Sibani Lisa Biswal, the William M. McCardell Professor in Chemical Engineering, was promoted to her new role as chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, effective July 1, 2025. For the past four years, she has served as Senior Associate Dean of the School of Engineering and Computing.
“I’m deeply grateful to Lisa for her leadership and guidance as senior associate dean and look forward to continuing our strong partnership as she steps into the role of department chair," said Luay Nakhleh, William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering. "I also want to sincerely thank our outgoing chair, Mike Wong, for his exceptional service for more than a decade. His steady leadership, vision, and commitment helped elevate our chemical engineering program into one of the nation’s top-ranked programs.”
A renowned scholar in soft matter and interfacial science, Biswal’s research explores the chemical and physical behavior of colloids, polymers, foams, and other complex fluids. Her group has pioneered innovations in magnetic colloidal assemblies, soft matter-based sensors, composite electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, and microfluidic platforms for characterizing multiphase flows relevant to oil recovery.
Biswal has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and election as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. At Rice, she has received both the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Doctoral Advising and the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching—reflecting her deep commitment to mentoring and education. She has advised more than 30 doctoral students and authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications.
Prior to Biswal’s appointment, Michael Wong, the Tina and Sunit Patel Professor in Molecular Nanotechnology Professor, served as the chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for the past 11 years. Among his many accomplishments was the tremendous growth and strengthening of the molecular nanotechnology arm of the department. Wong recruited several talented junior faculty members who have now become the next generation of leaders in that area. He also raised the department’s profile in academia and industry, cementing its reputation as one of the top chemical engineering departments in the country. In addition, he also excelled in attracting philanthropic support and in securing endowed faculty chair positions for the department.
Biswal aims to build on the department’s strong foundation and momentum. She plans to expand student interest in chemical and biomolecular engineering through new outreach and engagement initiatives, increase support for faculty and staff, and strengthen ties with the department’s global alumni network.
“I’m honored to take on this role at such a pivotal moment for our field,” Biswal said. “Our department brings together exceptional faculty, ambitious students, and dedicated staff who are advancing fundamental science and engineering with real-world impact. I look forward to fostering new interdisciplinary collaborations, preparing the next generation of engineers to tackle society’s most pressing challenges, and shaping the future of ChBE at Rice.”