No longer is chemical engineering just “chemical engineering.”

Beginning July 1, the chemical engineering department will become the chemical and biological engineering department.

The name change — which has been in the works for the last year and a half — was approved by the Board of Regents last month.

“The name change is a recognition of what is going on in the department,” said Anthony Hill, graduate student in chemical engineering.

The name was changed to better reflect the research done by faculty members, courses offered in biological engineering and the demand for biological engineering in the industry. Department officials also said they hope the name change will help with student recruitment.

Balaji Narasimhan, associate professor of chemical engineering, said close to 70 percent of research done by faculty members at Iowa State is biological research.

Faculty are conducting research for biomedical purposes, such as drugs for cancer and vaccines and tissue engineering. Kurt Hebert, professor and chairman of chemical engineering, said skin grafting and DNA technology are also part of biomedical engineering. Another area of research being conducted is substituting feed stocks for fuels, such as corn and agricultural wastes, Hebert said.

Chemistry, engineering, physics and now biology are all part of the chemical engineering department, he said.

“We have more and more courses now that deal with biology,” Hebert said.

Right now there are between five and eight classes and labs offered in biological engineering, he said.

Narasimhan said high school students are not automatically seeing that chemical engineers use a lot of biology.

He said because of the lack of a biomedical engineering department, many may not realize there is biological engineering within the chemical engineering department.

Hebert said they are hoping to attract more students with the addition of “biological” into the department name.

Narasimhan said more than 40 percent of chemical engineering graduates go into biological engineering. Food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology are four major areas of biological engineering, he said.

Hill said a number of companies hire chemical engineers for biological interests, including Pfizer Inc. and Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc., as well as Kraft Foods Inc. and Kellogg Co.

“Biotech is supposed to be the next big thing,” Hill said.

Iowa State is not alone in adapting department names to more accurately fit classes and services offered in its engineering program.

Other schools across the country are changing the name of their chemical engineering departments, as well.

Narasimhan said about 20 universities have added “biological,” “biomolecular,” or “biochemical” to the chemical engineering department name.

Hebert said although the department name has changed, the degree title will stay the same, as students will still receive a degree in chemical engineering.

“It’s fitting,” Narasimhan said. “It’s a change for the better.”