Because of their highly mathematical and analytical training, chemical engineers are also finding employment in nonindustrial situations such as governmental agencies, research think tanks, policy study groups and consulting firms. The education of a chemical engineer involves a strong foundation in chemistry, physics and mathematics. In addition, knowledge of energy changes and reaction rates involved in chemical reactions is developed. Physical changes of substances undergoing various processes are also emphasized. The chemical engineer deals with the application of the fundamentals to processes carried out on an industrial scale in which matter undergoes changes in chemical composition or physical state.
Emphasis is placed on developing creative as well as analytical ability.
Facts and theories are presented primarily to stimulate further thought and study in all fields of chemical engineering. Formal instruction is supplemented by at least two annual visits to plants where typical operations of the chemical industry can be observed and analyzed with respect to equipment, utilities, labor and supervision. The student acquires firsthand experience in the chemical engineering laboratory in applying engineering analysis to equipment performance and in discovering the limitations of theoretical concepts. In addition to the usual unit operations experiments such as those in distillation, heat transfer and fluid dynamics, experiments in membrane separation and process control have recently been added. During the senior year, the student learns how to design chemical plants from fundamental data on new processes and to recognize limitations of the design.