Professor Highlight: Chemical Engineering, Dr. Zhao

Teaching one of the largest ranges of course levels in the Chemical Engineering Department at Stevens Institute of Technology, Dr. Yujun Zhao teaches future chemical engineers starting their fourth semester all the way through Senior Design projects. Juggling 20 different courses in the span of a school year, Zhao not only teaches Chemical Engineering students but also teaches the General Chemistry lectures and labs that all freshman engineers must take during their time at Stevens. In addition, all Chemical Engineering students are guaranteed to have Zhao at least once a semester, from CHE 210 Process Analysis, CHE 336 Fluid Mechanics, and CHE 681 Pharmaceutical Reaction Engineering, just to name a few.

By encouraging many of his students to thoroughly go through example problems in a productive manner, Dr. Zhao makes a point of teaching with more than just the textbook concepts. In his classes, students find that he prepares them for the industry and encourages independence and responsibility in the hands of the student in an act of accountability for learning the curriculum. Guaranteed to cover all chapters in the textbook, Zhao teaches by highlighting the most important things that undergraduate students need in the field of chemical engineering. Outside of the classroom, with his incredibly busy schedule with courses, Dr. Zhao also finds the time to help students at office hours and even encourages students to schedule beyond his office hours. With class, office hours, and advising Senior Design projects for Chemical Engineering students, Zhao also manages to continue his research in bioreductions, biocatalysts, and bioreactors.

One highlight that makes Dr. Zhao’s classroom unique is his ability to be personable with students. Many aspects of his life and the people that he interacts with, such as his wife and his friend Mike the plumber, became a shared story between students and Zhao throughout the years. This connection with students is something that differentiates Dr. Zhao as a professor, and many students thank him for being an understanding professor who connects with students on an academic, professional, and personal level.