In 2016, the Chemical and Biological Engineering department established Design Day to highlight and recognize the tremendous work of our senior undergraduate students. Design Day has two components: the first is a special seminar given by a prominent member of the industrial design community. The speaker need not be a member of the chemical engineering community, and the seminar is designed to inspire our graduating seniors to think more holistically. The second component of design day is a poster showcase by the senior design groups who present the results of their work in our capstone process design course. The group who has been judged to have the best poster and best overall design is awarded the Lewis S. Coonley Prize at graduation. 

Previous CBE Design Day Speakers

• Fall 2025 Brenda Remy’00, GE Healthcare
• Fall 2024 Ted Lamson’83, NeoTract
• Spring 2024 Peter de Bock and Chris Vandervort’90G, APRPA-E
• 2023 Jean Tom, Bristol Meyers Squibb
• 2021 Gavin Towler, Honeywell
• 2019 Greg Russotti’88 ’90G, Celgene Corporation
• 2018 Yoram Cohen, UCLA
• 2017 Gavin McIntyre’07, Evocative Design, LLC
• 2016 Adrian Bejan, Duke University