Preparation for a Career in Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering encompasses the development, application, and operation of processes in which chemical, biological, and/or physical changes of material are involved. The work of the chemical engineer is to analyze, develop, design, control, construct, and/or supervise chemical processes in research and development, pilot-scale operations, and industrial production. The chemical engineer is employed in the manufacture of inorganic chemicals (e.g., acids, alkalis, pigments, fertilizers), organic chemicals (e.g., petrochemicals, polymers, fuels, propellants, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals), biological products (e.g., enzymes, vaccines, biochemicals, biofuels), and materials (e.g., ceramics, polymeric materials, paper, biomaterials).
The Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering has recently made a commitment to emphasize a biological component in its curriculum. The increasing importance of biological and medical subjects within the field of engineering cannot be underestimated. Many of the remarkable breakthroughs in medical science can be directly attributed to advances in chemicals, materials, and devices spearheaded by biochemical and biomedical engineers. Currently, biomedical engineering represents the fastest growing engineering discipline in the U.S., and it is likely to continue as such. The biomedical/biotechnology industries are also the fastest growing of all current industries that employ engineers. Training in biological and biomedical engineering provides an excellent background for graduate and/or medical school, especially in light of the increasing technological complexity of medical education.
The undergraduate curriculum emphasizes the application of computer analysis in chemical engineering, as well as laboratory instruction in modern, state-of-the-art facilities in the transport phenomena/measurements and unit operations laboratories. In order to meet newly developed interests in chemical engineering and related fields, elective courses are available in bioengineering, polymer engineering, materials engineering, molecular engineering, electrochemical engineering, environmental engineering, and biomedical engineering, with additional courses under development.
The graduate in chemical engineering is particularly versatile. Industrial work may involve production, operation, research, and development. Graduate education in medicine, dentistry, and law, as well as chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, and other engineering and scientific disciplines are viable alternatives for the more accomplished graduate.
