Dear Prospective Student,
Welcome to Chemical Engineering (ChE) at Michigan Tech! There are many options for
you as you consider where to study chemical engineering. Rather than tell you about
how Michigan Tech differs from the large regional campuses located in downstate Michigan,
or in adjacent states, allow me to instead explain what distinguishes a Michigan Tech
ChemE. Our graduates are among the most well-prepared engineers in the country. They
are recruited nationally. Our reputation is in producing exceptional engineers, both
through our undergraduate program, and through our graduate degree programs. This
sounds generally amorphous, you want to know what’s in Michigan Tech’s special sauce?
My humorous reply generally quips that our special sauce is composed of months of
endless snow, broomball under the lights, and Husky magic; but, due to the seriousness
of this letter, let me provide more insight. ChemE students at Michigan Tech have
access to a wealth of opportunities and resources that can be tailored and mixed in
ways that help develop a set of individualized skill sets that when combined produce
graduates with very transferable capabilities. For example, ChemE students can join
The Enterprise Program and work on cross-disciplinary projects with real world applications
where they learn entrepreneurial skills. These are real business groups that strive
to meet milestones and deliver time-dependent, budget-constrained solutions. Recognizing
that this path is not for everyone, Michigan Tech boasts over 240 student organizations.
Some of these are competitive teams, some are focused on social-justice or community
outreach, some are
athletic, and some are simply social. However, a mantra that our students will hear
from Day 1 on campus is to get involved with at least one organization that is professionally
aligned, and one that is not. It’s our administrative goal to provide students with
an opportunity to grow into a leadership position before they graduate. Our students
embrace internship and co-op opportunities. These “real world” immersions help students
discern which areas of chemical engineering appeal most. Some students find that the
more abstract world of consulting engineering and design is a fit, while a majority
gravitate to process engineering, controls, research and development (R&D), and graduate
school. It is important to remember that a chemical engineering degree is a bit of
a Swiss Army knife in that it crosscuts many areas of science and engineering. Due
to its uniqueness in this respect, many patent attorneys were once ChemEs. Likewise,
our graduates can also be found in many medical fields and dentistry. Michigan Tech
ChemEs possess a proven track record of professional success and excellence. Many
of them have gone on to careers in biomanufacturing, biomedical engineering, bioprocessing,
carbon capture, nuclear energy, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy industries.
Job opportunities continue to grow for ChemEs and our graduates are well-prepared
to fill positions with the knowledge and skills acquired through our educational programs.
As the world transitions to adapting more machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence
(AI) into many tasks, our educational programs have also evolved to keep pace. Additionally,
Michigan Tech ChemEs are strongly encouraged to become involved in undergraduate research
so that they may discern the possibility of attending graduate school, either at Michigan
Tech, or elsewhere.
I hope that this brief letter provides you with some insight about who we are and inspires you to join the Husky Pack. However, I recognize that there is much that I have not said. Our Departmental Faculty and Staff encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and/or LinkedIn. These social media platforms are well-maintained to provide you with updates about events, opportunities, and happenings in our department. I also encourage you to ask questions on these sites.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email, call, or, if in the neighborhood, stop by. Yoopers (those residing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP)) are naturally hospitable and enjoy visiting. Finally, I hope to one day meet you in my Introduction to Chemical Engineering course.
Sincerely,
Patrick Pinhero
Department Chair & Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering