Majors at the University of Connecticut

Chemical Engineering

The term chemical engineer does not describe the type of work a chemical engineer engages in. Instead, the title is meant to reveal what makes the field different from the other branches of engineering. The chemical engineer differs from other engineers in that they draw upon the vast and powerful science of chemistry to solve a wide range of problems.

The knowledge and duties of chemical engineers cut across many fields; they apply principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and mechanical and electrical engineering in their work. Chemical engineers are very versatile and able to handle a large variety of technical problems. There is a large amount of scientific and technical knowledge inherent in this profession.

Chemical engineers are responsible for the "plastic age." They also work along side medical doctors developing drugs, synthetic fibers, and helping with environmental issues, to name just a few. Yet the greatest accomplishments of chemical engineers are yet to be discovered by applying chemistry to the real world.

Academic Department

• UConn's Chemical Engineering Department

Nature of Work

On a day to day basis the chemical engineer is asked to solve problems involving the production or use of chemicals. They design equipment and develop processes for large scale chemical manufacturing; plan and test methods of manufacturing the products and treating the by-products; and supervise production. The setting is more often than not in a company, research institute, lab, or occasionally outdoors.

Like most other jobs, chemical engineers are increasingly using computer technology to optimize all phases of research and production; therefore they need to understand how to apply computer skills to process analysis, automated control systems, and statistical quality control.

Sample Job Titles

Potential Employers

The majority of engineers work in chemical industries. But there are also opportunities in federal and state governments, and colleges and universities. If the industries were listed here it would take a tremendous amount of space, but some of the industry classifications are listed throughout this overview.

Useful Skills

Networking, communication skills, solid technical knowledge, and a desire for lifelong learning are all a necessity in this field. Also, analytic thinking is key to this profession. In many of the industries the chemical engineers are not so much inventing, but making everyday items better and more useful.

Getting Experience

There are professional organizations for college students to join. Some of these organizations include the Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Students are kept informed on industry happenings through monthly publications of these organizations. These societies, along with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, can also help in finding summer jobs and internship experiences.

Employment Opportunities

Chemical engineers work in areas such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, design and construction, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, food processing, specialty chemicals, microelectronics, electronic and advanced materials, polymers, business services, biotechnology, and environmental health and safety industries. Other industries for chemical engineers include petrochemicals, oil and gas refining, aeronautics, specialty chemicals, paints, coatings, and adhesives.

The interesting thing about a degree in this field is that it allows for flexible, well-rounded individual interest, and is really only limited by what is available in the area someone chooses to live. There are still more industries such as electrochemistry, environmental sciences, polymers, plastics, and macromolecular science. If these sound too abstract for you there are also jobs in food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods industries.

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