Playing With Chemicals – June 2016

Thinking mechanisms

While Chemical Engineering does involve tinkering with chemicals, we tell you about the wider aspects of the growing field

You may recall feeling intrigued while playing with chemicals at the Chemistry Lab in in school. That rush of excitement as you watch the colours change when two chemicals are mixed together, or the sparkling flame you witnessed as you burnt a piece of magnesium ribbon was unlike any other. However, years after, when your interest in all things chemicals hasn’t waned, your best bet would be to invest in a Chemical engineering career. Chemical Engineering applies the principles of chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics to solve problems and make use of chemicals, fuels, drugs, food and other products for various purposes. Chemical engineers are also responsible for the design process and large-scale manufacturing, planning and testing of production methods of chemicals, raw material, energy and microorganisms.

WHAT YOU NEED
Chemical engineering requires a strong background in science, with passing grades in your 10+2 exams to qualify for the JEE (Main) exam – the common entrance test for most engineering degrees. Once you have obtained qualifying scores in your JEE (Main) exam, you can appear for the JEE (Advanced) exam. Most universities offer a B.Sc. (or B.S), B.Tech or a BEng (or B.E) degree in Chemical Engineering, which are typically 4-yearS long. A Master’s degree is essential for advancements in your chemical engineering career, and a significantly large number of universities offer the same. However, in order to apply for a Master’s degree, you will need to appear for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), which tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science. The exam is jointly conducted by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technology (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee). You can also pursue a Ph.D. in the same field, should you wish to work in in research and development or as a postsecondary teacher.

BEST UNIVERSITIES FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
* Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Programs offered: B.Tech in Chemical Engineering
Contact: www.iitb.ac.in
* Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani
Programs offered: B.E in Chemical Engineering
Contact: www.bits-pilani.ac.in
* Princeton University, Princeton – New Jersey
Programs offered: B.Sc. in Engineering (Honours) Chemical and Biological Engineering
Contact: www.princeton.edu
* University of Melbourne, Australia
Programs offered: B.S in Chemical Engineering
Contact: www.unimelb.edu.au
* McGill University, Montreal – Canada
Programs offered: B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering
Contact: www.mcgill.ca
* Leeds University, Leeds – United Kingdom
Programs offered: BEng in Chemical and Energy Engineering
Contact: www.leeds.ac.uk
* Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Programs offered: B.E in Chemicals and Materials
Contact: www.auckland.ac.nz
* University of Calicut, Calicut
Programs offered: B.Tech in Chemical Engineering
Contact: www.universityofcalicut.info
* Gharda Institute of Technology, Maharashtra
Programs offered: B.E in Chemical Engineering
Contact: www.git-india.edu.in
* National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli
Programs offered: B.Tech in Chemical Engineering”
Contact: www.nitt.edu