Chemical Engineering in the 21st Century

Are you a chemical engineer? or perhaps a chemical engineering student?

Chemical Engineering is a universal engineering discipline compared to electrical, mechanical, civil, mechatronic, robotic engineering. When I studied my first degree 18 years ago, I do not know that much about chemical engineering related work and discipline. Most of my friends also were not sure what this field is all about. Interestingly, that time, and probably still this time, students decided to choose chemical engineering because they love chemistry. Well, that is sadly not the case because this type of engineering is not merely about chemistry. In fact, there are more physics and mathematics involve with chemical engineering. I learn this fact not only from my own experience, but also when I asked new first year students who enrolled in my faculty. More than 75% admitted they choose this field mainly because of they loved chemistry!!! What a pity. As a result, we have to adjust their thinking and make them believe that they can excel in this course. They are also some chemistry that they can learn and enjoy.

Now, in the new borderless era, students and people new to chemical engineering can learn this discipline far better than those few years ago. With internet dominating the world, we have websites, blogs, Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and others to explain and elaborate about it. All information is just seconds away from us. This, I can say is a new version or strategy of learning the so call online chemical engineering. With such tools, information and discussion related to this subject is easily and swiftly discussed, exposed and distributed. More and more lecturers are using web 2.0 in e-learning as a medium to enhance and stimulate chemical engineering teaching among the students. Perhaps not all universities has employed online education but my university has started adopting online engineering education few years ago.

An engineer in action on an offshore rig (image source)

A group of engineers visiting a boiler manufacturing plant (source). Can you identify me?

I have earlier created this blog related to my work in 2006 when I was working as a process engineer in an edible oil refinery. That time, I created my blog mainly because I have no medium to write and share my adventures experiences. I love writing and I have always been an editor of any newsletter or magazine in wherever I studied. That is the reason, when I discovered about blog, I immediately use it as a way to share my previous and present engineering experiences for the sake of young engineers and students. I never expected to receive numerous questions, feed backs and comments from engineering students and practicing engineers from all over the world. They can easily and comfortably ask question to real engineers like me. They can read stories and chemical engineers experiences. It is really a new way of learning this course or subject. Then, in 2008, I started Chemical Engineering Rocks Facebook Group and in 2011 Facebook Chemical Engineering World Page. Both platforms received phenomenal response and I am so glad. I strongly believe, online chemical engineering will be a major part of engineering learning curve. Early education can be catalyzed with web 2.0 and whether you believe it or not, you can not stop it. Do you think so?

For further technical knowledge, I have prepared a note in my Chemical Engineering World Page, that is a compilation of top 7 free resources (that you can register). Get it here.

Instead of reading, why not share your writing of chemical engineering knowledge and experiences here, in Chemical Engineering World blog? It will be interesting. It doesn't matter if you are still a chemical engineering students or you just work as an engineer or you are a very experience engineer. Sharing your story would be great. I am also still learning and would like to learn something from you. Just email me to share something in this blog. You can share stories, articles, photos, infographics, podcast, videos etc.