>Dear Tweeters
>
>I have a request from a student (in high school)
>who wants a career relating to environmental science.
>Here are my two questions for you tweeters:
>
>(1) What should she study? (engineering, biology,
> geology, environmental law?)
>
>(2) Where should she study?
>
>Here's your chance to tell someone what you wish
>you had done yourself!
>
>Many thanks on behalf of this student!
>
>John Sidles


The best field of study would be chemical engineering. If you're planning
to work in the field of environmental science, then more than likely you're
either going to work for a chemical or oil production firm or you're going
to work for a regulatory agency that oversees these firms. A grounding in
chemical engineering is essential in either case and a real asset to the
profession. This is true even for an environmental activist or for
environmental research at a university.

Minoring or taking several general environmental courses is helpful, but
not essential. Understand environmental regulations is a learned art and
can be learned on-the-job very quickly. If you're goal is to do
environmental research, chemical engineering is still the field of choice
as any research into pollution prevention requires a strong basic knowledge
in the processes generating the constituents of concern. Ideal qualities
for an environmental professional are a strong chemical engineering
background, ability to quickly assimilate and understand environmental
regulations, ability to work with all levels of people from top management
to the process operator to the regulatory community and the public and to
be a good teacher/trainer (you must bring your knowledge down to all folks
in the organization for everything to work properly).

Any good engineering school such as the Univ. of Illinois, Clemson, Auburn
or the Texas schools (A&M and the Univ.) would be an excellent choice.

Marty Guidry
Baton Rouge, LA
guidryrm at popalex1.linknet.net