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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Chemical Education and Careers => Topic started by: Compaq on February 04, 2013, 08:01:41 AM

Title: Personal crisis: which direction to go?
Post by: Compaq on February 04, 2013, 08:01:41 AM
I am a chemistry student, currently in my final semester of my B.Sc. I need to figure out what I want to do; what to master in. I've taken all the introductory courses in chemistry, such as organic, inorganic, analytical, physical, bio-, environmental. I've also taken a course in applied organic spectroscopy, as well as some statistical courses (regression&data analysis, ANOVA II and experimental design) and some mathematics (calculus 1/2 and linear algebra and linear differential equations). In addition, the mandatory course which introduces philosophy, ethics and phil.of.science as well as a course called "causation in science".

Now, the basis for my crisis, is a course called "Academic writing". I have to choose an article from my field, and write an expository article. It's not the writing, I love writing! I just can't seem to find an article I find truly interesting! I really liked the analytical chemistry course. And yet, I feel I know nothing! When searching up articles in analytical chemisty, half of the methods I don't know the principles behind, and the other half I haven't heard of. And I find it hard to be enthusiastic about the findings of certain heavy metals in drinking water in developing countries, or the testing of titanium dioxide solar photocatalysis, which I don't know how works. Basically, I know nothing, it feels!

However, I really love chemistry. The inorganic chemistry course was much fun, and the lab exercises were great! So I've been thinking maybe inorganic analysis is the way to go. I got a job where I check the lab reports from those a year behind me, and the my lab teacher showed me the new ICP-MS machine, a new type (something about quadruple something-something) that we were the first one to get in the whole world. I'd like to know more about how different analytical methods work, and we did learn about a few in the analytical course, but I don't feel I know that much.

I'm rambling! Does anyone have any advice?
Title: Re: Personal crisis: which direction to go?
Post by: AbdirahmanSL on February 14, 2013, 02:44:30 PM
You should be know by now, since you are at the end of your B.Sc. degree , but i think if you like analyzing stuff then go for analytic , you like medical and medicine making then go for organic, other industrial thing need inorganic so the chose is yours , i am in my first year in General science and i am thinking of majoring in Chemistry
Title: Re: Personal crisis: which direction to go?
Post by: 408 on February 15, 2013, 09:16:04 AM
If you don't like it, don't do it.