What's so interesting about Chemical Engineering?

[Grant_]

I plan to take Engineering as a second degree since I haven't had much luck with my BSc. I'm considering Biomedical (somewhat high paid but jobs are seem to be rare), Chemical (twice as many employed and slightly higher pay) or Mechanical Engineering (highest number employed by a long shot). I really like the idea of bridging the gap between machines/electronics and biology/humans, but I also love how electronics and mechanical systems work. I like the theoretical background in chemistry, but memorizing all of the chemical functional groups makes me a bit nervous since it seems to me to be a lot.

I am interested in nanotechnology, tissue engineering and creating systems, but I'm not sure what most chemical engineers do in practice. Do most of them simply refine fuel, alter chemicals and create new flavours ? Do they really involve themselves with biology in practice?

Thanks

Edit: Sorry, didn't notice the academic guidance forum.

 

[NanjoeBot]

Im a third year chemE. I am getting the impression that it is the all encompassing field. What do chemE's do? I've researched this question alot, and I've found out that ChemE's do everything.

It covers those subjects you listed as your interests. I am currently in a introduction to nanotechnology class and my school offers a nano option with the ChemE degree. I also had to take an intro to electricity and magnetism class and now i have to take an intro to electrical engineering class.

I only had to memorize a lot of chemical functional groups and mechanisms when I took organic chemistry. I havnt used that stuff at all after that class though. The chemical engineering courses are more concerned with the physics side of chemistry. Like thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, engergy, mass and heat flow. Bioengineering is closely related with chemical engineering. At most schools its in the same department and most the coursework is the same.

 

[danago]

Ill second what Nanjoe said about the extent of actual chemistry involved -- past my first year organic chemistry classes, i have not needed to know anything about functional groups, reaction mechanisms etc. I do have a class next semester on reaction kinetics which i assume will involve some organic chemistry, however like Nanjoe said, it has mostly been thermodynamics, fluid mechanics etc. Organic chemistry was actually one of my favorite classes, sometimes makes me wonder whether i should have enrolled in chemistry degree instead.