A message from our Interim Head

Welcome to the Charles D. Davidson School of Chemical Engineering!

Dr. Sangtae Kim, Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head of Chemical Engineering and Distinguished Professor, retired on July 1, 2025 after nine years as Head. The School is grateful for his many years of service, leadership, innovation, and dedication to our School and the chemical engineering profession, as well as the many students, colleagues, and friends whose lives he has touched throughout his distinguished career. We wish him well in his future endeavors!

While the search for a new Head continues, I am honored to serve as Interim Head, and am excited to maintain the significant progress the School continues to achieve. I joined the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering in 1998, and have served as its Director of Undergraduate Studies since 2009 and Executive Officer since 2016.

At the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, we have been educating future leaders in chemical engineering for over 100 years! We have over 40 faculty members, including 6 National Academy of Engineering (NAE) members and 2 National Medal of Technology recipients, and nearly 800 students. We are proud to deliver excellent programs, ranked highly by the US News and World Report.

Chemical engineering is a dynamic and deeply impactful field to embark upon, offering immense rewards and opportunities for growth. Our undergraduate, professional masters, and graduate programs are meticulously crafted to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed for thriving careers in industry or academia.

Boiler up!

David S. Corti
Interim Head of Chemical Engineering
Executive Officer of the School of Chemical Engineering
Professor of Chemical Engineering
Director of Undergraduate Studies