Undergraduate – Chemistry and you
Why Study Chemistry?
Do you want to better understand the world around you? Chemistry is everywhere.
| Health Professions | Research/Industry |
|---|---|
| Veterinarian | Drug Testing |
| Dentist | Laboratory Assistant |
| Physician | Specialty Chemicals |
| Pharmacist | Pharmaceutical Research |
| Optometrist | Sales/Marketing |
| Physician's Assistant | Coatings |
| Nurse | Food Chemistry |
| Nurse Practitioner | Plastics |
| Radiologist | Medical Devices |
| Public Health Administrator | Petroleum & Natural Gas |
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Agricultural chemicals |
| Forensic Chemist | Basic Chemicals |
Education |
Environmental |
| Chemistry Teacher | Chemical Toxicologist |
| Professor | Environmental Scientist |
Media |
Government |
| Technical Writer | Grant Administrator |
| Scientific Editor | Science Advisor |
Other |
Politician |
| Lawyer | Counter Chemical Weapons Expert |
| Consultant |
Chemistry is the science of matter. Anything that can be touched, tasted, smelled, seen or felt is made of chemicals. Chemists are the people who transform the everyday materials around us into amazing things. Some chemists work on cures for cancer while others monitor the ozone layer protecting us from the sun. Still others discover new materials to make our homes warmer in the winter, or new textiles to be used in the latest fashions. The knowledge gained through the study of chemistry opens many career pathways.
The American Chemical Society (ACS,http://www.acs.org) is dedicated to providing Members and Affiliates with the best tools with which to explore the numerous career options available within the World of Chemistry. Each year the American Chemical Society (ACS) performs a number of surveys related to employment of chemists. The results of these surveys are published in the Society’s journal Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN) and are available online athttp://pubs.acs.org/cen/. An extensive collection of career related material is available at the ACS website (www.acs.org/careers). The information includes career advice, profiles of chemists and results of numerous surveys.
What Can Chemists Do?
Chemists create
Pursuing a chemistry degree can lead you to fascinating careers where you can create new drugs, new materials, new technologies, new theories, new policies, or new businesses.
Chemistry knowledge and skills are flexible
Chemists have key knowledge and skills for the interdisciplinary, cutting-edge biotechnology research. Billion dollar industries such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and household and personal care products hire chemists in quality assurance, technical sales, research project management, and many other positions. The business world is increasingly interested in chemists who want to combine their science with policy development, technical writing, corporate communications, business development, or investment advising.
Studying the molecular world helps you learn to see more than what is obvious to others, to ask questions about how the current state came to be, to examine underlying mechanisms, to design experiments carefully, and to consider alternative explanations. This analytical rigor of a chemistry degree is already well known as a valuable foundation for professions such as medicine and law; these perspectives also turn out to be useful in many areas of life.
A comprehensive picture of employment in Chemistry can be obtained by using the American Chemical Society website pictured above. In addition, the web provides access to numerous company profiles, both financial and commercial.
