1. What type of training did you need to become a Chemical Engineer?
The training included a 5 year
(sometimes 4 depending on the university that you attend) academic cirriculum.
Accredications that are usually desired include ABET
2. What college/university did you attend?
I attended West Virginia
University's School of Engineering in Morgantown, WV
3. Please describe specifics classes you took during college?
My classes included 4 units of Calculas, at least 6 of
chemistry, some general engineering which included computer programming, thermodynamics,
transport analysis, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, material and energy balance (2
classes), process control, chemical reaction engineering, separation technology, and
chemical process design just to name some of the more important classes. However, at a
university type setting, you'll also be required to take classes known as core
requirements to make you a "well rounded individual". Mine included Theatre,
Spanish, Criminlogy, Political Science, Geology, and Physiology....you get the picture.
You can goto WVU's chemical engineering page at www.cemr.wvu/~wwwche/ and look under the
"Undergraduate program" to see a complete cirriculum there.
4. How does chemistry enter into this profession?
For example: As a chemical engineer, you may have to
separate water and benzene sometime....you had better know how the two interact chemically
before you start. Do you know if they are miscible in one another? "Miscible" is
a term used to describe two liquids that mix thoroughly....like water and alcohol. But
water and oil are "Immiscible" in that the oil "sink to the bottom of the
water"......this is just one example of how chemistry is very important to a chemical
engineer. If you're going to be responsible for moving, separating, and reacting
chemicals...you better know about the chemicals and how they react to one another first!
Some of the chemical knowledge will also come with experience. For example: If someone
were to ask you how to remove caffeine from coffee beans, what would you recommend?
Experience tells me that there are two basic, industrially accepted methods. One uses a
solvent known as methyl chloride and the other uses carbon dioxide under extremely high
pressure (supercritical carbon dioxide which is actually a liquid). The use of methyl
chloride is an older method and requires additional precautions because methyl chloride is
poisonous so one must be sure that is does not contaminate the coffee. Using supercritical
carbon dioxide requires more expensive equipment, but the risk on contamination is no
longer there because carbon dioxide is not poisonous to humans. Using carbon dioxide to
decaffinate coffee has been advertised as "natural decaffination"....check out
the label in the grocery store!
5. How much job availibility is there?
Currently, the job market for chemical engineers is red
hot! If you're willing to move around a bit, you'll have no trouble finding a job. The job
market is projected to grow, but with more people becoming interested in this science
that, in the past, only a few would attempt....no one can be real sure about the future.
Rest assured though, you'll have THE most marketable undergraduated degree available. If
you can get a chemical engineering degree, you can do just about anything you set your
mind to, and people realize this! One important point to remember if you're considering
chemical or any other engineering:
