What is Chemical Engineering?

Chemical engineering has been around for over a 100 years as a distinct discipline, although many industrial chemical processes are considerably older. During this time, it has made numerous contributions to the fabric of our industrial society. Chemical engineers produce fertilizers that have been responsible for eradicating hunger in the world; they produce fuels like gasoline that power the engine of our society; they produce the plastics and metals that are in most things we use; they produce cement that has made possible the cities we live in; they produce fibers that clothe us; they produce the chips that power our computers; they produce the processed food that stocks the shelves of our grocery stores; and they produce the pharmaceuticals that keep us healthy. Chemical engineers are involved in every process involving chemistry in the commercial sector. The modern life would not be possible without the contributions of chemical engineers.

The rapid industrial growth of the twentieth century has come at a cost. We have depleted a substantial amount of fossil fuels and other natural resources with a regrettable impact on the environment. A new generation of chemical engineers is addressing the concerns that face humanity through the development of renewable energy and resources, green engineering that develops processes with lower environmental costs, and the hydrogen economy and fuel cells for energy production with a minimal environmental impact. With the recent advances in biochemistry, chemical engineers are also poised to apply their skills to the industrial application of biology. The new challenges in Chemical Engineering are described in the recent NRC Report entitled Beyond the Molcular Frontier: Challenges for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (PDF), by the National Research Council.

In short, if you want to save the world, chemical engineering is for you! To learn more about chemical engineering, consider taking the course CHE 1011 Introduction to Chemical Engineering offered every year in B-term.