Big Chem-EZ: How do the food, personal care, and healthcare industries incorporate chemical engineering?

Dear Big Chem-EZ, I have a small, yet big problem. I have completed my course work for chemical engineering, but I have not found an industry that I like. I have reviewed the different paths, but the only three that appeal to me are the food, healthcare, and personal care industries. How can I take what I have learned, since there is an oil and gas basis, into other industries?

The commonality is for a student in Louisiana to take the route of the oil and gas because it is the economic industry of the state. However, there are other companies who have taken a different route. There are companies in New Orleans like the USDA, Domino Sugar, Folgers Coffee, and Hexion. Each one of those companies specialize in different aspects of chemical engineering. Classes like thermodynamics and fluid dynamics help to specialize in how chemicals work and flow. The different industries take into account how chemicals work together to make other products, without having to drill in the oilfield. The key context is that with the changes to renewable energy, it is possible that oil and gas will not be as lucrative to the future students.

Companies like Folgers and Domino Sugar, who specialize in the food industry, expand beyond Louisiana in terms of how their refineries can provide experiences in other areas. Often times, oil and gas does not provide necessary training in manufacturing unless a person chooses to work downstream. It is evident that other companies in the New Orleans area are willing to expand with employees as they are now becoming involved with the engineering societies and schools. Folger’s, in particular, utilizes an engineering efficient method to extract is coffee from the beans, which are farmed in other growing countries. Future students can continue this innovative process by adding in their knowledge of equipment usages and how to extract more coffee using chemical processes.

Often times, chemical engineers rely on their engineering mindset, without dwelling on their chemistry background. The chemistry of processes and certain laboratory techniques are what is utilized in modern day activities, just at a broad scale. Typically, companies like Advano and Dow Chemical will utilize the chemistry knowledge of chemical engineering when attempting to alter their processes. Advano, for example, is an electrochemical company, who hires chemists and chemical engineers to understand the electrochemistry data that must be analyzed for better battery efficiency.

Research and development engineers viewing material chemicals for food processing. (Photo by: The Bureau of Labor Statistics)

With the changes to renewable energy in the future, the time is now to review career options that expand chemical engineering into other areas. Relying upon chemistry knowledge, chemical engineers do not have to be stationed in one particular area. It is evident that companies are looking beyond the scope of oil and gas products, since renewable energy has taken a rise. Chemical engineering is one of the broadest disciplines for engineers because there are many career paths that can be followed. Many people view the pharmaceutical industry as a means of health care, when in actuality engineers are the people who alter the medications. In addition, other states are beginning to legalize marijuana and production companies have placed chemical engineers in the highest demands to create the necessary alterations for their product to sell into the world.

As you can see, chemical engineering is not just big rigs, platforms and refineries, but it is everyday life. With the evolution of the United States, it is important to maintain optimism about your career path. Allow your knowledge to lead the way into the career.

-Big Chem-EZ