Undergraduate / 'selecting Chemical Engineering' - UC (University of California) #1 [5]

What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had in the field - such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities - and what you have gained from your involvement.

My problem is I do not really have any experience in the field besides the classes I took. So I focused on my interestes in the field and professional goals. Here is my essay:

Science has always been a primary interest in my life. It is the solution to my undying curiosity to understand the world around me. Not until the end years of high school did I come to the conclusion that chemical engineering is the major for me. This choice was not only reflective of my academic success, but also the personal objective of practically helping the world through technological advances and management of resources.

In school, I excelled in science far above other subjects. This was thanks my personal qualities of thinking logically and possessing a boundless imagination-two things a scientist should have. This imprinted on my interests in growing up. I Read articles on the latest technologies, watched sci-fi, enjoyed James Bond films, and went on the internet often. I believe my father is to blame, himself being a chemist for Arco. All of these factors helped shape my viewpoint that science is the way to a brighter future.

This viewpoint allowed me to pick chemical engineering above others because it deals with the usage of science and math (another subject I am good at) to convert chemicals/materials to more useful forms. There are so many areas that appeal to me -nanotechnology, hydrogen power, bio engineering, fuel cells , and polymer engineering are just a few. Also what I like is that chemical engineering solves practical problems that are immediately useful to society. An example would be synthetic rubber during World War II. The Allies were in a shortage of rubber since the Axis Powers controlled the majority of natural rubber supplies. Rubber was necessary in most machines and things looks grim. However, Waldo Semon invented a cheaper way to mass produce synthetic rubber and solved the shortage crisis contributing greatly to the Allied Victory.

In selecting Chemical Engineering, I will get to design processes in such ways that are economically feasible and manufactured at large-scales. The world needs more efficient methods in using our limited supply of resources. This is the path I choose in helping people globally.