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For Students

Why Join the Environmental Division?

The Environmental Division offers students access to networking opportunities with seasoned and dedicated professionals in all facets of environmental chemical engineering. If you contact an officer, we can match you with a mentor. Mentors can answer questions about finding a job or internship, networking, and graduate school. Undergraduate students who enter posters in Environmental Division sessions at the fall meeting are eligible for the Student Environmental Paper Award. While you don’t need to be a member of the Environmental Division to attend our technical sessions, members (even student members) can be active in selecting, planning and executing technical sessions.

Contacts?

Contact an officer of the Environmental Division.

Becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer

Holding a Professional Engineer’s license (P.E.) demonstrates that you have the education, experience, and knowledge necessary to offer your professional services directly to the public. A P.E. license is not required for all career paths, but it does allow you to perform consulting work and bid for public funds. Thus, being a licensed P.E. can expand your career opportunities. In the U.S., each state offers P.E. licensure. Visit the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying website to learn more.

Graduate School information

A graduate degree can help you expand your knowledge, broaden your career horizons, and increase your earning potential.

  • A Master’s degree in engineering extends your technical knowledge beyond the undergraduate level and may increase your employment opportunities. Master’s studies can also be an opportunity to gain credentials in a field different from your undergraduate program. Master’s programs typically last 1-2 years. The requirements generally consist of coursework, and possibly research culminating in a Master's Thesis and/or teaching depending on the program.
  • A Ph.D. is a prerequisite for most research careers, whether in academics, government laboratories, or the private sector. A Ph.D. is also often required for university-level teaching positions. Most engineering Ph.D. programs last ~5 years and comprise coursework, some teaching, and extensive research culminating in the Ph.D. Dissertation. A Masters’ degree is generally not a prerequisite for entering a Ph.D. program in engineering. Tuition assistance and stipends are frequently available through the university.
  • Other advanced degrees, such as an MBA or JD (law degree) may be advantageous depending on your chosen environmental career path.

Resources & Links

Become an AIChE Student Member 

Already a member, Join the ENV Division