What do chemist do

Chemists also determining the structure, properties and composition of matter. They conduct experiments and tests with the ways that combinations of elements might react to each other.

They oversee the techniques and proper chemical processing of technicians and scientists. They also test operating temperatures, ingredients, and mixing times. They are required to prepare solutions, reagents, and compounds that would be used in the procedures of the labs.

They ensure quality and safety requirements are kept by conducting tests on the materials. They would be required to write technical reports of their research findings and present them to engineers, scientists and others. A chemist needs to computer savvy and knowledge of sophisticated laboratory instruments that are used for experimental analysis, modeling, or simulation. They would need to be able to use three-dimensional computer modeling software for their research and studies.

He or she would most likely work on a team with other scientists, engineers, physicists, biologists and others in their research. Many chemists work in the field of geochemistry, biochemistry, or with their experience in chemistry may choose to go on to become a teacher or professor. Lauren Curtis works as an analytical chemist for the Center for Veterinary Medicine. The following video highlights her career as a chemist. Lauren Curtis interview transcript: Basically, what I do is I analyze animal feeds, animal products, things like meats, tissues, things like that and I analyze drug residues in them by using chemical instrumentation.

The career video is in the Public Domain and originally hosted on Kids. The listing lists the following responsibilities of the position. Chemical Engineer. Volunteering is another way of enhancing your CV. Although you may not find many opportunities that directly relate to your chemistry degree, there are many schemes that focus on related areas such as the environment, sustainability, ethics and medicine.

There may also be opportunities at your local hospital to work in a pathology lab. Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships. However, you'll also find opportunities with employers in other sectors, including the food and drink industry, utilities and research, health and medical organisations, the government and scientific research organisations and agencies.

You could also be employed in schools, colleges and universities, as well as by computer software development companies, environment consultancies and water companies. Find information on employers in science and pharmaceuticals , engineering and manufacturing , teacher training and education , and other job sectors. A chemistry degree allows you to develop excellent laboratory techniques but as it overlaps with other degrees, it also gives you skills that are useful in the areas of biology and medicine, physics and engineering, and geology and earth science.

Chemistry is also studied in an environmental and social context, so you can gain awareness of its ethical implications and issues relating to environmental impact and sustainability. Many chemistry graduates undertake further study at Masters or PhD level to increase their knowledge of one of the branches studied during their degree, such as organic, inorganic, physical or analytical chemistry.

You may also specialise in areas of applied chemistry, such as cheminformatics or biochemistry, or develop knowledge in an area where chemistry graduates may be in demand, for example, forensic nanotechnology and forensic investigation. Further study is highly valued by employers, particularly within scientific and technical fields, as you'll develop more advanced theoretical knowledge and practical sector-specific skills.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in chemistry. The top job held by chemistry graduates working in the UK is laboratory technician. Find out what other chemistry graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Chemists often specialize in a particular branch of the field - for example, inorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, forensic chemistry, theoretical chemistry, biochemistry, neurochemistry, and nuclear chemistry.

Materials Scientist Materials science is concerned with how microscopic elements such as atoms and molecules together account for macroscopic properties of materials. It mainly deals with how objects are made, as in what materials and what processes are used. Materials scientists study and analyze the chemical properties and structure of different man-made and natural materials, such as glass, rubber, ceramic, alloys, polymers, and metals. They then take this knowledge and devise ways to strengthen existing materials, combine particular materials, or create brand new materials with certain properties and characteristics for use in different applications and products.

They have created many of the items that people use today such as shoes, soap, canisters, containers, makeup, packaging materials, and so on. Materials scientists tend to specialize by the material they work with most often - for example, ceramics, glasses, metals, nanomaterials extremely small substances , polymers, and semiconductors. Chemistry is responsible for many of the things that we use on a daily basis.

Some of these things include various medicines, clothing materials, semi-conductors, and environmental improvements. They can also choose to work in research pure chemistry which has no practical application and is simply knowledge gathering. Because chemists are involved in so many areas, there is no typical day. However, there are some common tasks they all share. There are two branches of science that study matter - chemistry and physics.

Chemistry has an entire industry, the chemical industry, named after it. Many chemists work in research and development, production, training, or management. Chemists also work in other industries, for example, the petroleum, pharmaceutical, and food industries. There is no industry named after physics, however, many industries have grown out of physics research, such as the semiconductor and electronics industries. The difference between the two disciplines is in the training, scope, and approach.

Even when working as a team, chemists and physicists have different roles. Although the fundamental laws that control the behaviour of matter apply to both chemistry and physics, the disciplines are quite different.

Chemistry focuses on the study of chemical reactions and synthesis, the properties and reactions of matter on a large scale, how substances interact with each other, and with energy. It also focuses on the methods for identifying molecules and their mechanisms of transformation. A chemist's explanations and predictions are correlated to the underlying atomic structure. Physics, on the other hand, focuses on nature - from the entire universe all the way down to subatomic particles. All the fundamental principles of physical phenomena, the forces of nature, and aspects of space and time are measurable and follow some behaviour that sync with the most basic principles of physics.

By following concepts taken from the most fundamental principles, matter and energy can be explained. What is a Chemist? What does a Chemist do? Chemists typically specialize in one of the sub disciplines of chemistry, the most prominent of those being: Biochemistry Neurochemistry Nuclear Chemistry Theoretical Chemistry There are even those involved in forensic chemistry who work with law enforcement to establish evidence in criminal investigations.

Are you suited to be a chemist?