Today, while working in my lab, a reader of my blog (
Chemical Engineering World) or maybe
Facebook Chemical Engineer Rocks Group, approached and chatted with me. Let's identify him as OKN. He is currently a final year chemical engineering student and is planning his future. I have not able to ask him further but I think he is from the African continent.
OKN, you know who you are. I hope you are all right that I share our informative chat here for the sake of other chemical engineering students. I have edited/improved some of the sentences to make it clearer for you to read. Check it out...
OKN - 5:26pm: Good morning. How are you?
Zaki - 5:26pm: Hi, fine thanks
OKN - 5:26pm: Cool
Zaki - 5:27pm: :)
OKN - 5:27pm: What are you working on right now
Zaki - 5:27pm: I'm testing my new temperature controller. Looks like it works fine... ;)
OKN - 5:28pm: Nice work. On what field do u specifically base on?
Zaki - 5:28pm: Catalysis and reaction engineering. Trying to convert glycerol to some useful product.
OKN - 5:30pm: I am a chemical engineer but still in school my final year.
Zaki - 5:31pm: Oh! That's cool. Good luck to you.
OKN - 5:31pm: What advise do u have for me on my futher studies?
Zaki - 5:37pm: Choose which field you are interested in. Get a good supervisor whom have lots of research grant/money. Explore the area of renewable energy.
OKN - 5:38pm: But u can serve as my supervisor...since we study related course
Zaki - 5:39pm: Hmmm... I'm still doing my Ph.D. Maybe later, after I complete my Ph.D I can be your supervisor. Hahaha...
OKN - 5:40pm: U really inspire me a lot....u start now cos i really appreciate the little u have
Zaki - 5:40pm: Oh... Thanks... But what do mean by start now?
OKN - 5:41pm: While still doing ur phd. I am seriously confuse of my field.
Zaki - 5:42pm: O ok. So, what is your interest?
OKN - 5:42pm: I am seeing it as if i have waisted my time studying chemical eng.
Zaki - 5:42pm: Oh no. You are doing great. You just need somebody to help and guide you show the way...
OKN - 5:43pm: I am tinking of going into oil sector but i think i nid advise from someone to put me back in my field cos i rily want to be self dependent.
Zaki - 5:44pm: Oil and gas is lucrative sector. If you can be an expert in certain areas in the oil and gas, that's fantastic. Work with somebody, and then after few years, build your own company.
OKN - 5:46pm: But i have no much knowledge about dat sector,if u can help me i will appreciate
Zaki - 5:46pm: Oh... maybe you can be an expert in specialty chemical for offshore oil and gas application. Since you are a chemical engineer, that suits quite well. Try and google what is specialty chemical.
OKN - 5:47pm: It's ok. I will do dat.
Zaki - 5:48pm: You can also try to cover some other areas such as safety and health, as well as maintenance, or process engineering for oil and gas application or corrosion aspect or NDT.
OKN - 5:54pm: What suggestion of field of chemical eng. Do have for me to study for my masters degree.
Zaki - 5:54pm: OK ... another interesting and lucrative area is safety, health and environmental
If you focus on some specific areas under environmental...that will be good as well. People expert in environmentals make lots of money.
OKN - 5:58pm: So u mean i shud study environmental as a course.
Zaki: 5:58pm: Yep... Maybe you can also study some specific areas under environmental...such as Water, Air, Safety etc. Once you be an expert, example: Water expert, those who are concern with water impact, environmental will seek for your advise etc. Maybe they want to analyze water river etc.
OKN: 6:01pm: In drilling, guess i will be of more relevance.....how?
7:48pm: Yes. Drilling is relevant to you too. However, you need to learn more about it
that will be pretty much covered in Petroleum Engineering.
The chat ended because suddenly I have something coming up. I hope OKN got something from the short chat. Cheers...
.
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