Education for Chemical Engineers最新文献

Impact of new technologies on Chemical Engineering programs: A comparative study of Brazil and the United States 新技术对化学工程项目的影响：巴西和美国的比较研究

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2026.100505

José Langone, Marta Antunes Pereira Langone, Marco Antonio Gaya de Figueiredo

{"title":"Impact of new technologies on Chemical Engineering programs: A comparative study of Brazil and the United States","authors":"José Langone, Marta Antunes Pereira Langone, Marco Antonio Gaya de Figueiredo","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100505","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100505","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sharp decline in enrollment in Chemical Engineering programs in Brazil highlights the need to examine whether current curricula reflect the scientific and technological transformations shaping the field. This study presents a comparative analysis of the top 80 ranked Chemical Engineering programs in Brazil and the United States, with a focus on the inclusion of emerging areas in the chemical industry—biotechnology, nanotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and information technologies. A systematic review of course syllabi revealed that, while Brazilian programs maintain a solid foundation in biotechnology and process modeling, they demonstrate limited integration of digital and nanotechnological competencies. In contrast, U.S. programs show greater breadth and interdisciplinary integration in these areas. The findings point to strategic opportunities for curricular modernization, which are essential for aligning education with technological advances and for enhancing the appeal of the field to a new generation of students and the evolving demands of the industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 100505"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147612379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

ReactorApp: A MATLAB-based educational tool for reactor design ReactorApp：一个基于matlab的反应堆设计教育工具

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-15 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2026.100507

Isabela Fons Moreno-Palancas, Rubén Ruiz Femenia, Raquel Salcedo Díaz, José A. Caballero

{"title":"ReactorApp: A MATLAB-based educational tool for reactor design","authors":"Isabela Fons Moreno-Palancas, Rubén Ruiz Femenia, Raquel Salcedo Díaz, José A. Caballero","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the central role of reactor design in chemical engineering education, students often struggle to grasp the complex interplay between kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena. To address this issue, this paper introduces <span>ReactorApp</span>, a MATLAB-based educational toolbox capable of simulating and optimizing ideal chemical reactors and their associations. To achieve this, the application exploits Object-Oriented Programming principles and creates a user-friendly environment where students can explore reactor dynamics, energy balances, the effects of process parameters, and retrieve thermophysical properties from Aspen HYSYS. This paper covers the theoretical background, implementation structure, and pedagogical benefits of <span>ReactorApp</span>, together with a series of benchmark problems to demonstrate the app’s effectiveness.</div><div>In practice, <span>ReactorApp</span> is offered as an optional self-study aid for students of Reactor Design I module of the University of Alicante. While no formal evaluation study is reported, classroom use suggests that it enhances students’ understanding of the subject by enabling easy access to visual representations of reactor performance and a straightforward way to run their own experiments. Consequently, the app supports self-assessment on course assignments, leading to a more efficient engagement during practical sessions, and encourages the development of computational skills. Versatility was a key design criterion, making it a flexible resource for other chemical engineering subjects and project work. Overall, this work presents an interactive and open-source simulation tool to bridge theoretical concepts with practical competences in chemical engineering education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 100507"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147709969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A simulator for LED photoreactors: Integrating light-matter interaction modelling and intrinsic kinetic studies for chemical engineering education LED光反应器模拟器：化学工程教育中整合光物质相互作用模型与内在动力学研究

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-17 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2026.100510

A. Parra-Marfil, M.A. Quintana, M.A. Martín-Lara, R.R. Solís, M. Calero, M.J. Muñoz-Batista

{"title":"A simulator for LED photoreactors: Integrating light-matter interaction modelling and intrinsic kinetic studies for chemical engineering education","authors":"A. Parra-Marfil, M.A. Quintana, M.A. Martín-Lara, R.R. Solís, M. Calero, M.J. Muñoz-Batista","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100510","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100510","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The incorporation of virtual tools has been shown to enhance comprehension and engagement in chemical engineering education. To support practical learning in photocatalytic reactor design, the LEDsModel Lab simulator was developed in MATLAB® R2024b and fully compatible with GNU Octave (version 9.2.0), focusing on the determination of the Local Superficial Rate of Photon Absorption (LSRPA) and the influence of reactor configuration on light distribution. Through four case studies, students apply theoretical models to practical scenarios, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Fully integrated into the Advanced Analysis and Design of Chemical Reactors course (6 ECTS, Master’s in Chemical Engineering, University of Granada), preliminary classroom observations indicate a positive trend in student performance, accompanied by increased engagement with photocatalytic reactor modelling. This is reflected in higher grades and lower failure rates, alongside a clear strengthening of key competencies in problem-solving, quantitative analysis, and computational modelling. Its implementation has further allowed an expansion of course content to include intrinsic photocatalytic kinetics, demonstrating the potential of interactive simulation tools to enrich curriculum content, improve learning outcomes, and prepare students for the analytical and practical challenges of modern chemical engineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 100510"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147746005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Integrating generative artificial intelligence into chemical engineering education: Staff and student perspectives 将生成式人工智能整合到化学工程教育中：教职员和学生的观点

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2026.100503

Evan Cunningham, Iain Kings, Phillip Robbins, Matthew J. Keith

{"title":"Integrating generative artificial intelligence into chemical engineering education: Staff and student perspectives","authors":"Evan Cunningham, Iain Kings, Phillip Robbins, Matthew J. Keith","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is rapidly transforming higher education, raising pedagogical, ethical, and epistemological challenges. In chemical engineering, concerns have emerged that student over-reliance on GAI may undermine the development of key skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking. This mixed-methods study explored staff and student perspectives on the integration of GAI into chemical engineering education. Data were gathered through questionnaires (students n = 115; staff n = 17), two student focus groups, and five semi-structured staff interviews. Quantitative data were statistically analysed, and qualitative data were examined using reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: ethics, reliability and accuracy, impact on learning, pedagogical disruption, and staff use. Applying the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model highlighted distinct staff–student differences. Students viewed GAI as a beneficial learning support, with limited concern for bias or authorship. Staff raised critical issues around reliability, transparency, and pedagogical alignment, but acknowledged GAI’s potential to streamline routine tasks such as feedback provision. Based on these insights, this study goes beyond reporting perspectives, to also propose curriculum interventions including early AI literacy and critique-based assessment. It also offers policy recommendations addressing equity, sustainability, and the responsible integration of GAI into chemical engineering education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 100503"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Combining card games and laboratory practice to teach polymer reaction engineering to undergraduate students 结合纸牌游戏与实验室实践，对大学生进行聚合物反应工程教学

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2025.100496

Gabriel Ferreira Toledo, Roniérik Pioli Vieira

{"title":"Combining card games and laboratory practice to teach polymer reaction engineering to undergraduate students","authors":"Gabriel Ferreira Toledo, Roniérik Pioli Vieira","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given the contemporary challenges in chemical engineering education, innovative pedagogical approaches are essential for developing students' ability to apply fundamental scientific principles to complex problems. This study presents the implementation of a collaborative learning methodology that combines game-based learning with demonstrative practice to teach polymer science concepts, specifically polymerization, to undergraduate chemical engineering students. The approach integrates Vygotsky's sociointeractionist theory, emphasizing social interaction and mediation within the Zone of Proximal Development, with active learning strategies proven effective in engineering education. An educational card game focused on polymerization mechanisms was developed and coupled with a hands-on demonstrative synthesis of hydrogels. This dual approach combines the motivational aspects of games, e.g., immediate feedback, progressive challenges, and collaborative gameplay, while providing tangible evidence of theoretical principles through practical experimentation. Students worked in small teams to achieve optimal card combinations while exploring complex polymer reaction engineering concepts, followed by laboratory practice, allowing real-time observation and analysis of typical chain-growth reaction processes. Results demonstrate enhanced student engagement and improved understanding of key concepts associated with polymer structure, polymerization pathways, and introductory reactor design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100496"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Improving student motivation and learning in chemical engineering education: A case of scanning electron microscopy with virtual 3D technology 在化学工程教学中提高学生学习动机：以虚拟三维扫描电子显微镜技术为例

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-23 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2025.100498

Darren Yi Sern Low, Israq Ali, Siah Ying Tang

{"title":"Improving student motivation and learning in chemical engineering education: A case of scanning electron microscopy with virtual 3D technology","authors":"Darren Yi Sern Low, Israq Ali, Siah Ying Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanotechnology characterization involves analysing nanoscale materials to understand their properties. Effective teaching of these techniques is crucial for students in this advancing field, especially with widespread use of digital tools and virtual learning. From a pedagogical viewpoint, the use of these tools remains grounded in constructivist and experiential learning theories, which emphasize active participation and interaction for conceptual understanding. Such approaches allow students to construct knowledge through visual exploration and simulation, complementing traditional instructions. This study explored the impact of a virtual 3D instructional lesson on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in a nanotechnology course for chemical engineering undergraduates. Using the EON-XR platform, the study assessed students' motivation and performance through Keller's Attention-Relevance-Confidence-Satisfaction (ARCS) model, paired with the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS). Results showed an overall mean score of 3.89 out of 5, with 82 % of students reporting improved understanding of SEM equipment via the lesson. The majority supported using 3D technology to enhance learning, particularly for visualizing complex equipment components, which is vital for engineering research and scientific understanding. The findings suggest that tailored 3D lessons positively influence students' motivation across attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, while facilitating remote learning, and potentially leading to improved learning outcomes and experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100498"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Learning by brewing tea: Student experiences of a kolb-aligned, constructivist, learning-oriented assessment in chemical engineering 泡茶中学习：化学工程中以集体为中心、建构主义、以学习为导向的学生评鉴

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-17 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2025.100495

Zurina Zainal Abidin

{"title":"Learning by brewing tea: Student experiences of a kolb-aligned, constructivist, learning-oriented assessment in chemical engineering","authors":"Zurina Zainal Abidin","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated a low-tech, low-cost tea-making task as a student-led experiential (SLE) assessment to introduce solid–liquid extraction in a second-year chemical engineering course. The design integrated Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and constructivism within a learning-oriented assessment perspective. A mixed-methods approach combined a 10-item Likert questionnaire with open-ended reflections from the same cohort (N = 46). Quantitative analyses reported descriptive tendencies, Spearman inter-item associations (primary), and internal consistency while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Perceptions of the assessment were uniformly positive, and the scale showed excellent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.952). Inter-item associations formed a coherent pattern consistent with a single experiential construct rather than isolated features. Qualitatively, 28 students’ comments converged on six themes which were knowledge and understanding (hands-on activity clarifies concepts), collaboration (peer dialogue and mutual correction), affective engagement (enjoyable, low-stakes), skill development (communication, confidence), autonomy and creativity (decision-making, problem solving), and learning-oriented element. Together, these findings indicated that concrete experience, structured peer interaction, and immediate feedback jointly support sense-making and participation. Overall, the tea-making SLE operated as assessment-as-learning, eliciting the very performances it sought to cultivate while maintaining a psychologically safe environment. Minor instrument refinements are recommended to enhance sensitivity at the top end and surface transfer more explicitly across future cohorts. The approach is inexpensive, scalable, and theoretically aligned, offering a practical template for embedding authentic, experiential and constructivist assessment in unit-operations teaching.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100495"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145579831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Education effects of a seminar on defense-in-depth on individuals’ ability to identify risk-reduction measures in chemistry laboratories 纵深防御研讨会对个人识别化学实验室降低风险措施能力的教育效果

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-28 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2025.100497

Yusuke Koshiba , Kenji Wakui , Fumio Nakata , Masahiko Ito

{"title":"Education effects of a seminar on defense-in-depth on individuals’ ability to identify risk-reduction measures in chemistry laboratories","authors":"Yusuke Koshiba , Kenji Wakui , Fumio Nakata , Masahiko Ito","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is essential to take a multilayered approach to risk reduction. This study examined whether the introduction of the concept of defense-in-depth, an approach used to achieve process safety, could allow university students and staff to propose improved, multilayered measures of the risk reduction for incidents that can occur in chemistry laboratories. A 10-minute seminar on defense-in-depth was conducted with university members. The participants completed questionnaires before and after the seminar. The collected data were analyzed with statistical methods and quantitative text analysis. After the seminar, the participants were able to propose a significantly larger number of safety measures per person for given incident scenarios than they could before the seminar. Furthermore, although before the seminar, participants’ attention was primarily focused on items that are easily imagined from the incident scenario, they proposed safety measures across all levels of defense-in-depth after the seminar. These findings are indisputable evidence that the seminar enabled participants to propose multilayered risk-reduction strategies. The results provide valuable insight into the development of more effective safety education programs and practices of risk reduction that can be implemented in chemistry laboratories.</div><div><strong>Tweetable abstract</strong></div><div>A short seminar on defense-in-depth enabled university students propose more multilayered and effective measures for risk reduction in chemistry laboratories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100497"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Making it crystal clear: Educating for water sustainability through service-learning 说得很清楚：通过服务学习教育水资源的可持续性

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-08 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2026.100499

Ana Cabarcas-Fuentes, Jorge Rodríguez-Chueca

{"title":"Making it crystal clear: Educating for water sustainability through service-learning","authors":"Ana Cabarcas-Fuentes, Jorge Rodríguez-Chueca","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the implementation and outcomes of a Service-Learning (SL) project aimed at strengthening the technical and professional competencies of Master’s students in Environmental and Chemical Engineering, while fostering environmental awareness among secondary school learners. The activity, focused on integrated water cycle management, was developed collaboratively with the Young Water Professionals Spanish Chapter, the association béVe, and several secondary schools. Master’s students acted as “teachers for a day,” designing and delivering interactive sessions that combined scientific rigor with participatory and creative methodologies. Data were collected through voluntary, anonymous pre- and post-activity questionnaires and open-ended feedback, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Results indicate that the SL experience effectively reinforced Master’s students’ technical knowledge and promoted key soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and creativity. Secondary school participants reported high levels of satisfaction, engagement, and conceptual understanding, particularly valuing the interactive and affective components of the sessions. While the study was conducted within a specific course and cohort, and relied on voluntary and anonymous surveys, these conditions provide a realistic context for interpreting the outcomes and ensuring broad participation. The initiative fostered intergenerational and intercultural exchange, with young professionals mentoring Master’s students and inspiring younger learners, especially female students, to consider STEM-related fields. The findings highlight the pedagogical and social potential of Service-Learning as a transformative approach linking academic learning, professional growth, and community engagement, and provide guidance for adapting SL programs in broader national and international educational contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100499"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A pedagogical case study on enhancing laboratory proficiency through virtual mammalian cell culture laboratory 通过虚拟哺乳动物细胞培养实验室提高实验室能力的教学案例研究

IF 2.3 2区教育学

Education for Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.004

Aydin Berenjian , Mostafa Seifan , Matt J. Kipper , Nigel Robertson

{"title":"A pedagogical case study on enhancing laboratory proficiency through virtual mammalian cell culture laboratory","authors":"Aydin Berenjian , Mostafa Seifan , Matt J. Kipper , Nigel Robertson","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effectiveness of virtual laboratory simulations in improving proficiency in mammalian cell culture among graduate biomedical and chemical engineering students. Laboratory skills, especially in mammalian cell culture, are critical but challenging to acquire due to resource constraints, safety issues, and logistical limitations. Utilizing a newly developed virtual lab, this research involved 19 students enrolled in a cell and tissue engineering course at Colorado State University. Participants completed comprehensive pre-lab and post-lab assessments that included quantitative surveys and qualitative feedback. Results revealed substantial gains in students' confidence, procedural competence, and conceptual understanding. Specifically, over 90 % of students reported high levels of confidence in aseptic techniques, cell thawing, cryopreservation, and cell counting. The quantitative analysis also demonstrated that the virtual lab significantly enhanced students’ understanding of the principles underlying cell culture and media preparation. Performing virtual lab enabled them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to perform, control, and monitor experiments in a physical laboratory setting. Although the virtual lab also contributed to improved understanding in certain areas such as the environmental conditions within a biosafety cabinet these gains were not statistically significant. This study demonstrates that virtual labs serve as valuable supplements to significantly enrich engineering education. By reinforcing fundamental concepts and providing virtual hands-on experience, virtual lab s can bridge the gap between theory and real-world application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100494"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145475471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0