Welcome from the Chair
Welcome to the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Since our founding in 1910 as the first petroleum engineering program in the world, this department has built a legacy of pioneering research, innovative education, and real-world impact. That legacy has never been more alive than it is today.
Our faculty are advancing the frontiers of their fields. Distinguished Professor Anna Balazs and her group continue to push the boundaries of what synthetic materials can do - from modeling soft materials that convert chemical signals into autonomous motion to demonstrating the first functionally complete logic gate in a material using only light. Professor John Keith's collaborative research is unlocking new possibilities for safer water disinfection through breakthrough catalyst design. And Professor Giannis Mpourmpakis' CANELa lab is developing novel approaches to methane-to-methanol conversion that could reshape how we think about greenhouse gas utilization.
Our commitment to the energy future is reflected in the launch of our new Natural Gas, Renewables, and Oil Engineering (GRO) program - the first undergraduate petroleum engineering degree in the country to combine traditional oil and gas coursework with an extensive suite of renewable energy courses. Designed by Professor Robert Enick and shaped by alumni across the energy industry, GRO welcomes its first cohort in fall 2026 and represents the most significant renewable energy content of any petroleum engineering program worldwide.
We are also proud of a renewed $405,000 NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates award, led by Professors Joseph McCarthy and Taryn Bayles, which continues to bring talented students from across the country to our labs each summer. And our long-standing innovation alliance with Lubrizol Corporation - recently renewed for a third phase - has supported dozens of graduate and undergraduate researchers while advancing decarbonization and sustainable manufacturing.
Our students and alumni remind us every day why this work matters. Becca Segel, who earned her PhD here in 2025, was named to the Forbes 2026 30 Under 30 list for Manufacturing and Industry as founder and CEO of FlowCellutions, a startup she built at Pitt with the support of her advisors and our Big Idea Center. Associate Professor Hseen Baled received the 2025 James Pommersheim Award for Excellence in Teaching Chemical Engineering, a recognition that reflects the caliber of instruction our students experience every day. And at the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Banquet, we were honored to celebrate Patricia Tuite as this year's Distinguished Alumna in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.
This is a department where world-class research meets hands-on education, where students are mentored by faculty who are leaders in their fields, and where the problems we tackle - in energy, sustainability, health care, and materials - are among the most consequential of our time. I invite you to explore our programs, visit our labs, and see for yourself what makes Pitt Chemical and Petroleum Engineering a destination for ambitious students and researchers.
Steven R. Little, PhD
William Kepler Whiteford Endowed Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering