Building Bridges in Chemical Engineering Education - Curriculum Integration via Biodiesel Production

Sustainable energy is receiving significant global attention to meet the world’s zero-emission mandate and align with the University of Toronto climate-positive goals. In this study, we demonstrate how biodiesel production serves as a key renewable energy theme, scaffolded over eight courses from years 1 through 4, including lab courses, to integrate chemical engineering concepts with hands-on experience. Biodiesel production exemplifies the intersection of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, transforming renewable resources into sustainable fuel. Through labs and integrated projects, students reinforce foundational knowledge in organic chemistry, heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, separation processes, and process design and control. Lab and design projects explore biodiesel production from various feedstocks, emphasizing process optimization, experimental design, and safety. The curriculum culminates in the design course, where students transition from concept generation to process and plant design, mirroring real-world engineering practices in developing sustainable energy solutions.