chEmical engineering???

[pickflick]

huh..just wanna ask wether ..
1*a job as a chemical engineering is a good choice nowadays?some ppl says that its not..so..what can u guyz say about it?
2*wut does a chemical engineers really do?
3*if i were to choosed chemical engineering..wut route do u thing is the best for me 2 go after finishing my spm?either the matriculation or diplomas? :roll:

[pickflick]

huh..just wanna ask wether ..
1*a job as a chemical engineering is a good choice nowadays?some ppl says that its not..so..what can u guyz say about it?
2*wut does a chemical engineers really do?
3*if i were to choosed chemical engineering..wut route do u thing is the best for me 2 go after finishing my spm?either the matriculation or diplomas? :roll:

[dinna_g]

2*wut does a chemical engineers really do?

as far as i know, chem engineers are like chemists. the only difference is chemist make chemicals in the labs and chem engineers make chemicals in bulk. for instance, you want to produce ethanol as one of the chemicals you need to make shampoo. it is easy for chemists to produce the enthanol in small amount in the lab but chem engineers have to make the planning on how to build the plant and what not in order to produce ethanol in bulk efficiently. of course, they don't use ethanol in shampoos, this is just an oversimplified example.

the other two questions, i would leave to other recomers to answer. in my opinion, a chem engineer is a high respectable job. it is the toughest engineering field. if you graduate as a chem eng, you will receive high respect from other engineering field.

cheers!

[dinna_g]

2*wut does a chemical engineers really do?

as far as i know, chem engineers are like chemists. the only difference is chemist make chemicals in the labs and chem engineers make chemicals in bulk. for instance, you want to produce ethanol as one of the chemicals you need to make shampoo. it is easy for chemists to produce the enthanol in small amount in the lab but chem engineers have to make the planning on how to build the plant and what not in order to produce ethanol in bulk efficiently. of course, they don't use ethanol in shampoos, this is just an oversimplified example.

the other two questions, i would leave to other recomers to answer. in my opinion, a chem engineer is a high respectable job. it is the toughest engineering field. if you graduate as a chem eng, you will receive high respect from other engineering field.

cheers!

[chenchow]

pickflick, I would answer your questions based on my personal viewpoints.

I think any field of studies do have its own prospects and it is upon how good you are and what is the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience that you have accumulated. Taking Chemical Engineering does not necessary mean that you would be taking all classes in Chem Eng.

I still see quite a lot of people picking up Chem Eng, so I believe that field is going great~! I have seen a lot of companies are still recruiting on Chem Eng, so again, the prospect and opportunities are there!

On which route to go, it would depend on your career plan. What is your future planning? What you plan to study? Do more research in either of the route and see...

Feel free to pop in and ask more questions here at ReCom.org!

[chenchow]

pickflick, I would answer your questions based on my personal viewpoints.

I think any field of studies do have its own prospects and it is upon how good you are and what is the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience that you have accumulated. Taking Chemical Engineering does not necessary mean that you would be taking all classes in Chem Eng.

I still see quite a lot of people picking up Chem Eng, so I believe that field is going great~! I have seen a lot of companies are still recruiting on Chem Eng, so again, the prospect and opportunities are there!

On which route to go, it would depend on your career plan. What is your future planning? What you plan to study? Do more research in either of the route and see...

Feel free to pop in and ask more questions here at ReCom.org!

[raizz]

hey....

that's a really good question to ask especially when you're thinking about doing chemical engineering. to some extent what chen chow said is true... but it doesnt stops there.

well, first of all.... majority of chemical engineers take up chemical engineering because of their passion in chemistry. but there are also some who have no preferences. chemical engineering has indeed been the toughest engineering around. this is because, comaparing to all other engineering, chemical engineering incorporates every single science field in its curriculum; chem, bio, physics, and math.

In terms of work field, there are a lot of job oppertunities out there that you can do with a chemical engineering degree. in the states right now, the most popular field for chemical engineers are pharmaceutical and biomedical industry. this includes industry dealing with biotech, nanobiotech and fabrication. apart from that, if ur more interested in the chem field, a lot of chemical engineers are in polymer processing, oil and gas and other manufacturing unit. I also know companies like Applied Materials and Rohm&Haas which is an electronic base company, who hires chemical engineer as process engineer.

If ur thinking of doing chemical engineering, i can say that it is a very good major and it may help you decide later in life of wut you wanna do. As for right now, I have worked with Infenuem, which an oil and gas company in New Jersey and I'm still doing some projects with them right now. Apart from that, I'm doing research in biotechnology and genetics and i'm probably taking up biomedical engineeringas my minor. it really help me, cause i get to keep my options open on wut i wanna do when i graduate.i can also go to medical school if i want to cause chemical engineering well prepares you with all the bio and chem courses that you need for med school. but, remember its not as easy as it sounds. as for me, i enjoy the stuff i'm doing and having great time learning more about chemical engineering. In, the end it depends on own ur interest and why you think chemE is gonna be beneficial to you. So ur the one thats gonna make that decision.

As for which route, I'm not really sure whether they offer a diploma in chemical engineering. One thing is because to be a chemical engineering u need a lot of basic and fundamentals of chemical engineering like, mass&energy balances, phyical chem, fluid mechanis, thermo, kinetics, and a lot more. So a diploma would be to short of a time to complete all this. But I would suggest you to check out U's that offer chemical engineering as a degree. I think its pretty common for most engineers to striaght ahead go with degree instead of a diploma. Anyways good luck....and if you have any more questions please feel free to ask.

[raizz]

hey....

that's a really good question to ask especially when you're thinking about doing chemical engineering. to some extent what chen chow said is true... but it doesnt stops there.

well, first of all.... majority of chemical engineers take up chemical engineering because of their passion in chemistry. but there are also some who have no preferences. chemical engineering has indeed been the toughest engineering around. this is because, comaparing to all other engineering, chemical engineering incorporates every single science field in its curriculum; chem, bio, physics, and math.

In terms of work field, there are a lot of job oppertunities out there that you can do with a chemical engineering degree. in the states right now, the most popular field for chemical engineers are pharmaceutical and biomedical industry. this includes industry dealing with biotech, nanobiotech and fabrication. apart from that, if ur more interested in the chem field, a lot of chemical engineers are in polymer processing, oil and gas and other manufacturing unit. I also know companies like Applied Materials and Rohm&Haas which is an electronic base company, who hires chemical engineer as process engineer.

If ur thinking of doing chemical engineering, i can say that it is a very good major and it may help you decide later in life of wut you wanna do. As for right now, I have worked with Infenuem, which an oil and gas company in New Jersey and I'm still doing some projects with them right now. Apart from that, I'm doing research in biotechnology and genetics and i'm probably taking up biomedical engineeringas my minor. it really help me, cause i get to keep my options open on wut i wanna do when i graduate.i can also go to medical school if i want to cause chemical engineering well prepares you with all the bio and chem courses that you need for med school. but, remember its not as easy as it sounds. as for me, i enjoy the stuff i'm doing and having great time learning more about chemical engineering. In, the end it depends on own ur interest and why you think chemE is gonna be beneficial to you. So ur the one thats gonna make that decision.

As for which route, I'm not really sure whether they offer a diploma in chemical engineering. One thing is because to be a chemical engineering u need a lot of basic and fundamentals of chemical engineering like, mass&energy balances, phyical chem, fluid mechanis, thermo, kinetics, and a lot more. So a diploma would be to short of a time to complete all this. But I would suggest you to check out U's that offer chemical engineering as a degree. I think its pretty common for most engineers to striaght ahead go with degree instead of a diploma. Anyways good luck....and if you have any more questions please feel free to ask.

[__earth]

well, first of all.... majority of chemical engineers take up chemical engineering because of their passion in chemistry. but there are also some who have no preferences. chemical engineering has indeed been the toughest engineering around. this is because, comaparing to all other engineering, chemical engineering incorporates every single science field in its curriculum; chem, bio, physics, and math.

may i say, your statement is true because chemisty is actually the mother of all sciences. maybe i should say pure sciences.

[__earth]

well, first of all.... majority of chemical engineers take up chemical engineering because of their passion in chemistry. but there are also some who have no preferences. chemical engineering has indeed been the toughest engineering around. this is because, comaparing to all other engineering, chemical engineering incorporates every single science field in its curriculum; chem, bio, physics, and math.

may i say, your statement is true because chemisty is actually the mother of all sciences. maybe i should say pure sciences.

[littlebigone]

i thought philoshophy was the mother of all sciences?

[littlebigone]

i thought philoshophy was the mother of all sciences?

[dinna_g]

i forgot one point that might induce more interest in chem eng. chem eng is actually the highest paid engineer in the united states with the starting salary of approx US$45K per annum.

cheers!

[dinna_g]

i forgot one point that might induce more interest in chem eng. chem eng is actually the highest paid engineer in the united states with the starting salary of approx US$45K per annum.

cheers!

[raizz]

I think you probably got that wrong Dina. The higest paying engineer currently is Operational and Research Engineer. Their starting pay is someting like 48K to 52K per year. But, ChemE's is among the higest paying engineer indeed.

[raizz]

I think you probably got that wrong Dina. The higest paying engineer currently is Operational and Research Engineer. Their starting pay is someting like 48K to 52K per year. But, ChemE's is among the higest paying engineer indeed.

[dinna_g]

I think you probably got that wrong Dina. The higest paying engineer currently is Operational and Research Engineer. Their starting pay is someting like 48K to 52K per year. But, ChemE's is among the higest paying engineer indeed.

Really? That's what the statistics told me during one of my freshman days. Is Op & Research engineer part of IE? If it is part of IE, it doesn't make sense if they're paid that high. Afterall, IE is the "easiest" engineering field. If it's not, I don't think you're eligible to be a research engineer unless you have a PhD. I could be wrong though.

Cheers!

[dinna_g]

I think you probably got that wrong Dina. The higest paying engineer currently is Operational and Research Engineer. Their starting pay is someting like 48K to 52K per year. But, ChemE's is among the higest paying engineer indeed.

Really? That's what the statistics told me during one of my freshman days. Is Op & Research engineer part of IE? If it is part of IE, it doesn't make sense if they're paid that high. Afterall, IE is the "easiest" engineering field. If it's not, I don't think you're eligible to be a research engineer unless you have a PhD. I could be wrong though.

Cheers!

[noksili]

yeahhh chem e is fun..yeahh u gotta have the best feeling when u finish doing all the process synthesis + mass balance + o chem + thermo stuff ...yeahhh believe me.. n yeahh believe me it's fun when u have to take min 18 ct hr per sem... yeahhh really fun...

sorry..just wanna release my tension after spending total of 10 hours doing chem e hw with my friend....anyway enjoy life

[noksili]

yeahhh chem e is fun..yeahh u gotta have the best feeling when u finish doing all the process synthesis + mass balance + o chem + thermo stuff ...yeahhh believe me.. n yeahh believe me it's fun when u have to take min 18 ct hr per sem... yeahhh really fun...

sorry..just wanna release my tension after spending total of 10 hours doing chem e hw with my friend....anyway enjoy life

[MarquisX]

If you have an offer from the American universities, pick up petroleum engineering. It has striking similarity to chemical petroleum engineering, but the average salary for a petroleum grad (drilling, reservoir, operation) is higher than the chemical or mechanical grads.

Of course, those are statistics from the University of Texas-Austin.

[MarquisX]

If you have an offer from the American universities, pick up petroleum engineering. It has striking similarity to chemical petroleum engineering, but the average salary for a petroleum grad (drilling, reservoir, operation) is higher than the chemical or mechanical grads.

Of course, those are statistics from the University of Texas-Austin.

[chenchow]

I think in terms of starting salary, it doesn't really matter.. That is just a starting point and especially if you are working in corporate world, your salary would be very flexible and it all boils down to how well is your performance... You could start with 50K, whereas another guy starts with 40K. You have a headstart, but if you can't communicate with others, can perform in groups etc, soon, you will see your pay got somehow stagnant, and soon the other guy who is performing much better will be earning double your salary within 5 years. It is all possible.

So, instead of worrying about whether what is the average salary of the industry, ask how good you are...

[chenchow]

I think in terms of starting salary, it doesn't really matter.. That is just a starting point and especially if you are working in corporate world, your salary would be very flexible and it all boils down to how well is your performance... You could start with 50K, whereas another guy starts with 40K. You have a headstart, but if you can't communicate with others, can perform in groups etc, soon, you will see your pay got somehow stagnant, and soon the other guy who is performing much better will be earning double your salary within 5 years. It is all possible.

So, instead of worrying about whether what is the average salary of the industry, ask how good you are...

[wawa]

a very good point by chenchow~!

Once we start work, it all depends on our performance. I do believe that bonuses and increment (I'm not sure the spelling) are evaluated depending on our whole year's performance and attitude at job and its quite a lot. :D

[wawa]

a very good point by chenchow~!

Once we start work, it all depends on our performance. I do believe that bonuses and increment (I'm not sure the spelling) are evaluated depending on our whole year's performance and attitude at job and its quite a lot. :D

[Hush]

I think any field of engineering is respected in its own way. The world can't work properly without any type of engineer, can it? It all depends on what you like. Chem Eng may be the answer for you if you like Chemistry.

Like me, I like Chem to a certain extent. But, there are many other factors that play a part in choosing a course. It's not just about the interest although it is important.

Many of my friends said that Civil Eng is the LOWEST form of engineering. Well, that did not influence me. I will start my first year in Engineering. If my result were good enough in the first year, I would still choose Civil to be my Major. I just like the way Civil Engineers shape the world. I am even more inspired when I watched the documentary about the Mega City Pyramid, a megaproject proposed to be built in Japan. It is incredible and ambitious.

Lastly, just go with your heart.

[Hush]

I think any field of engineering is respected in its own way. The world can't work properly without any type of engineer, can it? It all depends on what you like. Chem Eng may be the answer for you if you like Chemistry.

Like me, I like Chem to a certain extent. But, there are many other factors that play a part in choosing a course. It's not just about the interest although it is important.

Many of my friends said that Civil Eng is the LOWEST form of engineering. Well, that did not influence me. I will start my first year in Engineering. If my result were good enough in the first year, I would still choose Civil to be my Major. I just like the way Civil Engineers shape the world. I am even more inspired when I watched the documentary about the Mega City Pyramid, a megaproject proposed to be built in Japan. It is incredible and ambitious.

Lastly, just go with your heart.

[dinna_g]

I think any field of engineering is respected in its own way. The world can't work properly without any type of engineer, can it? It all depends on what you like. Chem Eng may be the answer for you if you like Chemistry.
Chem Eng does not really revolves around Chemistry. Like raizz has mentioned before, Chem Eng incorporates every single part of science. Many people misinterpret Chem Eng for being very much related to Chemistry, when that is not exactly the case. If you're crazy about Chemistry, I suggest you to choose Chemistry as a major i.e. become a Chemist.

But I do agree, just choose whichever area that you're most interested in. The potential is always there. Anyways, you might not end up working within the area that you graduated in. My boss for instance is a biochem major and now she's an IT officer. Can you see the huge difference there?

[dinna_g]

I think any field of engineering is respected in its own way. The world can't work properly without any type of engineer, can it? It all depends on what you like. Chem Eng may be the answer for you if you like Chemistry.
Chem Eng does not really revolves around Chemistry. Like raizz has mentioned before, Chem Eng incorporates every single part of science. Many people misinterpret Chem Eng for being very much related to Chemistry, when that is not exactly the case. If you're crazy about Chemistry, I suggest you to choose Chemistry as a major i.e. become a Chemist.

But I do agree, just choose whichever area that you're most interested in. The potential is always there. Anyways, you might not end up working within the area that you graduated in. My boss for instance is a biochem major and now she's an IT officer. Can you see the huge difference there?

[silverblue]

I think you probably got that wrong Dina. The higest paying engineer currently is Operational and Research Engineer.

Really? That's what the statistics told me during one of my freshman days. Is Op & Research engineer part of IE? If it is part of IE, it doesn't make sense if they're paid that high. Afterall, IE is the "easiest" engineering field. If it's not, I don't think you're eligible to be a research engineer unless you have a PhD. I could be wrong though.



Yes, Operations Research do go hand in hand with Industrial Engineering... at least in my Uni. Some clarification about OR - it's not like we are research engineers... we study optimization methods to improve operations etc... we study techniques and modeling concepts needed to analyze and design complex systems
Since most business systems are complex, sophisticated decision making methods that will increase efficiency are needed. The allocation of resources can be represented and analyzed mathematically. Specialists in ORIE can use their knowledge of mathematical concepts to develop and apply the appropriate techniques.

An automobile manufacturer, for example, might be able to save millions of $$ a yr identifying & eliminating bottlenecks in an assembly line. An airline would improve its ability to forecast passenger demand and adjust its schedules accordingly, producing greater revenues. Hospital could more efficiently schedule use of its operating rooms, lowering costs and improving the quality of patient care. These are the kinds of problems that can be solved by experts in ORIE. As work becomes more complex, and the demands of the economy require a more efficient use of resources, a growing number of specialists in this field will be needed. That's why ORIE's are paid very much more than other engineers.

Anyway, I don't agree that just because an engr field is deemed 'easier' than other engr fields, that they should get a lower pay. Try taking OR321/361 at Cornell and u'll see that they may even be harder than a 400 level Comp Science course (an opinion of a CS major at Cornell).

[silverblue]

I think you probably got that wrong Dina. The higest paying engineer currently is Operational and Research Engineer.

Really? That's what the statistics told me during one of my freshman days. Is Op & Research engineer part of IE? If it is part of IE, it doesn't make sense if they're paid that high. Afterall, IE is the "easiest" engineering field. If it's not, I don't think you're eligible to be a research engineer unless you have a PhD. I could be wrong though.



Yes, Operations Research do go hand in hand with Industrial Engineering... at least in my Uni. Some clarification about OR - it's not like we are research engineers... we study optimization methods to improve operations etc... we study techniques and modeling concepts needed to analyze and design complex systems
Since most business systems are complex, sophisticated decision making methods that will increase efficiency are needed. The allocation of resources can be represented and analyzed mathematically. Specialists in ORIE can use their knowledge of mathematical concepts to develop and apply the appropriate techniques.

An automobile manufacturer, for example, might be able to save millions of $$ a yr identifying & eliminating bottlenecks in an assembly line. An airline would improve its ability to forecast passenger demand and adjust its schedules accordingly, producing greater revenues. Hospital could more efficiently schedule use of its operating rooms, lowering costs and improving the quality of patient care. These are the kinds of problems that can be solved by experts in ORIE. As work becomes more complex, and the demands of the economy require a more efficient use of resources, a growing number of specialists in this field will be needed. That's why ORIE's are paid very much more than other engineers.

Anyway, I don't agree that just because an engr field is deemed 'easier' than other engr fields, that they should get a lower pay. Try taking OR321/361 at Cornell and u'll see that they may even be harder than a 400 level Comp Science course (an opinion of a CS major at Cornell).

[silverblue]

Hehe.. I know this is a ChemE segment... just wanted to promote a little ORIE... and correct misconceptions that it's a 'slacker's' major or an 'easy' major that don't deserve a higher pay than other engineers....

It doesn't matter anyway cos we're all gonna work for the govt. and I don't think the ratings we've been talking about applies in M'sia. Does it?

[silverblue]

Hehe.. I know this is a ChemE segment... just wanted to promote a little ORIE... and correct misconceptions that it's a 'slacker's' major or an 'easy' major that don't deserve a higher pay than other engineers....

It doesn't matter anyway cos we're all gonna work for the govt. and I don't think the ratings we've been talking about applies in M'sia. Does it?

[Yeogolas]

This is best cause you will know about engine...
No matter who you are men or women..
This is the best job for everyone.

[Yeogolas]

This is best cause you will know about engine...
No matter who you are men or women..
This is the best job for everyone.

[dinna_g]

Thanks for the clarification silverblue. Sorry, if you feel offended about IE being the "easiest" engineering field. I personally don't think that is the case as I'm doing a supposed the "easiest" class in IE department here and it's driving me nuts... hehehe.. I also think that IE is a good major because we need IE to link the management and the engineers of a company.

Anyways, it's a good thing that you promote "IE" here because I notice that many students do not know what IE is all about. You can find an SPM candidate and ask him/her "Do you know what Industrial Engineer is? and he/she will most likely say "No".

Cheers!

[dinna_g]

Thanks for the clarification silverblue. Sorry, if you feel offended about IE being the "easiest" engineering field. I personally don't think that is the case as I'm doing a supposed the "easiest" class in IE department here and it's driving me nuts... hehehe.. I also think that IE is a good major because we need IE to link the management and the engineers of a company.

Anyways, it's a good thing that you promote "IE" here because I notice that many students do not know what IE is all about. You can find an SPM candidate and ask him/her "Do you know what Industrial Engineer is? and he/she will most likely say "No".

Cheers!

[littlebigone]

It doesn't matter anyway cos we're all gonna work for the govt. and I don't think the ratings we've been talking about applies in M'sia. Does it?

where's my prozac....

while I'm on wet blanket mode, I think that everyone who gets scholarships should do something that you love and not just think that you want some degree in 4 years. Whether or not you work for the govt or your sponsors is not a given, so prepare yourself with something you can and are willing to work with for at least a couple of years after graduation.

Also, I think that the rankings will not matter in most cases in Malaysia. Unless you are from traditionally renown universities(harvard, princeton, yale....blah blah blah), they probably won't recognize the rankings. But bear in mind that Malaysia is fast changing and I think that companys are getting smarter. Also, there are many multi-national corporations in Malaysia.

[littlebigone]

It doesn't matter anyway cos we're all gonna work for the govt. and I don't think the ratings we've been talking about applies in M'sia. Does it?

where's my prozac....

while I'm on wet blanket mode, I think that everyone who gets scholarships should do something that you love and not just think that you want some degree in 4 years. Whether or not you work for the govt or your sponsors is not a given, so prepare yourself with something you can and are willing to work with for at least a couple of years after graduation.

Also, I think that the rankings will not matter in most cases in Malaysia. Unless you are from traditionally renown universities(harvard, princeton, yale....blah blah blah), they probably won't recognize the rankings. But bear in mind that Malaysia is fast changing and I think that companys are getting smarter. Also, there are many multi-national corporations in Malaysia.

[silverblue]

no problem dinna_g. And don't worry... I wasn't offended at all... yeah, just wanted toclarify what ORIE is all about. You are totally right that most people (msians) aren't really exposed to ORIE yet...

I personally think it's a great major for someone who wants to dabble in engineering but don't really like the technical side of it. ORIE is really quite non-technical but much more theoretical, managerial and practical (as in we do economic analysis etc).

Btw, I originally declared myself as a ChemE when I first got my scholarship. But when I took freshmen Chem classes here, I felt that it (dealing with chemicals, looonnnggg lab reports, quantum mechanics etc) wasn't for me. I didn't like to work behind labs at all. And also, like what Raizz said, it's one of the toughest engineering courses at Cornell. The course schedule is extremely rigid; there are alot of required courses/electives that you have to take... so you don't really get a very 'liberal' study plan too.

That's just a lil story of why I changed from ChemE to ORIE.. ;)

[silverblue]

no problem dinna_g. And don't worry... I wasn't offended at all... yeah, just wanted toclarify what ORIE is all about. You are totally right that most people (msians) aren't really exposed to ORIE yet...

I personally think it's a great major for someone who wants to dabble in engineering but don't really like the technical side of it. ORIE is really quite non-technical but much more theoretical, managerial and practical (as in we do economic analysis etc).

Btw, I originally declared myself as a ChemE when I first got my scholarship. But when I took freshmen Chem classes here, I felt that it (dealing with chemicals, looonnnggg lab reports, quantum mechanics etc) wasn't for me. I didn't like to work behind labs at all. And also, like what Raizz said, it's one of the toughest engineering courses at Cornell. The course schedule is extremely rigid; there are alot of required courses/electives that you have to take... so you don't really get a very 'liberal' study plan too.

That's just a lil story of why I changed from ChemE to ORIE.. ;)

[silverblue]

while I'm on wet blanket mode, I think that everyone who gets scholarships should do something that you love and not just think that you want some degree in 4 years. Whether or not you work for the govt or your sponsors is not a given, so prepare yourself with something you can and are willing to work with for at least a couple of years after graduation.


Totally agree.

Sorry littlebigone...I understand your situation...and I totally admire your hindsightedness + optimism ... ;P

[silverblue]

while I'm on wet blanket mode, I think that everyone who gets scholarships should do something that you love and not just think that you want some degree in 4 years. Whether or not you work for the govt or your sponsors is not a given, so prepare yourself with something you can and are willing to work with for at least a couple of years after graduation.


Totally agree.

Sorry littlebigone...I understand your situation...and I totally admire your hindsightedness + optimism ... ;P