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Chemical engineers are creative problem solvers.
They take chemistry out of the laboratory and into the factory and the
world around us. But, since everything we see, hear, or touch is made of
chemicals, the profession really knows no boundaries. Chemical engineers
are involved in creating new wonder drugs and materials that will improve
life on earth and make space exploration a reality. They even work on the
soles of your sport shoes, the compact disks which give you so much listening
pleasure, and the chocolate coating on your favorite candy.
To do these things, chemical engineers need to understand chemistry, and also physics, mathematics, and other physical and natural sciences, such as biology or geology. To help them understand the impact of technology on society, they may also study economics, political science, and even a little psychology. Much of the work all engineers do is called "modeling." In one way or another, you've experienced this activity in your math courses. When your geometry teacher tells you that a farmer has a field that is 800 feet long and 600 feet wide, and asks you to calculate the amount of fencing required to enclose that field, that's modeling. All engineers use creativity to convert real problems into solvable mathematical equations. Today's chemical engineers are also comfortable working with computers and can communicate their findings clearly. Chemical engineering is a way of approaching problems and solving them. By successfully applying chemical principles, chemical engineers produce useful materials at a reasonable cost, and in the safest manner possible. Chemical engineers are concerned not just for themselves and their employers, but also for their neighbors. So safety, both inside and outside a plant or laboratory, is a primary concern. |
Some chemical engineers become astronauts, computer system designers, or brewers of specialty beers. Most chemical engineers, however, work in:
Research: Research engineers work with chemists to develop new ideas and new products. They may come up with a new plastic or a better way to produce an existing product. The mass production of antibiotics, for example, was made possible by chemical engineers in research.
Design: Design engineers create the process to convert a raw material into a final product. Chemists invented the many synthetic fibers we use today, but chemical engineers designed the plants that produce them at an affordable cost.
Development: Chemical engineers look for ways to improve new or existing processes. The "greening" of much of the Third World is due to a big reduction in the cost of ammonia production, which made it possible for poorer nations to manufacture this important fertilizer.
Production: The manufacture of chemicals requires continuous supervision. Is the product of specified purity? Is the production rate what it should be? Are control instruments performing properly? Is the process as safe as it can be? Production engineers are always answering such questions.
Technical Sales: Why isn't our product doing what it is supposed to for our customers? Could our new product be used more economically than current materials? Why did that new paint peel from one house? Sales engineers aswer such questions. People skills, as well as technical ability, are very important for these chemical engineers.
Management: Many chemical engineers are promoted to management positions. While less involved in technology, they make policy and business decisions, train new engineers, and solve human, rather than technical, problems.
This list is neither complete nor comprehensive. For instance, some chemical engineers work in hospitals to find the best method of administering a particular drug to a patient. There is no limit to the kinds of challenging work chemical engineers do.
Who employs chemical engineers?
Petroleum, chemical, and pharmaceutical companies are the traditional
employers of chemical engineers. Today, however, increasing numbers of
chemical engineers are hired by the food, electronic, textile, pulp and
paper, rubber, metal, cement, plastic, and aerospace industries. Government
agencies, such as the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection
Agency, also hire chemical engineers. And, more and more chemical engineers
are working in biotechnology.