What Does a Chemist Do?
Chemistry is the central science and it significantly influences a range of endeavors. Chemists pursue all kinds of careers. Some discover new concepts and laws about matter and the universe; others apply chemistry to a range of industrial and societal needs. They use their problem-solving skills as laboratory practitioners, managers, corporate officers, and entrepreneurs in industrial firms and governmental agencies. Chemists are owners of companies. Chemists teach in high schools, two- and four-year colleges and universities, and corporate training centers. Chemists work for large multinational companies as well as small companies. Some are specialized in their practice of chemistry, while others apply it in an interdisciplinary fashion. Individuals who pursue a chemical education discover that it provides a solid background for careers that can grow and change as the individual changes or as the market place changes. If anything characterizes the career of a chemist, it is change. A
Chemistry is the study of chemicals and matter, and people whose careers are focused on chemistry are called chemists. A chemist studies matter on the atomic and molecular levels in order to understand how elements join together to form different substances. A chemist also measures proportions, reaction rates, and various other properties of substances in order to understand more about those substances. The term “chemist” as used in this article should not be confused with the British meaning of the term, which refers to what a person in the United States would call a pharmacist. A chemist will have at least a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and may work within many different career fields, the most popular of which are industry, academia, and government work. Undergraduate-level chemistry students are typically educated in mathematics and physics as well as chemistry in order to encourage a robust knowledge of general science, while graduate-level students usually specialize in a subfi
To become a chemist, a person needs to have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a related subject. Materials scientists need a college degree in materials science, or chemistry, physics, or electrical engineering. However, chemists and materials scientists usually need a Ph.D. for research jobs. Students who want to become chemists or materials scientists tend to enjoy science and math in school. They also like to build things with their hands and experiment with different objects. Students must be willing to work hard and independently, ask a lot of questions, and focus on details. They must be willing to work by themselves. Students should learn how to work on the computer. Some employers need chemists and materials scientists who know about other subjects in the business field. They also need persons who can be leaders. Reading, writing, and speaking skills are also important.
A chemist will generally have a strong background in mathematics, physics, and – of course – chemistry. Many chemistry students go on to obtain a master’s degree or a PhD, in order to teach or be approved to conduct specific types of research. Chemists typically specialize in a particular field of chemistry, such as organic chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry, quantum chemistry, or analytical chemistry. A chemist might also be found working in a related field such as forensics, biology, medicine, pharmacology, or physics, as chemistry is a very broad field, and these sciences are quite interrelated.
