IS THERE EVEN A CAREER FOR THIS?- chemical engineering related!!!

Original post by justthatboy

heres my problem... I want to study chemical engineering and i was just thinking about the careers i could go onto after i graduate.so, I have a strong passion for the preservation of the environment and i was wondering if this even exsist, working for a company where i can develop processes, machines like scrubbers. or improve the quality of exsisting machines which cut down on harmful emissions. Am i deluded or does this actually exsist..

I really hope this makes sense!😀

Yes, this does exist. The particular area is called Green Chemistry.

Reply 3

OP

Original post by Plagioclase

Yes, this does exist. The particular area is called Green Chemistry.

can i not do chemical engineering to persue this career, or do i have to take another course

Reply 4

Original post by justthatboy

can i not do chemical engineering to persue this career, or do i have to take another course

I think Chemical Engineering would be perfect.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by Plagioclase

I think Chemical Engineering would be perfect.

thank you very much, it might sound weird but i always wanted to do "green chemisty" as a child then, it just fits perfectly for me. i checked on the internet and imperial does a postgraduate course on it.
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry/postgraduate/mres-courses/green-chemistry/
what paths should i take to persue this. i got the grades 4A* 10a's (not to boast at all). i really dont have anyone to discuss this stuff with to be honest... any advise would be appreciated😀 ohh yeah... last thing what careers can i go and take after i graduate 😁

Reply 6

Ponoyo

I am doing a chemical engineering degree and went into it with the same motivations as you. Environmental protection and sustainability are big areas in chemeng.

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Reply 7

OP

Original post by Ponoyo

I am doing a chemical engineering degree and went into it with the same motivations as you. Environmental protection and sustainability are big areas in chemeng.

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what career are you going to go into after. and what uni do you go to ... tell me about youself cause i asked about 20 people about this(green chemistry) and everyone said i dont exsist companies make their own process to deal with there waste. anyways how shall i go about persuing this path...

Reply 8

jlwynnychuk

Original post by justthatboy

heres my problem... I want to study chemical engineering and i was just thinking about the careers i could go onto after i graduate.so, I have a strong passion for the preservation of the environment and i was wondering if this even exsist, working for a company where i can develop processes, machines like scrubbers. or improve the quality of exsisting machines which cut down on harmful emissions. Am i deluded or does this actually exsist..

I really hope this makes sense!😀

Excellent choice to study engineering! I am doing the same!
There is absolutely opportunity to improve environmental controls in industries. Especially, the oil and gas industry! My advice is pursue your degree but dont forget the reason we have these industries.
We are drilling for oil and gas for example, because there is incredible demand for it. If you can think of a process that is cheap, reliable and can be mass produced, then you are on the right path!
Good luck my friend!
James Wynnychuk
1st year undergraduate at Red Deer College, Alberta, Canada.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by jlwynnychuk

Excellent choice to study engineering! I am doing the same!
There is absolutely opportunity to improve environmental controls in industries. Especially, the oil and gas industry! My advice is pursue your degree but dont forget the reason we have these industries.
We are drilling for oil and gas for example, because there is incredible demand for it. If you can think of a process that is cheap, reliable and can be mass produced, then you are on the right path!
Good luck my friend!
James Wynnychuk
1st year undergraduate at Red Deer College, Alberta, Canada.

what career paths can i persue... and what challeneges are there that green chemist need to tackle and also what do you mena about...."We are drilling for oil and gas for example, because there is incredible demand for it. If you can think of a process that is cheap, reliable and can be mass produced, then you are on the right path!"<< can you elaborate please and thank you very much for the reply.

also what did i say, in this thread that shows that what i am doing is an excellent choice to study chemical engineering as i just want to remember to say this in a interveiw... if you know what i mean?

Reply 10

jlwynnychuk

Original post by justthatboy

what career paths can i persue... and what challeneges are there that green chemist need to tackle and also what do you mena about...."We are drilling for oil and gas for example, because there is incredible demand for it. If you can think of a process that is cheap, reliable and can be mass produced, then you are on the right path!"<< can you elaborate please and thank you very much for the reply.

also what did i say, in this thread that shows that what i am doing is an excellent choice to study chemical engineering as i just want to remember to say this in a interveiw... if you know what i mean?

The career paths are infinite. Engineers take scientific discoveries and use them to solve real life problems.

This is a example of some mechanical green engineering....

Another example with chemistry, is the use of scrubbers used with the process of refining. Almost all refineries rely on water boilers to help boil the raw oil to get rid of impurities. So its a green chemical engineer to extract that water from the sludge after and try and recycle it using degreasing agents, caustic soda, etc... like I know the PH of the water in these boilers to be up to 10-12 on the PH scale, which is really high.

I know especially in the area of water treatment (sewage, post-refinery, post-power generation, post-brewery) the boiler water needs to be treated heavily to reduce PH, toxins, etc..

To elaborate on my statement about drilling, every oil company out there maintains the responsibility to clean up after themselves. So it is the environmentalist, green chemists, or green engineers job to help make this happen. For example, a tailings pond (a pond that picks up any accidental spill in a plant and kinda pools it in one area for easy clean up) has to be cleaned out. It would be your job to think of a way to clean it out.

So why is chemical engineering a good major?
It is a good major because it is engineering.
(Your solving real world problems based on science)
and it deals with chemicals.
Chemistry is a science we use everyday and don't even realize.

My challenge for you, is to make a de-sludging/degreasing chemical, that can be added to oil sands sludge to extract pure safe water from thats not gonna cost a lot and is feasible.

Does that help?

Reply 11

Original post by justthatboy

thank you very much, it might sound weird but i always wanted to do "green chemisty" as a child then, it just fits perfectly for me. i checked on the internet and imperial does a postgraduate course on it.
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry/postgraduate/mres-courses/green-chemistry/
what paths should i take to persue this. i got the grades 4A* 10a's (not to boast at all). i really dont have anyone to discuss this stuff with to be honest... any advise would be appreciated😀 ohh yeah... last thing what careers can i go and take after i graduate 😁

Well under academic requirements it says "2:1 degree or higher in Chemistry, Engineering or a related subject" so that's basically what you want. Chemical Engineering is absolutely fine. If you're looking for courses, you might want to look out for courses that have Green Chemistry options. Basically, as long as you're going for a Chemistry-related subject, you'll be fine - try to find a course that looks interesting to you.

Reply 12

OP

Original post by Plagioclase

Well under academic requirements it says "2:1 degree or higher in Chemistry, Engineering or a related subject" so that's basically what you want. Chemical Engineering is absolutely fine. If you're looking for courses, you might want to look out for courses that have Green Chemistry options. Basically, as long as you're going for a Chemistry-related subject, you'll be fine - try to find a course that looks interesting to you.

what do mean about look for courses that have green chemistry options? :smile:

and could this be possible study chemical engineering do a postgraduate on green chemistry. do i have to do a bachelors degree or masters in chemical engineering to fuffil this. MY biggest question once i study green chemistry what could i work as that would allow me to design process that limit the harm done to the environment without reducing the quality of the product?

Reply 13

Original post by justthatboy

what do mean about look for courses that have green chemistry options? :smile:

and could this be possible study chemical engineering do a postgraduate on green chemistry. do i have to do a bachelors degree or masters in chemical engineering to fuffil this. MY biggest question once i study green chemistry what could i work as that would allow me to design process that limit the harm done to the environment without reducing the quality of the product?

I'm sure plenty of undergraduate courses have modules on Green Chemistry, so you can look out for undergraduate courses that have them. I'm fairly certain that a BSc is enough to qualify you for that MRes but I'm not 100% sure. I don't know enough about Green Chemistry to answer that last question though, sorry, but I'd have thought that consultancy might be a path you'd be interested in.

Reply 14

OP

Original post by Plagioclase

I'm sure plenty of undergraduate courses have modules on Green Chemistry, so you can look out for undergraduate courses that have them. I'm fairly certain that a BSc is enough to qualify you for that MRes but I'm not 100% sure. I don't know enough about Green Chemistry to answer that last question though, sorry, but I'd have thought that consultancy might be a path you'd be interested in.

whatt do you think is the best thing to do. what should i include in my personal statement, shall i stick strictly to chemical engineering or iclude in the fact i want to do green chemistry. personally i would have stict strictly to chemical engineering as this is the next step i need to take to achieve my career goals. And if i had an interview i would talk about green chemistry as my choice after i graduate. what do you think? thanks😀

Reply 15

Original post by justthatboy

whatt do you think is the best thing to do. what should i include in my personal statement, shall i stick strictly to chemical engineering or iclude in the fact i want to do green chemistry. personally i would have stict strictly to chemical engineering as this is the next step i need to take to achieve my career goals. And if i had an interview i would talk about green chemistry as my choice after i graduate. what do you think? thanks😀

By all means mention Green Chemistry in your personal statement, it's completely relevant to what you want to study. As long as you make it clear that you understand that you're applying for a Chemical Engineering degree and not a Green Chemistry agree (i.e. show appreciation for the wider subject of Chemical Engineering as well as your main interest) then that's fine. In an interview situation, the interviewer will decide the questions not you so I can't promise that you'll have a chance to talk about Green Chemistry but it's possible.

Reply 16

OP

im hopefullly wanting to do work experince at a waste plant so i could chip in how im dointg it to show my passion for green chemistry. but everything will talk about chemical engineering. sorry if im wasting your time, you are really helpong me out... what tips and tricks do you have

Reply 17

Ponoyo

Original post by justthatboy

im hopefullly wanting to do work experince at a waste plant so i could chip in how im dointg it to show my passion for green chemistry. but everything will talk about chemical engineering. sorry if im wasting your time, you are really helpong me out... what tips and tricks do you have

I would personally avoid mentioning 'green chemistry' in a chemeng PS to avoid confusion. Saying that you are primarily interested in environmental technology and sustainability is more compatible with what you will study in a chemeng degree. Not all courses involve specifically 'green chemistry',but most if not all involve modules of an environmental/sustainable basis.

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Reply 18

OP

Original post by Ponoyo

I would personally avoid mentioning 'green chemistry' in a chemeng PS to avoid confusion. Saying that you are primarily interested in environmental technology and sustainability is more compatible with what you will study in a chemeng degree. Not all courses involve specifically 'green chemistry',but most if not all involve modules of an environmental/sustainable basis.

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thank you very much you just kicked out all the confusion i had, did everyone else. thank you.. so i will just go about doing a chemical engineering bachelor and a masters in green chemistry. is that ok and lastly is there anything you might also want to tell me which may benefit me

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 19

Ponoyo