Careers in chemistry

Once I had decided on a career in chemistry, I was determined rather single-mindedly to make a success of it. I sometimes think about what would have happened had I chosen a different occupation or field. Having a rather competitive nature, I could probably have done reasonably well in a number of other areas. Certainly for some fields you must be born with a special talent. Musical talent, artistic ability, business acumen, leadership ability, and vision can be further developed. 

Charles Prevost (18991983), the son of a Parisian engineer, recalled the origins of his career in chemistry. As a lycee student, he had taken the baccalaureate examinations in both mathematics and philosophy. There followed the "special mathematics" class at the Lycee Louis le Grand which prepared students for the entry exams for the Ecole Normale and Ecole Polytechnique. "Like most of the students leaving the classes de speciales, I thought myself to have a vocation as a mathematician. "52 But the lectures of the physicist... 

Careers which interrelate chemistry and the law are not as unusual as one might suspect. A person may obtain a degree in chemistry or chemical engineering to pursue a life-long career as a chemist or chemical engineer. Sometimes, however, he finds that a career in chemistry does not provide him with the satisfactions he anticipated. He may desire a career that involves more contact with people and less direct contact with chemistry. This sequence of changes in career objectives often leads to a desire to pursue the practice of law. 

Personality factors also play a role but are sometimes overlooked. Clients turn to lawyers to solve or avert problems they face, and they want to have confidence in their attorneys. An assertive, confident lawyer inspires that trust. Much of the incentive for chemists to go to the trouble and expense of acquiring a law degree arises from the desire for the increased personal contact that is offered by a career in law over many of the traditional careers in chemistry. Thus, personality is an important attribute of a good and successful lawyer. 

By Professor Ohtaki s unexpected death, a tremendous career in chemistry has come to an end. He received his education from the Faculty of Science at Nagoya University where he obtained his Dr.Sc. degree in 1961. Then followed several years (1961-1964) as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Professor Lars G. Sillen s group at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, years he often talked about with sincere enthusiasm to someone coming from that part the world. During the stay in Stockholm his research interests were shaped and firmly directed towards solution chemistry and coordination chemistry, and when he returned to... 

Regardless of race, a preponderance of scientists cite personal interest or the desire to know more about nature as the primary reason to pursue science as a career. A greater proportion of white scientists than African American scientists cited this as their primary reason. African American scientists are more likely than their white peers to report that the influence of others contributed greatly to their decision to pursue a career in science (Pearson, 1985). Similar to previous studies, the majority of interviewees in this study cite the influence of others as the leading catalyst for selecting a career in chemistry. One interviewee reported this ... 

Another interviewee explained I selected chemistry because I thought it was more challenging and had more things to discover than biology. Biology was too routine for me. One chemist said that he decided to pursue a career in chemistry because of the influence of a chemistry teacher, whose highest degree was a master s in French. 

SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT CHOOSING A CAREER IN CHEMISTRY... 

When asked if they had any second thoughts about having chosen a career in chemistry, 89% of interviewees answered that they did not, one took a neutral position, and only four indicated that they had second thoughts about their careers. Two of the four expressing doubts about having chosen a career in chemistry were women who admitted that they were not fully prepared to deal with the competitive nature of academic chemistry. Nevertheless, the vast majority of interviewees indicated that if they had to do it again, they would choose a career in chemistry because of their fascination with and love for the subject matter. In short, an overwhelming majority of interviewees were satisfied with their career choice. 

I honestly have to say yes that I have some doubts about having pursued a career in chemistry. 

The distribution of funds for academic research by field has shifted as well. In 2000, the largest research and development expenditures in science and engineering were in the medical sciences, biological sciences, and engineering (Jones, 2003). Funding was such an important issue for one interviewee that they were ambivalent about recruiting students to careers in chemistry ... 

Findings 1. Several of the interviewees admitted that they chose a career in chemistry without any knowledge of the role of a chemist, other than teaching. In addition to standard hiring issues (salary, advancement), a welcoming and supportive environment was a deciding factors in their career decisions. This stems partially from the lack of visibility of scientists. 

Implications for Practice. Stakeholders should do a better job communicating both the attractiveness of careers in chemistry, and the diverse sectors in which they can practice (including self-employment). 

Finding 3 There is a need to recruit more African Americans-female and male - to careers in chemistry. African Americans are virtually invisible in science and technology policy. Moreover, only a few are in the ranks of the scientific elite-Nobel laureates, and members of the National Academy of Science. When asked if there is a need to increase the representation of African Americans in chemistry, 98% of interviewees answered affirmatively and cited the following reasons untapped talent need for technical skills to be competitive in the workplace highly respected field future leaders for a global economy the need for diversity in chemistry and increased numbers will provide the visibility to attract others. 

Career Satisfaction. A maj ority of interviewees indicated that they were satisfied with their current or last position. Overall, most interviewees reported that they were very satisfied with their choice of a career in chemistry. Regardless of gender and cohort, most interviewees cited mentors as the major influence in their careers. For married interviewees, spouses were also cited as a major influence. 

If you have enjoyed performing the experiments in this book, figuring out formulas and equations, jotting down observations, you are the kind of person who has the qualifications for making a successful career in chemistry. 

The bottom line is that educators everywhere would benefit from an International dialogue with their counterparts to create the chemistry courses needed to equip students for a future career in chemistry. 

The program is designed to assist financially the student who is considering a career in chemistry. 

Most of the signatories of the letter continued with careers in chemistry or related areas, and their biographical details will be found in the most appropriate chapter of this compilation. However, there is little information on three of the signatories thus, their brief biographies are compiled in this section. 

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