302 Buchtel Common
Akron, Ohio

Established in 1988, by combining the Department of Polymer Science with the Department of Polymer engineering at University of Akron, the College of Polymer Science is devoted exclusively to the study of polymer science and engineering. The programs grant Master's and doctoral degrees and focuses on research opportunities in the educational community. The school also offers workforce training and non-credit courses.

Founded by Dr. C. M. Knight in 1909, a professor and chemical consultant, who realized that the thriving Akron rubber companies like BFGoodrich needed trained individuals. He set up the world's first academic rubber chemistry lab and began teaching courses in rubber chemistry. Today, the organization includes two complementary research institutes, the 146,000-square-foot Goodyear Polymer Center, the 36,000-square-foot, Polymer Engineering Academic Center, and the Akron Polymer Training Center, an 18,000-square-foot facility which houses classrooms, computer and processing laboratories.

Polymer science students are part of the general UNiversity of Akron population as a whole. UA offers more than 200 undergraduate majors and areas of study and more than 110 master's and doctoral programs. The University has more than 200 student groups, including sororities and fraternities, bands, gospel choir, theater guilds and athletics. The University operates two 15-week semesters starting in August and January with an optional summer semester. They offer on-campus housing, financial aid and many scholarship programs.

Quick Facts

In 2007, The University of Akron celebrated the 50th anniversary of the awarding of its first doctoral degree in polymer chemistry.

The University of Akron campus resides on 218 acres with more than 80 buildings. The University has more than 24,000 students that represent 44 U.S. states and 79 foreign countries.

University of Akron has19 NCAA Division I-A Intercollegiate Athletic teams for men and women competing in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

The University of Akron was founded as Buchtel College by the Ohio Universalist Convention in 1870.

During World War II, the U.S. government contracted with the University of Akron to establish the Rubber Research Laboratory to aid in the development of the synthetic rubber needed for the war effort .

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.