In an age of biofuels, advanced materials, and specialty chemicals, what should chemical engineers concentrate on to advance their careers? The buzzwords to chase these days are anything bio, nano, and micro.
Professor Tony Pavone, who teaches chemical engineering process design at Stanford University in California, and also consults with SRI Consulting (Chem Show; New York; Booth 703), says that it is often tempting to follow the research dollars being dispensed from the Department of Energy or the projects being advanced by industry associations like the ACC, API and NPRA in order to gauge which are the hot topics that will make for a super-charged career.
But Pavone has some simple — and contrary — advice: Treat the emerging fashionable subjects with caution and beware of narrow specialties that can act as a straightjacket instead of a stepping stone to a great career. Concentrate instead on optimizing existing processes and equipment to improve product quality and make life better for the world’s fast-growing population and emerging economies. No matter what the immediate concerns of the world’s rich countries may be, the demand for chemicals around the world is growing rapidly and the solution to job satisfaction is to make those products perform their end-use tasks more successfully for the bulk of the world’s population that needs these products to enhance the basic necessities of life (food, shelter, health care, and fuel).
Pavone points out that many of the chemical industry’s most successful companies have achieved their global status by being in touch with their clients and making better products to meet those clients’ needs. Contrast that, for example, with many new entrants to the biofuels market, whose profitability and business plans hinge on government policy and subsidy, and to Pavone there is no contest.
Put simply, his view is that choosing a career as a chemical engineer is a noble calling of service to the world’s people. And small and steady process improvements are as valuable a contribution as any that you can make. As Pavone puts it, “Allow the rock stars to entertain. Our mission is to serve.”