units and has over 750 TB storage. Current informatics initiatives at UMBC include cybersecurity and artificial intelligence partnerships with the University of Maryland Baltimore Institute for Clinical and Translational Research and the IBM-funded Accelerated Cognitive Cybersecurity Laboratory. The successful applicant will have opportunities to collaborate with faculty from UMBC’s top-ranked programs in computer science and information systems.

The UMBC campus is located on 500 acres in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Our proximity and easy access to a wide variety of research facilities provide numerous opportunities for collaborative interdisciplinary research. For example, we are within a short drive to many federal facilities, including the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NOAA, NSF, US Geological Survey, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. The bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park, a 71-acre community housing over 110 companies engaged in research, entrepreneurship, and economic development is located on the UMBC campus. BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and local/regional train stations are a five-minute drive from campus.

Application instructions

Electronic submission of applications containing a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, a statement of commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, and contact information for at least three references is required at http://apply.interfolio.com/70040. Review of applications will begin on Nov. 1, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled. For questions related to this position, please email CBEE-search2019@umbc.edu and be sure to include the position of interest (Assistant Professor) in the subject line.

UMBC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

We are pleased many Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering (CBEE) faculty and research scientists were recognized at this year's UMBC Inventors Luncheon sponsors by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of Technology Development (OTD), Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA), and bwtech@UMBC. 

We are very proud of the work our faculty and researchers are doing and the positive impact it has on our environment.

UMBC’s Entrepreneurs of the Year

• Dr. Ghosh, CBEE & Dr. Sowers, Department of Marine Biotechnology

75 Bright Ideas

• Dr. Govind Rao, CBEE

First Patent Approved

• Dr. Blaney, CBEE

UMBC Technology Catalyst Fund Awardees

• Dr. Blaney, CBEE
• Dr. Ghosh, CBEE
• Dr. Kostov, CBEE
• Dr. Xu, CBEE

UMBC Technology Catalyst Fund (TCF)

With support provided by the State of Maryland, UMBC launched a new internal funding initiative, the UMBC Technology Catalyst Fund, in 2014, which is designed to advance innovations originating from UMBC research to commercially viable technologies. Additional proof-of-concept studies, extending data collection and prototype development are examples of the essential steps needed to demonstrate commercial potential. The Office of Technology Development (OTD), under the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), is continually seeking ways to help bridge the funding gap— support that can be difficult to obtain from traditional funding sources.

TEDCO Maryland Innovation Initiative Awardees

• Dr. Ghosh, CBEE
• Dr. Kostov, CBEE
• Dr. Szeto, CBEE

Maryland Innovation Initiative (TEDCO MII)

The Maryland Innovation Initiative was created in 2012 as a partnership between the State of Maryland and Maryland’s academic research institutions. The program is designed to promote commercialization of research conducted in the research universities and to leverage each institution’s strengths. Specifically, it is the intent of the program to foster the commercialization of such technologies through technology validation, market assessment, and the creation of start-up companies in Maryland based on a technology from a participating university. Site Miners are individuals selected by the MII program to assist start-ups and faculty in the process of submitting a strong business-oriented application, focused on commercialization. These individuals work as liaisons between the applicant and the MII program, providing valuable input and feedback prior to submission of an MII application.

UMBC receives $2.8M from NSF for master’s program to prepare a diverse environmental science workforce

Undergraduate Research Opportunity!

 Systems Biology & Cellular Engineering

Why do research?

What projects will I work on?

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Application Deadline: September 20, 2019

August 26, 2019 by Megan Hanks

UMBC’s Lee Blaney and research partners have published a landmark study on contaminants of emerging concern in the Chesapeake Bay. Their article in Science of the Total Environment is the first research study that quantifies concentrations of antibiotics, estrogenic hormones, and UV-filters in multiple locations of the Bay.

Blaney, an associate professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, conducted the research with Ke He, Ph.D ‘17, chemical engineering, and Ethan Hain ‘21, chemical engineering. They also partnered with collaborators at the U.S. Forest Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 

Underway since 2016, their work highlights the importance of understanding how previously unexamined chemicals impact the environment. The project has been primarily funded by Maryland Sea Grant through a Program Development Fund to Blaney, and a Graduate Research Fellowship to Hain.

The researchers studied the prevalence of contaminants of emerging concern in water, sediment, and oyster tissue collected from the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Their study of how accumulated UV-filters negatively impact the environment is the first of its kind. UV-filters are one of the primary ingredients in personal care products, such as sunscreen and cosmetics. The accumulation of these UV-filters can impact organisms and animals.

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From: ACS News Service Weekly PressPac: August 21, 2019