"So, what is chemical engineering?" As a student of the discipline myself, after 3 years of study, I still find it hard to come up with a straightforward and direct answer to this question. The term "chemical engineering" itself is misleading, as it hardly describes the work of a chemical engineer, compared to, for example, an electrical engineer. Instead, it only serves to distinguish itself from other fields of engineering.

All engineers utilise mathematics and physics in a creative and ingenious manner to come up with solutions to technical problems. However, only the chemical engineer uses the science of chemistry to solve a wider range of problems. The relationship therefore, between chemical engineers and chemists, with mutual benefits to both sides, is a unique and powerful one, within science and engineering.

A web definition of chemical engineering states that it may be defined as "the branch of engineering that is concerned with the design and construction and operation of the plants and machinery used in industrial chemical processes". In other words, chemical engineers form the link between science and manufacturing, solving practical problems involving the chemical industry. I do not believe this to be strictly true however, finding that the knowledge and tasks of a chemical engineer overlaps with many other fields. They must be aware in all aspects, from manufacturing, to the environment, in addition to the safety of workers and the community. Computer technology expertise is a must, as it is used to mostly all of a chemical engineer's tasks, from the research phase, to the analysis, control system and final quality control. The wide range of scientific and technical knowledge of a chemical engineer shows him/her to be extremely flexible, with the ability to handle a wide range of problems.

To put chemical engineering into a practical sense, here are some examples of what chemical engineers have contributed to our modern society:

• Petrochemicals: the development of processes to enable complex crude oil molecules to be broken down into smaller, more useful building blocks which may further be combined to form plastics and gasoline.
• Bulk production of drugs: current low prices of drugs result from the ability of chemical engineers to take small amounts of antibiotics and increase their yields through several thousand times, by methods of mutation and special techniques.
• Human reactor: by studying complex chemical processes, and breaking them into smaller unit operations, clinical care has been improved, along with better diagnostic devices, further leading to more innovative solutions, such as artificial organs.
• The Environment: the provision of economical solutions for past, current and future pollution problems.

The definition of chemical engineering is constantly under metamorphosis. Changing industrial needs have changed educational emphasis accordingly, thus allowing chemical engineers to continue making significant and necessary contributions to modern society. As the petroleum industry matures, the future of chemical engineering sees advancement in other up-and-coming fields, with a need for strong scientific, mathematical and technical background. Such areas include biotechnology, electronics, pharmaceuticals and food processing, just to name a few. In recent years, chemical engineers have broadened out, working in divisions of healthcare and business.

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