The Importance of Chemical Engineering
- Dominika Romanik
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
Lake Orion, Michigan
Everyone knows what engineering is. After all, it is part of the famous S.T.E.M. (also known as S.T.E.A.M.) acronym that is posted in every science classroom. However, the most spoken type of engineering is mechanical engineering (and electrical is the second contender to that number one spot). Mechanical engineering is one of the largest and most common of all the engineering disciplines. Nearly every school with an engineering program would offer a mechanical engineering major. So why is it so popular? It's diverse. Mechanical engineering heavily focuses on machines. It focuses on how to build them, how they work, and how you can fix them when things go south. Every industry utilizes machinery, whether it’s a KFC freezer or a rocket at NASA. Thus, mechanical engineering has great career prospects since there are so many fields hiring. And due to its popularity and flexibility, mechanical engineering often overshadows other engineering programs such as chemical, electrical, biochemical, civil, industrial, petroleum, aerospace, biomedical, and so much more. All of these fields are special in their own way; however, one of the most important is chemical engineering. And while yes, all of these fields are indeed important, some are more important than others. And one of these fields is (drumroll, please) chemical engineering.
What is chemical engineering?
Unlike mechanical engineering, chemical engineering has a lot less to do with machines and a lot more to do with molecules. Chemical engineering is essentially a love child between molecular science and engineering. It intimately links the fundamental subjects of chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics. Today’s chemical engineers apply these principles to design equipment and processes for manufacturing products such as dyes, medicine, and even paper. Some are even creating new developments in sustainable energy, biotechnology, microelectronics, and advanced materials to combat global issues such as carbon capture and the reversal of hearing loss. One of the most recent chemical engineering studies published in the International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology explores how pollutants resistant to conventional treatment pose serious risks to human health and aquatic ecosystems; the study claims that hydroxyl and sulfate radicals can enhance water decontamination processes -- and while they’re not perfect for every situation -- they’re a promising solution to degrade hard-to-remove pollutants. Chemical engineering, while not as flexible as mechanical engineering, promises a bright future for humanity by allowing such studies to be performed. It is one of the most underrated and essential fields; it deserves more recognition.
What type of impact does chemical engineering have on the world?
Chemical engineers don’t just solve problems -- they design better systems for the planet and society! As stated in “Chemical Engineering Matters for a modern world” by IChemE: Advancing Chemical Engineering Worldwide, chemical engineers have formulated low-fat products for improved health, made oil recovery safer and more environmentally friendly, created cutting-edge modelling processes, revolutionised how diabetics monitor their blood glucose, improved biomass efficiency, and more. Chemical engineers work in numerous industries to provide safe-to-consume medicine, solve global issues such as global warming and world hunger, and make processes more efficient. They’re the warriors of environmental protection, energy, sustainability, health, medicine, food, agriculture, materials, and innovation. While mechanical engineers do these things with machines, chemical engineers solve these problems at the molecular level and provide solutions that mechanical engineers can only dream of!
So… why is chemical engineering important again?
Chemical engineering is essential to our modern society as well as the survival of our planet; without chemical engineering, we wouldn’t have things such as clean water, antibiotics, or even processed food. However, outside of the amazing solutions chemical engineering provides, chemical engineering trains people to think at multiple scales at once -- from atoms to entire industrial plants! It molds people to think about how the small molecular changes affect large-scale outcomes while keeping in mind that they need to balance safety, cost, efficiency, and environmental impact at the same time. They drive innovation, from inventing new materials to new technologies such as 3D-printed organs and renewable bio-based plastics. They’re the ones who push the boundary of what humanity can create. They’re the ones who influence how industries use resources, manage waste, and treat the environment. They’re the ones who bring sustainability into production, not just as an afterthought, but as a core design principle. Chemical engineering isn’t just about the solutions and the results -- it’s about transforming how we think, innovate, and live every day. It’s a mindset. It’s a discipline. It’s a force for progress that quietly powers the modern world.
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