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/sci/ - Science & Math

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7006194 No.7006194[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

Hey sci. I need more information to make a life decision. I can't decide between majoring in chemical engineering and materials science or mechanical engineering. One part of me wants to build electrogravitic propulsion systems and another part of me wants to build exoskeletons and various biomechanical devices. Tell me more about materials science and career applications please

>> No.7006230

Do nuclear engineering instead.

>> No.7006391

>>7006194
Frankly, these all sound like MechE, at least at the undergrad level.

I'm also trying to break into materials engineering, but am majoring in mechanical. Most materials is either govt work or aircraft, but if you get good, especially in a particular field, you have other options.

>> No.7006394

>>7006194
See if your school allows for interdisciplinary degrees. That way you can take the classes you think are relevant.

>> No.7006401

>electrogravitic

If that's even a thing, physics would be the field where you might be able to do experiments to find out.

>> No.7006407

>I want to do anti-gravitational propulsion
kek

>> No.7006427

>>7006194
you wont do any of that shit in either chemical engineering or mechanical engineering grow the fuck up.

in mech eng you will probably spend your time designing simple machines like industrial food mixers or punching a million numbers into excell doing finite element analysis or you might even get to spend months trying to improve the efficiancy of an air conditioner by 1%

in chem eng you will be doing a million experiments to figure out how to mass produce the latest food aditives in twinkies or designing the latest process to convert petrochemicals into rubber more efficiantly.

you wont be doing any electrogrativic propolsion or exoskeleton bullshit unless you have multiple PHD's and even then you will be spending your time trying to design a single gear drive on the exoskeleton as you will probably be part of a massive team of people designing this shit

>> No.7006539

>>7006194
Just do something useful and actually study science or math.
Major in chemistry, physics, or math.
Every engineer I have come across are dumb and usually only in it for the money. They have no drive to learn science or math, and end up making themselves a laughing stock.

>> No.7006542

>>7006194
>One part of me wants to build electrogravitic propulsion systems
You should stay out of STEM in general.

>> No.7006548

>>7006427

This. Lose your tunnel vision. The chances that you'll end up doing that shit without any serious industry connections is extremely slim.

If you like theoretical and scientific shit then study chemE. If you like the no-nonsense approach then study mech.

>> No.7006565

need help /sci/

if i get a B.Sc. in chemistry - can i get a masters in chemical engineering off that? is it feasible?

>> No.7006572

>>7006565

Just do your BS in chemical engineering

>> No.7006577
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7006577

>>7006565
>mfw a chem major is trying to salvage his worthless degree

>> No.7006584

if i want to work for nasa or space x what should i major in ? aero e or mech e ?

>> No.7006587

>>7006584
I hear SpaceX is looking for guys who don't know how to use Google. I'll put in a good word for you.

>> No.7006589

>>7006584
This is getting painful now
By the way Mech all the way. Aero is far too niche to the point that a Mech can do what an aero does while an aero can't do what a Mech can do

>> No.7006596

>>7006589
why is this though? Ive heard this from so many people. Are the physics classes just more specialized in flight related fields?

>> No.7006601

>>7006584

ANYTHING. THEY NEED EVERY ENGINEERING DISCIPLINE. STUDY THE ONE YOU FIND THE MOST INTERESTING AND GET WORK EXPERIENCE

>> No.7006602

You can't go wrong with a MechE degree. Plus you can specialize later, or with a minor

>> No.7006607

>If you want advice with college/university, go to /adv/.

Report this thread and move on.

>> No.7006612

>>7006596
Just look at the curriculum for each major:
http://www.me.gatech.edu/files/ug/program_of_study_me1415.pdf
https://files.t-square.gatech.edu/access/content/group/f04300e3-9de1-4f7b-80dc-adf125480171/Registration%20Forms/Program%20Flowchart%202011_June%202011.pdf

MechE learns everything AeroE learns in a way that can be applied to essentially any field, including aero. However, Aero learns everything in a way such that it would be very difficult to work in a different field.

If you are OP, don't pay too much attention to the haters. You will probably find that you are interested in a field that is more existent than what you described. That is what happened to me. I went from wanting to only research warp drives to becoming a badass at CFD.

>> No.7006617

I'm kind of like this guy ( >>7006584 ). I want to go into researching space travel but I'm not sure if I should go for engineering or just physics? I feel like I'd just be pigeonholing myself with an engineering degree.

>> No.7006637

>>7006617

You're not. An engineering degree is extremely versatile and it'll allow you to find work in almost any field you want.

>> No.7006642

>>7006565
Honestly it depends on the school. You may have to do some undergrad level classes to get into the program but its possible

>> No.7006647
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7006647

>>7006637
Op here. First time looking at this thread since I posted it. But that was my thought with the mechanical engineering degree. From what I've researched, it seems incredibly versatile. I could help design pretty much anything aero related after my bachelors (fuck anyone that wants to drag you down just because they're stuck at some life sucking industry the rest of their life). And then I would maybe wait awhile and go into biomechatronics with a masters and try to get a research position.

>> No.7006649

>>7006565

I am studying with a guy who has BS in Chemistry and is trying to get a masters in Chemical Engineering. From the looks of it, it looks like he will be able to.

But here is the thing - it isn't common for a BS Chemistry to go MS Chemical Engineering. Most MS ChemE curricula is a continuation of BS ChemE. You are probably going to need recommendations and approvals and a lot of paperwork....

Just get a BS ChemE. If that's too late I don't know what to tell you.

>> No.7006650

>>7006647

you won't design anything straight out of school. You'll be doing the bitch work for a few years while you learn the ropes.

>> No.7006651

>>7006194
You will never build exoskeletons or build electrogravitic propulsion systems. You will get some shitty job in your field of choice, and you will be happy with it.

I majored in chemical engineering, and now I am finishing up a PhD in nuclear engineering. I would argue that chemE is a better degree if you want to go to academia and that it is a worse degree if you want to go into industry, as mechEs have a larger pool of electives and a generally more fluid program.

>>7006230
You're stupid. No one should do nuclear as an undergrad degree. You probably think it's "really hard", too.

>>7006565
Yes. Don't believe anyone who tells you you don't have enough prerequisites. Just take the classes without them and learn things as you need them.

>>7006584
Try majoring in not-being-stupid. The major you choose doesn't matter. MechE is a better degree than aerospace engineering. Majoring in aero is just a good way of pigeonholing yourself for no good reason. MechEs can get aero jobs. Aero majors can't get meche jobs.

>>7006612
This guy has it right.

>> No.7006656

>>7006647

The people who are saying that it is likely for a MechE to work in industry versus doing spectacular and sexy things like building rockets isn't wrong.

But to go into Aerospace you are going to need a lot more than just smarts. If you think you are the top of the top, I wish you the best of luck, because you are still going to need it regardless of your competence.

>> No.7006657
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7006657

>>7006539
>do something useful like study physics, chemistry, or math
>engineers usually are laughing stock
>the irony
hahahahaha. What can you do with any of those degrees besides teach, consult, or work at Starbucks?

>> No.7006660

>>7006650
Yeah I was expecting that. But at least I have a broad choice of subject matter with mechE

>> No.7006661

>>7006427
>you wont do any of that shit in either chemical engineering or mechanical engineering grow the fuck up.

This. Your best bet is to major in physics, but even there you have to be top tier to do cutting edge stuff.

>> No.7006662

>>7006657
just research and solve problems nobody else in the world can

>> No.7006663

What's the best field to become an inventor and get rich off patents?

>> No.7006669

>>7006657
Actually engineers are really dumb.
I've been in MANY classes with them and worked with them.
They are all about the money, they don't care about how the world works.

>> No.7006670

>>7006661
maybe for the propulsion system.
exoskeletons are built by MEs, EEs, and BMEs.

>> No.7006671

>>7006669
What would you think about an engineer who is intensely invested in learning about the universe and who really doesn't care too much about the money, just wants to build cool shit to benefit humanity.

>> No.7006672

>>7006671
Unicorns

>> No.7006673

What is the difference between biotech and biomedical engineering?

>> No.7006675

>>7006672
=D I'm so fukin pretty

>> No.7006676

>>7006673
biomedical is implants, prostetics, catheters and needle-less injections. stuff you do to humans
biotech is grafting and genetic engineering

>> No.7006677
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7006677

>>7006194
Your major ambition with likely hurt you later. Learn to be happy with the small, but significant things you can realistically do. Getting a 1% gain in some tiny industrial application really does make a huge difference even if it is not glamorized like people think. Think more about industry and job roles and then find the major that is likely to get you there.

Here is my opinion on it.

Material science is hard and very specialized, in the long run you can do cooler stuff with it but it is hard and risky.

Mechanical engineering is the go to engineering with a broader appeal and more flexibility in how you develop. Less glamorous, but very respectable.

Chemical engineering is somewhere between the two and probably has the best job outlook last I checked (that kind of stuff changes all the time), but is boring to start with.

See about getting a major in one and a minor in another, this opens a lot more doors.

Given my background in Material science which turned to Business after some bad times. I would probably have looked harder at Mechanical engineering with Material science minor as it would get me in places where I could later grow towards my real goals or the other way around as that comb goes towards my interests.

>> No.7006686

>>7006677
Thank you. Very helpful. Cute comic too

>> No.7006707

This should be about what you like more. Job markets do not matter, money does not matter, because they both are pretty good.
Which one do you like better?
It is basically Chemistry vs Physics (assuming you've taken enough of both to get a taste)

>> No.7006710

>>7006670
But as a physicist you can do almost anything. Apart from maths, that is.

>> No.7006727

>>7006710
You cannot do it. They will not hire you to do it.

>> No.7006744

>>7006194
Anyone ever take multiple summer courses?
I can take 4 now and 2 summer
Or 5 now 1 summer
Either way I'll be graduating in the summer, what do

>> No.7006776

>>7006686
You are welcome, my other advice is networking and making contacts for when you need to get a job later (interning, LinkedIn, conferences and that stuff). Also taking is slower like doing a 4 year program in 5 may cost more but you have time to do it thoroughly and well which makes you look better. The more different the major and minor the more interesting things tend to get. These are the things I would tell a younger me.

>> No.7007065

>>7006776
I was planning on joining NSPE