Interview With Mary Guillory
Mary Guillory
Environmental Engineer, International Paper Company
I interviewed Mary Guillory and she will probably answer some questions that you that you have been waiting for.
1. In your opinion, what is the best type of carrer in Chemical Engineering?
The one you enjoy the most. I love my job but not all Chemical Engineers would like it.
2. What kinds of things on an avergage day should people be prepared for if they enter a career in chemical engineering?
It depends on what carrer path you choose. there are consulting careers where you travel most of the time, research carrers where you spend your time in a lab, or there are industry jobs where you can spend your time in the office or plant.
3. What would you say is the best part about being a chemical engineer?
The versatility in the degree. You can do what you like. You have your choice of enviormental work, maintenance work, engineering work, production, research, consulting...anything!
4. Of all the engineering fields, is chemical engineering the hardest?
I believe it is. Not everyone can do the chemistry.
5. What area do you specialze in?
I work in production on the Paper Machines at a paper mill. I have worked as a Project Engineer putting in different projects in across the mill and as an Enviornmental Engineer managing the wastewater treatment plant.
6. In your field of engineering, what do you do that helps the environment?
When I was working in the Enviormental department, I managed the wastewater treatment plant. This involved supervising the lab in which we did daily testing on our discharge to the Sulphur River and preparing the enviormental reports required by out permits. In Paper Machines, we try to manage our process so that we minimize the loss of raw materials, cemicals, and oils to the sewers.
7. What kinds of courses do you take in college to become a chemical engineer?
We had to take multiple math and chemistry courses but the acutal chemical engineering courses were mass transfer, kinetics, unit operations, plant economics, process safety, fluid operations, and 2 classes of thermodynamics.
8. What does the average chemical engineer make and how does it compare to other engineering fields?
The average starting salary is $56,000 per year. It is one of the highest paid engineering fields.
9. What kinds of tests do you have to take to become a chemical engineer?
You don't have to take any test. When you graduate you are a chemical engineer. All engineers have the option to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam. Once you pass this you are classified as an "EIT", Certified Engineer-in-Training. After you have accumulated 4 years of experience you can the Principle and Practice of Engineering (PE) Exam. If you pass this test, you are classified as a Professional Engineering (PE). You have this licence to obtain and public works careers, such as a civil engineer who designs roads and bridges. you can learn more about this process at the following website
http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/index.htm
10. What advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a chemical engineer?
Work hard at learning the basics in school, everything builds on those principles.
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