Year | ||
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1907 | Royal Charter for Imperial College granted. | |
1908 | The ‘Chemical Technology’ department is proposed. | |
1912 | The Department formally opens, housed in the Chemistry department of the Royal College of Science, and headed by Professor William Bone (right). | |
1914 | The new building in Prince Consort Road is completed. | |
1922 |
Professor George Finch (right) – expert in oxygen use for high altitude mountaineering - given leave to join the first expedition to attempt to conquer Everest. The Institution of Chemical Engineers is founded, with two members of the Department (Professors Hinchley and Newitt) as founder members. Newitt geos on to become president in 1949. |
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1924 | Miss Lewkowitsch becomes the first female student in the Department, and finishes top of her year. | |
1926 | Departmental title is changed to “Chemical Technology, including Fuel Technology, Chemical Engineering, Electrothermics”. | |
1931 | The first postgraduate course in Chemical Engineering begins, given to undergraduates from Chemistry. | |
1933 | The Department celebrates its twenty first year, and is noted by then Rector as having “a tradition of brilliant and accurate experimental work”. | |
1935 | The Chemical Engineering Society formed, presided over by H. A. Humphrey. | |
1936 | William Bone retires after 23 years as Head of Department, replaced by Professor Alfred Egerton (right). Bone is conferred as an Emeritus Professor and awarded the Davy Medal of the Royal Society. | |
1937 | First undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering starts. Four students enrol - we now welcome over 120 students a year! | |
1939 |
The Second World War begins. Research laboratories and workshops are geared to prototype and development work for the war effort. Throughout the war, the numbers of graduates rises slowly, up to fourteen in 1945. The Department transfers from the Royal College of Science to the City and Guilds College. |
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1943 |
The Institution of Chemical Engineers establishes the Hinchley Medal, awarded to the best final year student. The first recipient is S. Grimley. Alfred Egerton is knighted for services to science. |
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1945 |
Following the war, things begin to return to normality. The Chemical Engineering Society holds its first dinner (still going strong today), and commence publication of an annual journal. Professor Dudley Newitt becomes the first holder of the Courtaulds Chair. |
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1952 | Professor Dudley Newitt (right) becomes Head of Department. | |
1957 | The Roderic Hill Building is opened by H.M. The Queen Mother. Facilities such as a lecture theatre and purpose built library allow the Department to expand its intake of students. | |
1961 | Newitt retires as Head of Department and Professor Alfred Ubbelohde takes his place. | |
1964 | Computing courses are introduced. | |
1966 | The ACE extension opens, with two lecture theatres, a pilot plant laboratory and concourse area. | |
1975 |
Professor Roger Sargent (right) replaces Ubbelohde as Head of Department. Professor Anita Bailey (right) becomes the first female professor and first holder of the Kodak chair of Interface Science. |
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1977 |
The annual Newitt Lecture is established. A short-lived course, Chemical Engineering and Management Science, begins. |
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1980 | The first four year undergraduate degree is established. | |
1988 | Professor Bill Wakeham (right) is appointed as the sixth Head of Department. | |
1989 | Professor Roger Sargent founds the The Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering. | |
1991 | The Centre for Process Systems Engineering is formally opened by Princess Anne. An MSc in Process Systems Engineering is introduced. | |
1996 | Professor John Perkins (right) takes over as Head of Department, Bill Wakeham goes on to become Deputy Rector of the College. | |
2000 | Professor Julia Higgins (right) becomes acting Head of Department. | |
2001 | Professor Stephen Richardson (right) becomes Head of Department, John Perkins goes on to become the first Principal of the Faculty of Engineering. | |
2003 | The first MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering is introduced. | |
2008 | Professor Andrew Livingston (right) replaces Stephen Richardson, now Associate Provost of the College, as Head of Department. | |
2012 | The Carbon Capture Pilot Plant, the only one of its kind in an educational facility, opens. | |
2016 | Professor Nilay Shah becomes Head of Department. |
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