专业描述

Chemical engineers are employed by industries involved in energy, agriculture, advanced materials, manufacturing, consumer products, biotechnology, and microelectronics. They are at the forefront of addressing society’s challenges in sustainable energy and chemicals, safeguarding the environment, improving homeland security, and producing better medicines, to name just a few examples. Chemical engineers employ their technical background and creative thinking to solve problems every day. They are lifelong learners, who work with the latest technologies. Throughout their careers, chemical engineers have tremendous opportunities for professional development, to work with diverse constituents around the world, and to have an impact on society. Career paths for our graduates vary widely. Many begin their careers as a process or production engineer, rotating between plants and locations, and learning about their industry in breadth and depth. With experience, they are given more responsibilities, and move into management, supervising other engineers, continuing to advance to higher leadership positions within their companies. Others may follow a technical path, becoming the company’s expert on specific technologies or processes. Engineering process design, technical sales, safety, meeting environmental regulation, or working in federal agencies are other possible career paths. A significant fraction of our graduates continue their education, earning advanced degrees to become professors in academia, medical doctors, or lawyers.