The Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems Division (CBET) supports basic research and education in a number of rapidly evolving fields that include the transformation and/or transport of matter and energy by chemical, bio-chemical, thermal, or mechanical means. Major areas of CBET-funded research include: Energy and Thermal Processing; Environment; Sustainability; Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering.
CBET funds research that contributes to the knowledge base of a large number of industrial manufacturing processes and also to some natural processes that involve the transformation and transport of matter and energy. The transformation processes may be chemical, biological, physical, or a combination of these. The research impacts a wide range of technological pursuits and are found in areas such as aerospace, electronics, chemicals, recovery of natural resources, the environment, petroleum, bio-chemicals, materials, food, power generation, and allied activities.
CBET also supports research that involves the development of fundamental engineering principles, process control and optimization strategies, mathematical models, and experimental techniques, with an emphasis on projects that have the potential for innovation and broad application in the program areas covered by the division. Some of the research supported may be applied to naturally occurring systems such as rivers and lakes, coastline areas, and the atmosphere - - especially in populated areas. A long-standing area of interest is environmentally benign chemical and material processing.