<p>So I'm thinking that I want to major in something that has to do with green energy or stuff related to that. I really like earth science and I like chem and bio (but I don't think I like chem enough to do chem eng). I did some googling and looked at the classes required to major in mech e and environmental engineering at MIT, and maybe it is simply because I am unfamiliar with the topics required for mech e, that I don't really think that that is what I want to do, but I am really unfamiliar with engineering as a whole, so I don't want to taint myself against it yet before getting a feel for what it is. Sorry if that was confusing, I don't really know how to put it. </p>
<p>If anyone can tell me what classes are like in enviro eng and/or mech e that would be really helpful. Also, if you know what kinds of things people with those degrees do as jobs after college/grad school that would be helpful too. Plus, if you have any other comments or advice that I could use...thanks :)</p>
<p>I don’t know much about the department, but my friend who was course 2 did his undergrad research work (and, now, his PhD thesis work) in a lab working on fuel cells – there are definitely some labs in course 2 working on alternative energy topics.</p>
<p>Alternative energy isn’t a specific branch of engineering. It is a field in which many areas of engineering are applied. For example: Electrical engineers are needed to figure out the power generation, management and distribution. Chemical engineeers are needed to develope new batteries. I am a structural engineer and have worked on very tall towers to hold solar receivers and the receiver itself as well as the many, many mirror supports The receiver uses a lot of the same knowledge that I used to apply to designing rocket engines.</p>
<p>The engineering principles are all the same, just the application. Get your degree in a field of engineering that you like. When it comes to determining which area of engineering you want to work in, then the “green” engineering comes into play. When looking at schools, look at what projects they are working on and bragging about. You’ll find almost all will have some “green” engineering projects in the mix. If not, I’m sure you’ll be able to find a professor that would support almost anything you want to do (the kicker is always finding the money to do it).</p>