Fostering Flexibility in the Engineering Work Force (1990) / Chapter Skim
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Adaptability in Chemical Engineering
Adaptability in Chemical Engineering
Pages 113-128
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From page 113... ...
This becomes a validation of the discipline. Fields with only graduate programs can qualify as separate disciplines, but their cases may be weakened if the principal body of knowledge studied by the students occurs in the undergraduate program.
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From page 114... ...
Although chemical engineering activities certainly extend weD back into We past, Hey were usually considered interdisciplinary programs unu1 the early part of this century. Consideration of chemical eng~neenng as a separate discipline was demonstrated by the foundation of He first academic program caned "chemical eng~neenng" at MU in 1888 and He foundation of a separate professional society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (ATChE)
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From page 115... ...
However, location of the chemical engineering department in the liberal arts college often places it in closer association with the chemistry department and may result in a greater number of required chemistry hours in the curriculum. The traditional interdisciplinary nature of chemical engineering is also illustrated by its frequent association with other engineering fields in joint departments.
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From page 116... ...
The curricula require additional technical electives, which can include additional chemistry courses. Chemical engineering students do not take as much chemistry as chemistry majors, but the difference need not be great if the student chooses a school with a high chemistry curriculum and takes chemistry for some of the technical electives.
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From page 117... ...
Several special areas for chemical eng~neenng research and graduate study-such as specific problems in chemical and physical design of equipment or even integrated processing facilitiew are usually considered unique to chemical engineering. Other research areas strongly overlap traditional chemistry studies, especially areas of physical chemistry, or other engineering disciplines: therrnodynaniics and phase equilibria studies are active in both chemistry and chemical engineering programs; surface and interracial studies may be found in chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, and even other engineering departments.
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From page 118... ...
Chemical engineers are expected to play major roles in bringing the fruits of biotechnology to process scale facilities, but the roles of other disciplines are not likely to be diminished by parucipanon of chemical engineers. If chemical engineering participation means that more products of biotechnology reach the marketplace earlier and at lower paces, die roles of all participants in biotechnology will be enhanced
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From page 119... ...
Microstructured materials molecular and physical structures that are designed and constructed for specific high performance-include structured polymers with selected molecular weight ranges and molecular orientation to maximize or optimize one or more desired properties such as strength or toughness. The high expected growth rate in microstructured materials results partially from the growing demand for new materials in new high technology products and partially from a growing awareness that demand for high quality products (even traditional products)
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From page 120... ...
The profession is small enough that a single major new demand such as this can have important effects upon supplies. To meet this demand, as shown in Table 2, chemical engineering departments significantly increased enrollments and graduates from them (RawIs, 19891.
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From page 121... ...
more closely with defense or cons~uci~on prog~asns have experienced more periods of serious declines, but the chemical engineering community viewed this penod very senously both because of the number of people involved and because of the fear that it could signal a major change in the chemical engineering market pattern. The perturbations in other major engineering disciplines during this period were not as serious, at least relative to previous periods, and apparently caused less trauma.
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From page 122... ...
companies alone was particularly serious and enrollment in petroleum engineering plunged even more drastically than in chemical eng~neenng and compensated somewhat for the reduced demand. The long-term outlook for the petroleum and petrochemical industries in this country may be constrained by our limited supply of crude oil.
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From page 123... ...
Increasing the Adaptability of Chemical and other Engineers The key to increasing tile adaptability of chemical engineers for work in over fields is to include broader and additional training in the chemical engineering curriculum. The knowledge taught in the colleges and universities should be as general as is practical, with specific knowledge for particular companies or even some small industries given to the 123
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From page 124... ...
Nonetheless, the pressure has been high for "fig" more knowledge into the eng~neenng curriculum. The chemical engineering curriculum includes heavy loads of classwork and laboratones, and the need for aching more material becomes evident almost every year.
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From page 125... ...
Perhaps the major source of uncontrolled} duplication of instructional material in the chemical engineering curriculum occurs because of incomplete cooperation between different departments within the universities, an important consideration for any new engineering discipline Hat maintains significant portions of its classwork in over departments. Chem~smy can be taught to chemical engineers either as part of the regular offering of the chemistry departments or in special classes for chemical engineers (taught either by facula Tom the chemistry department or by chemical engineering faculty)
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From page 126... ...
Questionnaires can be sent to the major chemical engineering departments asking for tile following ~nf~nat~on: 1 . How many faculty members do you have, and how many hold one or more degrees in a field over than chemical eng~neenng?
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From page 127... ...
There should be some similant~es in the exchange of engineers In industry. A limited insight Into the use of nonchemical engineers can be obtained by assuming that those working as chemical engineers are likely to become associated with the AIChE and asking that society how many members/associate members have degrees in other fields or no degree in chemical engineering.
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