When I first came to college I didn’t have a clear idea of what chemical engineering was all about. Now that I’ve had the chance to take CHE classes, talk to professionals, and have gotten involved with AIChE I’ve learned how broad of a field chemical engineering is. Chemical Engineering applies chemistry, physics, math, and even biology to modern engineering problems. My classes during freshman year introduced me to the properties of a chemical reactor. I learned how to calculate material and energy balances using knowledge of chemistry and thermodynamics. Each succeeding year has added a new level of complexity to the concepts I learned at the beginning. Properties like time dependent temperature and pressure and the velocity of a fluid in various conditions are some of the things I have learned to calculate.
My favorite thing about my major is the people. I’ve met so many great chemical engineers here at USC. After 3 years I feel like the junior class cheme’s are a little family. I know almost everyone in my CHE classes. When we have events with AIChE, it doesn’t feel like I’m networking with classmates, it feels like I’m just hanging out with friends. Chemical engineering opens doors to so many different fields. Chemical engineers are needed in the biotech, petroleum, aerospace, and many other industries. For this reason I definitely feel that I picked the right major for me.
