The School of Chemical Engineering was established in 1949 (in the Faculty of Applied Science) with an early emphasis on Food Technology. By 1958 the School included Paint Technology and Plastics and Rubber Technology in its offerings. In 1964 the School had three departments, Chemical Engineering, Fuel Technology and Food Technology.

Industrial Chemistry was approved as a part-time course from 1953/54. In 1964, in the School of Chemical Technology, it was one of three courses including Ceramics and Polymer Science.

In 1968 the School of Chemical Engineering expanded to include a Department of Biological Process Engineering and in 1976, Food
Technology became a School in its own right. In 1980 the School was reorganised and became the School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry, with Ceramics going to the School of Metallurgy. In the 1980s the School’s activities became increasingly concerned with pollution control and membrane technology. In 1985 the Bioprocess Engineering activities went into the new School of Biological Technologies (now the School of Applied Bio-Sciences).

In the early 1990s the Electrochemical Engineering group pioneered the vanadium redox battery for low-cost, long-life, high efficiency energy storage. In 1996 the School became part of the Faculty of Engineering.

The School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry now contains the Research Groups of Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry, Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design, Fuels, Minerals and Polymer Science as well as the Centre for Membrane Science and Technology and the Centre for Particle and Catalyst Technologies.

Analytical facilities include an ion chromatograph, Varian UV and visible and Varian atomic absorption spectrophotometres, Olympus microscopes, specific ion electrodes and metres, a water quality laboratory, XRD, and extensive facilities and equipment for high temperature testing, membrane fabrication and technology, polymer characterisation and processing, fuel technology, particle and catalyst research and electrochemistry.

The School now is known as the School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering.

As of 1 January 2004, the Food Science and Technology unit merged with the School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry, and became a part of the Faculty of Engineering.

Year	Events
1952	Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Science, The New South Wales University of Technology established in 2 huts (now B9)
1952-1970	Founder and Head of Department – Associate Professor Fritz H. Reuter
1954	Bachelor of Science course commenced
1955	First Master of Science awarded
1956	Visit by HRH Prince Phillip First Bachelor of Science awarded
1959	Became The University of New South Wales First Doctor of Philosophy awarded
1960	Graduate Diploma course introduced
1968	Department relocated to levels 4 and 5 of the Applied Science Building
1971-1990	Head of Department/School of Food Science and Technology – Professor Ron A.Edwards
1972	Master of Applied Science (Food Technology) introduced
1975	Professor Edwards appointed to Chair of Food Technology
1976	Became School of Food Technology
1983	Master of Applied Science (Food Engineering) introduced
1984	Became School of Food Science and Technology
1986	Became the Department of Food Science and Technology in the School of Biological Technologies
1988	Food Industry Development Centre (Key Centre for Teaching and Research) established School of Biological Technologies renamed School of Applied Bioscience
1990	Department relocated to the old site of Wool and Pastoral Science, now B8a, B8c and C8a
1991	Professor Peter Gray (Biotechnology) appointed Head of School
1991-1994	Head of Department of Food Science and Technology – Professor Geoffrey M. Wilson
1992	Microbiology facilities relocated to building B8c and upgraded Master of Applied Science (Food Microbiology) course established
1994-2000	Head of Department of Food Science and Technology – Professor Ken A Buckle
1994	Food Microbiology research facilities and Seminar/Lecture Room established, via CRC for Food Industry Innovation
1995	40 Year Reunion and Dr F.H. Reuter's 90th birthday celebrated
1996	Master of Applied Science (Food Microbiology) Course reviewed internationally Bachelor of Science Course (3060) review commenced BSc(Hons) in Food Science Course 3065) introduced
1997	Master of Applied Science (Food Science and Nutrition) Course established Faculty of Applied Science disestablished (July 1) Faculty of Life Sciences and Faculty of Science and Technology established. School of Applied Bioscience transferred to Faculty of Life Sciences
1998	BSc and MSc (coursework) programs completely revised Professor Buckle appointed Head of School of Applied Bioscience
1999	Revised BSc Course introduced in Years 2, 3 BSc Major in Food Science and Nutrition (Course 3970/3800) and BSc Advanced Science (Life Sciences) (Course 3990) approved for introduction in 2000 All postgraduate coursework programs (Grad Dip, MAppSc/MSc Coursework) revised and approved for introduction in Session 2, 1999
2000-2001	Professor Ken A Buckle appointed Associate Dean of International Development, for Faculty of Science Head of Department of Food Science and Technology - Professor Graham H Fleet
2002	Faculty of Life Sciences and Faculty of Science and Technology merged to form Faculty of Science. The Department of Food Science and Technology merged with School of Chemistry to form School of Chemical Sciences
2004	As of 1 January 2004, the Food Science and Technology unit merged with the School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry, and became a part of the Faculty of Engineering.