Advising Students on Preparing at NMSU for

a Career as a Chemical Engineer

David A. Rockstraw, Ph. D., P. E.
Robert Davis Distinguished Professor
NMSU Distinguished Achievement Professor
& Academic Department Head

New Mexico State University
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering
What is a Chemical Engineer?
a. an engineer who manufactures chemicals
b. a chemist who works in a factory
c. a glorified plumber
d. all of the above
e. none of the above

Definitions
chemical adj \ke-mi-kl\
of, relating to, used in, or produced by chemistry or the
phenomena of chemistry

engineering noun \-nir-i\
the application of science and mathematics by which
the properties of matter and the sources of energy in
nature are made useful to people
So What is a Chemical Engineer?
The breadth and depth of scientific and technical
knowledge inherent to the profession has caused some
to describe a chemical engineer as a universal engineer.

Despite a title that suggests a profession composed of
narrow specialists, chemical engineers are actually
extremely versatile and able to handle a wide range
of technical problems.

This is apparent when one considers the industries in
which a chemical engineer finds employment.


Academia
Graduate
School
Professional
School
CHME Core Content:
Design & Optimization
Process Control
Reaction Kinetics
Transport Phenomena
Thermodynamics
Fundamentals:
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Industry:
Biotechnology
Chemicals
Electronics
Materials
Energy
Pharmaceuticals
Food
Defense
Environment
et al
Law
Medicine
Business
BSCHE
Career Paths available
to a Chemical
Engineering Graduate
Chemicals & Materials Engineering
Michigan State Cal Poly Pamona
Idaho California (Davis, Irvine, USC)
Wayne State California Institute of Technology
Nevada, Reno Stevens Institute of Technology
Oklahoma Minnesota
Dayton San Jose State
Kentucky New Mexico State University
A Google search will reveal similarly-named programs:
Chemical Engineering and Materials Sciences are the twin engines of technological
innovation, and hence an ideal starting point to launch a successful engineering career.

Albert Yee, Professor and Chair of The Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science at The University of California, Irvine
Another definition
material (/mti()rl/)
noun
plural noun: materials
1. the matter from which a thing is or can
be made.

(i.e., pretty much everything)
NMSU CHME Materials Electives
CH E 461/561. Calculation of Material and Molecular Properties
CH E 462/562. MEMs, bioMEMs, and nano devices & technologies
CH E 463/563. Soft Matter
CH E 464/564. Polymer Science
CH E 465/565. Rheology and Viscoelasticity
CH E 466/566. Fuel Cell Technology
CH E 467/567. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
CH E 468/568. Adsorption
CH E 469/569. Thermal, Optical, and Electronic Properties of Materials
CH E 481/581. Biomedical Engineering and Engineering Healthcare
CH E 485/585. Materials from Biorenewable Resources
CH E 486/586. Biofuels
Chemical Engineering & (fill in the blank)
Biochemical Engineering
Biological Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Biomolecular Engineering
Biotechnology
Energy and Environment
Environmental Engineering
Life Science Engineering


Nano Engineering
Nuclear Engineering
Paper Engineering
Petroleum Engineering
Pharmaceutical Engineering

Other Complimentary
Areas of Study,
all of which relate to
chemicals and materials.

Some Companies where NMSU CHMEs work
American Refining Group
Archer Daniels Midland
Arkema
Aspen Technology
Avon
AVX Corp.
B/E Aerospace
Baker Hughes, Inc.
Chevron
ChevronPhillips
Compaq
ConocoPhillips
Cummins, Inc.
DCP Midstream
Department of Energy
Dow Chemical
DuPont
Eastman
Emcore
Enterprise Products
Ethicon Endo-Surgery
ExxonMobil
Fisher-Rosemount
Freeport McMoran
Frito-Lay
Halliburton
HollyFrontier
Huntsman Corp.
Intel
Jacobs Technology
JCL Bioassay
Johnson & Johnson
Kinder Morgan
Kraft
Lockheed Martin
Los Alamos Natl Lab
Monroe Energy
NASA
Navarro Res. & Engr.
Nestle
Palo Verde Nuclear
Generation Station
Proctor & Gamble
Raytheon
Rohm and Haas
Samsung
Sandia National Labs
Sapphire Energy
Schlumberger
Shell
Southwest Cheese
Texas Instruments
Total Petroleum
Western Refining
URENCO
URS Corp.
Victaulic Co.
Yates Petroleum
What makes a CHME so employable?
Beyond the content of the curriculum, a chemical
engineer will have developed:
a systematic problem-solving methodology; and
an ability to seek out and assimilate knowledge
beyond the classroom.
These traits permit Chemical
engineers to work in a wide
range of fields and disciplines.
How much does an CHME get paid?
2014 graduating class
starting wage
$50,000 to 100,000/yr
Avg: $77,000/yr

2014 summer co-ops
and interns
range: $16 to 40/hr
Avg: $30/hr


What Does a Chemical Engineer Do?
During the past century, chemical engineers have
made tremendous contributions to the standard of
living.

To celebrate these accomplishments, the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE) compiled a
list of the "10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering.

10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
10 Greatest Achievements of Chemical
Engineering
Preparing to enter NMSU CHME
Math preparation
Calculus 1 for the entering Freshman

To get to Calculus 1
CCDM 103N. Pre-Algebra (3)
CCDM 114N. Algebra Skills (3)
Math 120. Intermediate Algebra (3)
Math 121G. College Algebra (3)
Math 190. Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus (4)
Math 191 Calculus I (4)
Fall 2014 undergrad tuition is $247.90/credit hour.
Science preparation
Inorganic (General) Chemistry (8)
Organic Chemistry(8)
Physical Chemistry (3)
Physics (6)
Natural Science Elective (3)
Biology/Chemistry/Physics

CHEM 115 requires students be in MATH 190 or higher
and have an ACT composite of 22 or higher.
Computational preparation
All CH E courses use math to solve problems, for
which students make use of mathematical analysis
software (Matlab, Mathcad, Excel).
Some courses include extensive linear programming,
data analysis,
and process
simulation tools.
Economics preparation
An ability to perform a rigorous economic evaluation
of a process is one of the skills that separates a
chemical engineer from a fundamental scientist.
ECON 251G and ECON 252G are recommended.
Capstone design projects (CH E 455) require an
extensive economic analysis be performed.
Communication Skills preparation
Students entering Engineering often
underestimate
the importance
of strong
communication
skills.

The academic curriculum, like the profession, requires
students be expert communicators. Students will write
and speak in a public forum on a regular basis.
There is 2% unemployment in
the engineering fields, yet there
are jobs that are unfilled.
Employers are looking for the
right candidate not the almost
right candidate. - recruiter
NMSU CHME Pre-med option
Transfer Students
Undergraduates CHME students begin taking CH E
courses in their freshman year.
As such, a transfer student who takes two years of
fundamental courses at an extension or community
college must still begin as a freshman.
Prerequisite sequence
7 semesters of
course work
(CH E 102 - 455) only
available on the
main NMSU campus.

CHEM 115 is also a
specialized course.
Taking chemistry at a
community college
may fulfill the CH E
102 prereq , but will
not transfer as
CHEM 115.
Summary
CHMEs are trained to a solve complex problems,
thus they have diverse career opportunities
The BSCHE at NMSU has lengthy prerequisite
sequence (8 semesters), where the first freshman
semester begins with
MATH 191 (Calculus 1) and
CHEM 115 (General Chemistry for CHMEs)
Therefore, students should
Take all the HS math, science, English courses possible
Get to campus ASAP after completing high school
Come prepared to develop a love of learning.
Program Strengths
Excerpt from the 2012-2013 EAC Final Statement and Actions for NMSU
concerning ABET accreditation of the NMSU CHME program
The alumni are very supportive of the program and devote
considerable time and effort, especially through the Alumni
Academy, to advise the department on continuous
improvement.
The students are actively engaged not just in their own
individual education but also in the education of their peers.
This environment goes beyond camaraderie and includes
cooperative learning, peer-assessment, and self-assessment.
The faculty members are very committed to the success of
their students, and the students understand and appreciate it.

2014-2015 AICHE Officers
Get More Information
Website is always up-to-date:
http://chme.nmsu.edu
Contact:
David A. Rockstraw, Ph. D., P. E.
drockstr@nmsu.edu
(575) 646-1213 (main office for appt)
(575) 646-7705 (direct office line)
(575) 635-9539 (cell)
Feel free to put students/parents directly in touch with me
Thank you for your attention
NMSU AICHE members representing the program at The University of Utah standing
on the goal line at Rice-Eccles Stadium during the 2014 AICHE Rocky Mountain
Regional Conference in Salt Lake City.