AIChE has adapted AIChE Academy offerings—both in format and content—to keep life and work moving along, despite COVID-19. So, if you want to build new areas of knowledge and expertise, or need to refresh your know-how on a topic for an upcoming project or new job, it’s a great time to take advantage of the many courses and webinars in chemical engineering, process safety, biological engineering, and other related areas.
We’ve added new virtual options, and we also have content that specifically addresses topics related to COVID-19. Read on to decide which online learning options match your needs and situation.
What option best fits your situation?
There are a several ways you can learn something new on AIChE Academy, so ask yourself these questions to find the best option for you:
- How much time can you commit?
- How flexible is your schedule?
- Do you need basic knowledge, or in-depth instruction?
- Are you trying to earn continuing educational units (CEUs) or professional development hours (PDHs)?
- What’s your budget? And, yes, a budget of $0 is OK.
With these questions in mind, check out below the three main types of online learning opportunities available.
Live, instructor-led virtual courses
In response to COVID-19, we’ve already taken many of our face-to-face courses online. You’ll find a number of our most popular chemical engineering and process safety courses in virtual format, including Chemical Engineering for Non-Chemical Engineers, Process Safety Boot Camp, and Flow of Solids/Pneumatic Conveying Combo Course. You can see a complete list of current offerings here.
Just like a traditional classroom experience, the courses are led by an instructor but over a live video feed using the WebEx Training Center platform. You can expect all the usual features of a classroom, including a virtual whiteboard, the ability to interact with the instructor and other students, and handouts in a downloadable format. And like a face-to-face course, virtual courses are offered at a specific time, so be sure to check the schedule and time zone information carefully (scroll down to the very bottom of a course’s page for this information).
If you need to cover a topic in depth, this is a great option. These are multi-session courses, totaling anywhere from five to 30 classroom hours. You’ll also find that our instructors are true experts in the topics they cover, with years of experience in the field. Check out some of our instructors (scroll down here) to learn more about some of the instructors for our popular Process Safety Bootcamp virtual course.
TIP: Class size is limited to maintain an optimal learning environment, so it’s important to sign up as soon as you know you want to take a course. Otherwise, you risk having to wait until the next time it’s offered.
eLearning
eLearning courses are on-demand courses—generally in a slideshow format with audio—that you can conveniently watch at your own pace, wherever and whenever you like. Courses cover an extremely wide range of topics. A few examples are Chemical PE Exam Review Course, CCPS’ 20 Elements of Risk Based Process Safety, and Biotechnology for Chemical Engineers. See a complete listing here.
Also, there are some particularly good deals here for those with limited budgets, since some eLearning courses are free for everyone, while others are discounted or free for specific kinds of members, such as students or employees of RAPID-member companies. eLearning courses also allow participants to earn CEUs or professional development hours (PDHs).
TIP: Peruse eLearning offerings with an eye on pricing—you might be surprised what’s available at no cost due to your membership status or company affiliations.
Webinars
How do webinars differ from other offerings? Simply put, these are one-hour sessions on a very focused topic. Webinars are offered online either as a live event with Q&A or in a pre-recorded format. Some of these bite-size offerings are free to all or to those with certain affiliations (such as to CCPS members, for example). And for those that aren’t free, prices are quite modest. Note that webinars allow participants to earn PDHs.
TIP: Check out current live webinars as well as archived webinars for some very timely content, including the upcoming free webinar An Aerosol Science Perspective on SARS-CoV-2.
Academy’s offerings are extensive, so this just scratches the surface, but keeping these three broad categories in mind should help you navigate the many courses and webinars on chemical engineering available to you. One more tip to help you find an online learning opportunity that's right for you: take advantage of AIChE Academy's filter found in the left sidebar (see graphic below). You can quickly locate options by topic, level, cost, length, and much more.
