There have been a number of great scientists who have contributed to this field. The Chemical Institute of Canada recognizes many Canadian achievers, such as Franco Berruti , the great mind behind,"Pyrolytic Conversion of Biomass Residues into Valuable Bio-Oil and Bio-Carbon Products", a revolutionary new method of recycling dangerous residues (CSChE, 2014). Other famous chemical engineers include Arthur Fry, the inventor of the Post-It note, and Mario J. Molina, a Mexican chemical engineer who, in 1995, won the Nobel Prize for exposing the danger of CFC's (which are now widely recognized as unnecessary and dangerous).
To get into chemical engineering, you must follow a well-worn path from high school into university. Of course, getting high marks in chemistry and math is important for getting into a university Chemical Engineering program. It takes around 4 years to complete a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. You can then continue on to get your Masters' or even Doctorate, if a higher-level, more consultory career interests you. For example, if I wanted to become a chemical engineer, I would continue to take Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Functions, and Calculus and Vectors next year. If I got high marks in all of these courses, and was otherwise a well-rounded student, I would apply to McGill for its chemical engineering program. If I got in, I could graduate and then apply to a number of places. There are many employers looking for chemical engineers, such as oil sands developers out west or even nuclear energy consultants right here. Either way, a chemical engineer has a lot of possibilities once he or she has left school, and it is a great career for anyone who wants to apply what they have learned in chemistry.
Fascinating! I agree that a career in chemical engineering sounds fascinating. It is obviously very applicable to real life, because of its applications to fields such as food sciences and drug and fuel industries. In our modern day and age, further exploration of science on a chemical and molecular level is essential to furthering our technology, through the development of new machinery, substances and materials. I am interested in chemistry, however, I do not have the precision nor the patience to work synthesizing new chemical compounds or performing experiments, as a chemical engineer. I would be more likely to pursue teaching chemistry theory, rather than experimental chemistry. Good luck in your studies, James!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great review of the different careers in chemical engineering, which is a very diverse and interesting field. You seem to have a very good understanding on what it takes to become a chemical engineer and what a chemical engineer does. Although chemical engineers can be responsible for any one of the subjects of your articles, I thought that you could have explored other related careers paths, such as environmental engineering. Environmental engineers, who have a background in chemistry or civil engineering, are interested in air and water treatment. This includes oil and gas problems and products humans use such as E-cigarettes that can release toxic vapours and put our health at risk. As you said in another blog, the health of the planet is important. In general, I really liked your blog on careers in chemistry. I think that we can agree that if you have a good background in math and science, and you work hard in high school, there are many interesting career paths that a person can follow!
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