Summary

Engineering, as a profession, involves transforming science into technology for the benefit of humanity. Mechanical, electrical, civil, and chemical engineering are the big four engineering disciplines, accounting for over half of the bachelor’s-level engineering degrees granted in the United States. Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering dealing with the transformation of species at the molecular level. A chemical engineer is a versatile individual who can serve in different capacities in an organization, with responsibilities ranging from research to technical sales. Over half of the chemical engineering graduates enter the workforce in the industrial sector, with the chemical sector offering predominant employment opportunities. Recent developments indicate a continual growth in opportunities for engineers in biological science–related fields. A chemical engineer, due to the breadth and depth of education and training, is ideally positioned to take advantage of these opportunities to play a major role in addressing challenges facing the society.