Anyone here studies/studied chemistry?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the experiences and perspectives of individuals studying or considering studying chemistry and chemical engineering. Participants share their educational backgrounds, preferences within the field, and the distinctions between chemistry and chemical engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a preference for chemistry over math and physics and is considering a career in chemical engineering.
  • Another participant notes that chemical engineering may not require extensive chemistry beyond basic courses, emphasizing the differences between chemistry and chemical engineering.
  • A participant studying chemistry shares their focus on physical chemistry, contrasting it with organic and inorganic chemistry, which they find less appealing due to their emphasis on memorization.
  • A 17-year-old participant plans to study chemical engineering and mentions the possibility of specializing in physical chemistry.
  • Questions arise about the career prospects for natural scientists beyond teaching, indicating a curiosity about the applicability of their studies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the distinction between chemistry and chemical engineering, but there are varying opinions on the extent of chemistry involved in chemical engineering programs and the appeal of different chemistry subfields.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty regarding the specific curriculum differences between universities and the job prospects for natural scientists, indicating that these factors may vary widely.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering a career in chemistry or chemical engineering, students exploring their educational options, and those interested in the distinctions between different scientific disciplines may find this discussion relevant.

Nikitin
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Would you like to share how it is?

I like both math and physics, but chemistry is my favourite. I'm thinking about becoming a chemical engineer but I would also like to see what people who study chemistry think!
 
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Just note that studying chemical engineering will not necessarily involve studying an overly large amount of chemistry. I know it will depend on which university you go to, but most chem eng. courses that i have seen have required that students take some basic courses in organic chem, physical chem etc. but not much beyond that.

In your post you seem to interchange chemistry with chemical engineering, but they are very different--in chemical engineering you will study things like fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, reactor design, control systems, heat and mass transfer, separation technology etc.

Before you make any decisions, you should consider the difference between chemistry and chemical engineering and decide which one it is you really want to do.
 
Sure do, natural scientist studying chemistry mathematics and physics, (hopefully) graduating this summer.

How old are you? What level of education are you at?

Over the course of my degree I have ended up focussing on physical chemistry, and I really enjoy physical, theoretical and computational chemistry. Whilst I can see how some people are attracted to organic/inorganic chemistry, I found that they are too much about remembering things (reactions, mechanisms, synthetic pathways, blah blah blah) and too little about logic/mathematics, unlike physical chemistry.

I should warn you that I am at university in the UK, but do feel free to ask any questions though.

Whilst I have no direct experience of a chem eng programme, anecdotal evidence suggests that they tend more towards the engineering side than the chemistry side. As danago said, they are very different.

Thanks
Scott
 
Hi. I am 17. I plan on study Chemical engineering - indeed it is mostly about thermodynamics and the like. But I have possibility to specialize in physical chemistry as a chemical engineer.

Natural scientist? This sounds as an interesting choice of study, but what jobs other than teacher can you get?
 

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