Why Take Chemistry?
General
Chemists are interested in understanding our physical universe, with an emphasis on the changes that take place in both matter and energy.
How It Applies
Since the universe is made up of matter and energy, the study of chemistry (and physics) provides the foundation for all the natural sciences.
Opportunities
Chemists can use their knowledge for a wide range of applications. Forensic scientists use chemistry to help solve crimes; agricultural chemists help solve problems with soils and plant and animal management; pharmacists use chemistry to help develop and dispense medications. Medical doctors and dentists, as well as pharmaceutical chemists, biologists and biochemists, use chemistry to make advances in the areas of diagnostics, drugs and drug delivery systems. Geochemists seek to understand how rocks and minerals form and change; chemists are involved in planetary research and the development of propulsion systems for space exploration. Chemists are also heavily involved in environmental issues such as global warming, fire fighting, and hazardous materials management. You name it, and chemists are there.
Jan Tech (left) and Dana Dominguez (right) learn how to be scientists in the organic chemistry lab.