Which major would give me more job opportunities? Majoring in Biomedical Engineering or Chemistry option in Materials Science? If I decide to major in Chemistry Materials Science, I have enough room to minor in Environmental Engineering
Thoughts?
Materials Scientists study solid materials and may focus on the physics or chemistry or both types of measurements
on solids. The main classes of materials are metals, ceramics, polymers, composite materials (blends of metal and ceramic etc) and semiconductors and magnetic materials.
The two materials science branches that are most chemistry related and have a lot of jobs are biomaterials, and the other is polymer sciences. (plastics ) Metallurgy is another good speciality as aerospace firms, medical device firms, and car manufacturers always need metallurgists too, the study of metals. Both polymer scientists and metallurgists get hired by the semiconductor industry to create new thin film processes for integrated circuit chips.
Polymer materials are now very useful in drug delivery, so thats where chemical engineering and materials science
starts to blur. Some polymer chemists work in chemical engineering departments and others work in materials science departments.
Chemical Engineers study liquid and gas phase processes, so pharmaceuticals, oil and gas extraction, and some end up in the semiconductor industry, creating new processes to make integrated circuit chips, so Intel, Micron, Global Foundries and other employers.
What school are you thinking of, as far as environmental/materials science combination? Some schools like GaTech make it more difficult to double major or minor and others are more flexible.
Environmental engineering is often paired with CIVIL Engineering at many schools, so look at civil engineering too.
That is the study of the mechanics of building infrastructure, and sometimes includes water engineering, but also bridges and roads that need to take the environment into account.
Look at Case Western Reserve U for a major called Macromolecular Engineering. This is very chemistry focused,
and offers a lot of on campus research, and will get you into a PhD program if thats your goal. There are also jobs
for bachelors in macromolecular engineering. Lehigh U also is strong in polymer sciences, as is MIT and many other schools that offer materials science majors.