CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Chemical engineering sits at the nexus between science and technology. It's one of the major engineering disciplines. Chemical engineering is applied chemistry. It is the branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction, and operation of machines and plants that perform chemical reactions to solve practical problems or make useful products. It starts in the lab, much like science, yet progresses through the design and implementation of a full-scale process, its maintenance, and methods of testing and improving it. Chemical engineers use math, physics, and economics to solve technical problems. Chemical engineers apply knowledge of chemistry in addition to other engineering disciplines. Chemical engineers sometimes are called 'universal engineers' because their scientific and technical mastery is so broad. You could consider a chemical engineer to be a type of engineer who knows a lot of science. Another perspective is that a chemical engineer is a practical chemist. Some chemical engineers make designs and invent new processes. Some construct instruments and facilities. Some plan and operate facilities. Chemical engineers also make chemicals. Chemical engineers have helped develop atomic science, polymers, paper, dyes, drugs, plastics, fertilizers, foods, petrochemicals, pretty much everything you can imagine. They devise ways to make products from raw materials and ways to convert one material into another useful form.

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Chemical Engineering

What Is Chemical Engineering?

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Chemical engineering sits at the nexus between science and technology. It's one of the major engineering disciplines.

Take a look at what exactly chemical engineering is, what chemical engineers do, and how to become a chemical engineer.

What Is Chemical Engineering?

Chemical engineering is applied chemistry. It is the branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction, and operation of machines and plants that perform chemical reactions to solve practical problems or make useful products.

It starts in the lab, much like science, yet progresses through the design and implementation of a full-scale process, its maintenance, and methods of testing and improving it.

What Is a Chemical Engineer?

Like all engineers, chemical engineers use math, physics, and economics to solve technical problems.

The difference between chemical engineers and other types of engineers is that they apply knowledge of chemistry in addition to other engineering disciplines.

Chemical engineers sometimes are called 'universal engineers' because their scientific and technical mastery is so broad.

You could consider a chemical engineer to be a type of engineer who knows a lot of science.

Another perspective is that a chemical engineer is a practical chemist.

What Do Chemical Engineers Do?

Some chemical engineers make designs and invent new processes.

Some construct instruments and facilities. Some plan and operate facilities.

Chemical engineers also make chemicals.

Chemical engineers have helped develop atomic science, polymers, paper, dyes, drugs, plastics, fertilizers, foods, petrochemicals, pretty much everything you can imagine.

They devise ways to make products from raw materials and ways to convert one material into another useful form.

Chemical engineers can make processes more cost-effective or more environmentally friendly or more efficient.

Chemical engineers also teach, work with the law, write, create new companies, and perform research.

As you can see, a chemical engineer can find a niche in any scientific or engineering field.

While the engineer often works in a plant or lab, she's also found in the boardroom, office, classroom, and out at field locations.

Chemical engineers are in high demand, so they typically command higher salaries than chemists or other types of engineers.

What Skills Does a Chemical Engineer Need?

Chemical engineers work in teams, so an engineer needs to be able to work and communicate with others.

Chemical engineers study mathematics, energy and mass transfer, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, separation technology, matter and energy balances, and other topics of engineering, plus they study chemical reaction kinetics, process design, and reactor design.

A chemical engineer needs to be analytical and meticulous.

Someone who is great at chemistry and math and loves solving problems would enjoy the discipline.

Typically, chemical engineering progresses to a masters degree because there's so much to learn.

More About Chemical Engineering

If you'd like to learn more about chemical engineering, start with reasons to study it.

View the chemical engineer job profile and learn how much money an engineer makes. There's also a handy list of types of jobs in chemical engineering.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Chemistry Expert

Education

Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

Introduction

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

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https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-chemical-engineering-606098 

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