Chemical Engineer
1. You don't have to be a chem whiz
* Chemical engineering requires a basic understanding of chemistry, physics, math. You're not required to memorize formulas, it's more important to understand the principles and learn how to apply them to solve a problem/improve status quo. However after a few semesters, your brain WILLremember many formulas! * You do need to be analytical and have the ability to think critically. You must be able to look at the problem from a bigger viewpoint but you must also be detailed in your analysis! Problem-solving is a key component in engineering because it is, after all, about making things better for the human race and the environment.
2. Speak up!
* A chemical engineer will have to communicate with various individuals: their superior, their colleagues, their project team mates, their counterparts from other disciplines, vendors and even the client! It's imperative to communicate effectively not only to ensure accuracy in the information distribution but to also create a comfortable and smooth working environment. Train yourself to have good interactive and communication skills because these are important assets to a chemical engineer. * Some useful advice I heard at a seminar recently was that junior engineers should not be afraid to speak up. We tend to think that because we have less experience than senior engineers, our ideas don't matter much. They DO. A chemical engineer must be confident with his/her justifications and be able to present it winningly to the rest because if the idea is a good one, it's worth a shot. Don't be afraid to criticize/be criticized. Every discussion/debate will change your perspective and you'll gain more knowledge.
3. It's a big, big world * One of the reasons why I was drawn to chemical engineering was the fact that everything around us has, in one way or another, come in contact with chemical engineering. Raw crude oil is taken from the deep underground
* Chemical engineering requires a basic understanding of chemistry, physics, math. You're not required to memorize formulas, it's more important to understand the principles and learn how to apply them to solve a problem/improve status quo. However after a few semesters, your brain WILLremember many formulas! * You do need to be analytical and have the ability to think critically. You must be able to look at the problem from a bigger viewpoint but you must also be detailed in your analysis! Problem-solving is a key component in engineering because it is, after all, about making things better for the human race and the environment.
2. Speak up!
* A chemical engineer will have to communicate with various individuals: their superior, their colleagues, their project team mates, their counterparts from other disciplines, vendors and even the client! It's imperative to communicate effectively not only to ensure accuracy in the information distribution but to also create a comfortable and smooth working environment. Train yourself to have good interactive and communication skills because these are important assets to a chemical engineer. * Some useful advice I heard at a seminar recently was that junior engineers should not be afraid to speak up. We tend to think that because we have less experience than senior engineers, our ideas don't matter much. They DO. A chemical engineer must be confident with his/her justifications and be able to present it winningly to the rest because if the idea is a good one, it's worth a shot. Don't be afraid to criticize/be criticized. Every discussion/debate will change your perspective and you'll gain more knowledge.
3. It's a big, big world * One of the reasons why I was drawn to chemical engineering was the fact that everything around us has, in one way or another, come in contact with chemical engineering. Raw crude oil is taken from the deep underground