What Do They Do?
Chemical engineers combine the science of chemistry with the discipline of engineering in order to solve problems and find more efficient ways of doing things. They take ideas from chemists and put them into practice. For example, a chemist may create a new drug, and a chemical engineer would develop the processes and manufacturing operations to make the drug in consumer form. Chemical engineers develop and manufacture new chemicals ranging from fertilizers to synthetic nerve fibers. They also design and operate highly sophisticated chemical facilities.
Examples of Work Projects
- Finding new processes to recycle glass and plastics
- Developing cosmetics that don't use animal testing in the manufacturing process
- Studying the flow of blood to help design a kidney dialysis machine
- Creating more efficient methods of refining petroleum
- Supervising shipments of hazardous materials/waster for a research center
Job Titles
- Process Engineer
- Research and Development
- Project Engineer
- Environmental, Health, and Safety
- Process Control Configuration Lead
Job Outlook
Some Employers of Chemical Engineering Majors
- Chemical industry
- Federal and state government
- Cosmetic companies
- Plastic manufacturers
- Environmental industry
- Petroleum companies
- Food processing companies
- Agricultural chemical companies
- Pharmaceuticals
Major Areas of Specialization
- Fluid Flow and Transport Phenomena
- Biochemical/ Biomedical Engineering
- Kinetics, Catalysis, and Reaction Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Microelectronics
- Pollution Prevention and Environmental Remediation
- Process Control
Interests Related to the Field
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Practical applications of science
- Environment
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