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Chemists are the people who transform the everyday materials around us into amazing things. Some chemists work on cures for cancer while others monitor the ozone protecting us from the sun. Still others discover new materials to make our homes warmer in the winter, or new textiles to be used in the latest fashions. The knowledge gained through the study of chemistry opens many career pathways. Here are just a few of the careers chosen by chemists. Agricultural Chemistry Biochemistry Chemical Education Chemical Engineering Consumer Product Chemistry Environmental Chemistry Food and Flavor Chemistry Forensic Chemistry Medicinal Chemistry Some Career Descriptions: Biochemistry Biochemistry is the study of the structure, composition, and chemical reactions of substances in living systems. Biochemistry emerged as a separate discipline when scientists combined biology with organic, inorganic, or physical chemistry and began to study such topics as how living things obtain energy from food, the chemical basis of heredity, and what fundamental changes occur in disease. Biochemistry is applied to medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and food science. Chemical Engineering Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, math, and physics to the design and operation of large-scale chemical manufacturing processes. They translate processes developed in the lab into practical applications for the production of products such as plastics, medicines, detergents, and fuels; design plants to maximize productivity and minimize costs; and evaluate plant operations for performance and product quality. Chemical engineers are employed by almost all companies in the chemical process industry. Forensic Chemists A forensic chemist is a professional chemist who analyzes evidence that is brought in from crime scenes and reaches a conclusion based on tests run on that piece of evidence. A forensic chemist's job is to identify and characterize the evidence as part of the larger process of solving a crime. Forensic chemists rarely conduct any investigative work; they handle the evidence collected from the crime scene. Medicinal Chemistry Medicinal chemistry is the application of chemical research techniques to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. During the early stages of medicinal chemistry development, scientists were primarily concerned with the isolation of medicinal agents found in plants. Today, scientists in this field are also equally concerned with the creation of new synthetic drug compounds. Medicinal chemistry is almost always geared toward drug discovery and development. Food and Flavor Chemists Food chemistry focuses on the chemistry of foods, their deterioration, and the principles underlying the improvement of foods for consumers. It applies chemistry to developing, processing, packaging, preserving, storing, and distributing foods and beverages to obtain safe, economical, and aesthetically pleasing food supplies. Few people recognize the science behind the food they consume. While food science involves chemistry, biology, physics, biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition, and engineering, the major portion of a food science curriculum is chemistry. Food chemistry encompasses everything from agricultural raw materials to consumer end-use products. See also SIMPLE MACHINE AIR AND COMBUSTION AN ALKALI BASES AND INDICATORS SODIUM HYDROGEN CARBONATE AND SODIUM CARBONATE

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