Christopher Bowman
Distinguished Professor and James M & Catherine Patten Endowed Chair, Chemical Engineering, University of Colorado
BSChE ‘88, PhD ChE ‘91
To this day, Christopher Bowman still looks back on some of his Purdue course notes when he is preparing for his own chemical engineering classes at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“The curriculum at the undergrad level provided me with an exceptional foundation that enabled me to succeed in graduate school and to be able to teach those classes in my first job as a faculty member,” he said.
Since his initial appointment to UC Boulder as an assistant professor in 1992, he consistently moved up the academic ladder. He was named a distinguished professor in 2012 and the James and Catherine Patten Endowed Chair of Chemical and Biological Engineering in 2007. Bowman also has led the Materials Science and Engineering Program for seven years and served as an associate dean for research. He currently holds appointments as a clinical professor of dentistry at the UC Health Sciences Center and is co-director of the Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Fundamentals and Applications of Photopolymerizations, which is jointly housed at the University of Iowa and UC Boulder.
Through his research program, Bowman has pioneered high-impact innovations in the field of polymer science, specifically in the areas of dental materials, photopolymerization, and dynamic covalent networks. His dedication to pursuing scientific challenges is highlighted by his membership in three national academies: National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Inventors, and National Academy of Medicine.
Being inducted into the NAE “ranks as the achievement that I consider to be the most special, both because it was a lifelong goal and because it was the highest level of recognition by my peers,” Bowman said.
The work produced by his research lab has resulted in 30 issued patents with numerous others pending, 473 refereed publications, 350 invited lectures, and 80 funded research projects. Notably, his research funding and collaborations — valued at more than$70 million — involve partners spanning government agencies like the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Defense, as well as high-profile industrial allies like 3M and Meta.
Bowman has amassed dozens of teaching and professional awards, including the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering’s Outstanding Chemical Engineer Award in 2016. He has also mentored 80+ graduate students, 40+ postdoctoral scholars, and 300+ undergraduate students. Several current and former Purdue students, including 2025 Churchill Scholarship awardee Sydney Hummel, have been invited into his program.
Crucial to his success are the Purdue Engineering principles that so many graduates name as keys to their achievements.
“Purdue did a fantastic job of training me in how to examine a problem from different angles, to identify the crux of a problem, and devise solutions for that problem, whether the solutions involved chemistry, engineering, math, or people. I also learned how to communicate much better, especially to groups with different technical backgrounds and expertise,” Bowman said. “This has been critical as a faculty member seeking to collaborate and build connections.”
If he had it to do all over again, he said he would have taken four years instead of three to earn his bachelor’s degree. “I didn’t realize at the time how much I would look back fondly on my undergraduate experience.”
Career Highlights
| 2012 – present | Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado |
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| 2011 – 2012 | Department Chair, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado |
| 2010 – 2017 | Director, Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado |
| 2007 – present | James and Catherin Patten Endowed Chair, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado |
| 2007 – 2009 | Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado |
| 2005 – 2007 | Mel and Virginia Clar Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado |
| 2003 – present | Courtesy Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado |
| 2003 – 2007 | Department Chair, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado |
| 2001 – present | Clinical Professor of Dentistry, Health Sciences Center, University of Colorado |
| 2000 – present | Co-Director, I/UCR Center for Fundamentals and Applications of Photopolymerizations, University of Colorado |
| 1999 – 2005 | Gillespie Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado |
| 1995 – 1999 | Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Colorado |
| 1992 – 1995 | Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Colorado |
Education
| 1988 | BS Chemical Engineering, Purdue University |
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| 1991 | PhD Chemical Engineering, Purdue University |