The branch of engineering which involves chemically synthesized products by using proper and calculated combination of reactant chemicals. Apart from Chemical manufacturing, chemical engineering also deals with the production of highly advanced equipments, top-notch machinery and even small yet powerful and precise tools for refining and mixing raw materials. If we start studying What do chemical engineers do, we came to know its a very old field of engineering and it is too much important in the progress of modern developmental process.

Chemical engineering cannot be related to chemistry for the main reason of it being different from chemistry on a large scale. The impact factor of chemical engineering is quite huge as it ranges from a small chemical checking tool to larger oil refining machines and even beyond.

History of Chemical Engineering:

Every discipline that we study is surely to have found its origins somewhere back in the ancient times. Same is the case with chemical engineering whose history can be traced back to the Muslims who used to practice chemistry primitively. It is found to have been originated from the ancient Greeks who are crowned to have introduced the concept of road-building back in 300 B.C. They developed a mixture using lime and calcium carbonate which the world of today knows as cement.

After the Greeks, Muslims took over the command of chemical engineering propagation and produced pioneers of science and chemistry. Well talking about chemicals and their synthesis, without mentioning the one being crowned to be the “Father of Chemistry” will totally be unfair. Here we are talking about one of the most prominent scientists, the world has produced. Hailing from a Muslim family, known by the name of “Geber” in west and by “Jabir Ibne Hayaan” in the rest of the world, is no other than the person who took the knowledge of chemicals to the pinnacles. He was the first one to introduce the method of manufacturing of various acids and compounds both domestically and industrially. Not only did he bring the conventional knowledge to the peaks, but also known to be a scientist who totally revolutionized the paradigm of chemistry.

Laying the basis of modern chemistry, he discovered methods for the purification of metals and also he devised ways to find the individual properties of matter. For his invaluable contributions, the world knows him as the originator of chemical procedures and a significant figure in paving the grounds for chemical engineering.

What do chemical engineers do

Drifting towards the application of chemical engineering, we will be focusing on what does a Chemical Engineer do with the knowledge he posses. A chemical engineer is entitled to apply the formulas of chemistry, biology and mathematics to eke out solutions to the conundrums related to the production and usage of chemicals, fuels, food, drugs, agriculture, mining and petroleum. Chemical engineers are also involved in the designing and developing of equipments and machinery used in large-scale manufacturing and rigging of oils from the oil field and gas from gas reserves. After much research, we have compiled a list of what exactly a chemical engineer is doing these days in the industry.

Duties of a Chemical Engineer:

1. Conduction of research to come up with latest and improved synthesizing processes.
2. Development of safety measures and procedures for those workers who are exposed to toxic chemicals for a larger period of the day.
3. Development of processes for the segregation of constituents of liquids, gases and other chemicals for getting to know their physical and chemical properties.
4. Conduction of tests for overseeing the performance of chemical processes under varying temperature conditions.
5. Estimation of the crop yield before and after employing the methods of effective yield increment methods over growing fields.
6. Development of risk management and procurement plans in case any mishandling occurs in any of the nuclear energy plants as they can cause much damage if left uncontrolled.

Recent Projects in Chemical Engineering:

Following are some of the most recent projects underway in supervision of some competent chemical engineers.

• A certified chemical engineer named Norma Alcantar, serving as an associate professor in a well known institute i.e. University of South Florida, is doing a great job regarding water purification. She, along with her team of students, is investigating the anatomy and properties of prickly pear. She aims to develop a methodology which will aid in the purification of water in the remote areas or where the water is scarce and people die of thirst. Her research has been acknowledged by UNDP and other international forums and has garnered much appreciation.
• Another chemical engineer, Jong-Man Kim, who is a research analyst at the Hanyang University in South Korea, is making attempts to successfully develop a fingerprinting methodology via sweat pores. The prevailing fingerprinting methods lacks in various features while the one under development are being said to have more reliable and faster processing.
• A faculty member in the University of Michigan named Mike Solomon, is developing a cutting edge technology which will revolutionize the methods of controlling light via crystals. It is being claimed by the researchers and developers that once developed, it will be capable enough to change the colors of fabric and cars to change on demand.
• Chemical engineers in University of Virginia, Robert J. Davis and Mattew Neurock have recently made a major breakthrough. They have unraveled such features which have the ability to control the high reactivity of gold nano-particles. This research has paved the way for many researchers to look into the potential of such metallic catalysts, which can aid in synthesizing or developing bio-renewable chemicals.

Apart from the milestones and breakthroughs mentioned above, there are a multitude of other projects in the field of agriculture, medicine, forestry and petroleum in which chemical engineers are providing their services as quality testers, analysts and researchers.

How Much a Chemical Engineer Earns:

Here we are about to discuss the most interesting part where every reader will pay more attention than any other topic. Well mostly the jobs of chemical engineers require a bachelor’s degree and those with some prior experience are given preference. However if you intend to be one of the persons sitting at the helm, you need to earn a master’s degree too.

As per the reports mentioned over the salary.com, the salary range of freshly graduated chemical engineer in 2014 was about $53,500 to $82,200. Those engineers with a master’s degree earn around a range of $73,000 to $145,000. And the graph goes on excelling with added degrees and added experience.

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