Chemical Engineering and

Organic Paint
Science is no m
ore than an
investigation of a m
iracle w
e
can never explain, and art is an
interpretation of that m
iracle.
!
R
ay
B
rad
bu
ry

Magnablend in Waxahachie exploded
my sophomore year, poisoning the
air and environment around it. If
they had had a chemist or
chemical engineer on staff, then
maybe Magnablends reputation and
Waxahachies environment would be
cleaner today. I wish to help
companies plan against
catastrophes like this so that our
world and our economy will be a healthier place.
Diseases are crippling populations today, and
pharmaceuticals are the future. Chemists and
chemical engineers are helping find new
combinations and concepts that are helping heal
the world, and Im planning on taking my major
into one of these professions. My high
school experiences have guided me thus far,
but now it is time for a new challenge. I am
hoping the college classes and international experiences I have
at Texas Tech University will prepare me for this future.
More About Me
I love to read, draw, paint, and volunteer at my church
co!ee shop. Chemistry and its real world applications are
very interesting to me, which is why I chose to combine
my career plan with my love for art for this project.
My Inspiration to be a Chemical Engineer
Data Taken from U.S. Labor Bureau of Statistics
Types Pigments Binders Solvents Fillers
Purpose Color Glue Thins out Adds Texture
Inorganic Metals
Epoxy,
Polymers
Hydrocarbons Chalk
Organic Fruits Milk, Eggs d-Limonene
Texture from
Binder
Fun Facts
!Vincent Van Gogh is known to have eaten
samples of his paints
!Jackson Pollock, also known as Jack the
Dripper, su!ered neurological disorders from
working in a VOC-lled studio from his paints.
Outgassing is, ...that new smell in wood, furniture, carpet and that
nice fresh coat of paint on the wall. It is part of the drying and curing
process of paint (Dex Media, Inc., n.d.). VOCs in wall paint alone make up
9% of the pollutants in the air that cause greenhouse gases and smog, which
contribute directly to global warming (Casa Verde Paint, 2011). Solvents,
which control the consistency of paints, outgas and evaporate VOCs as the
paint drys, which can cause many side e!ects, ranging from mild to fatal
(Steen, 2006). Aromatic, chlorinated, and aliphatic hydrocarbons are easily
absorbed by the skin and can cause both short-term and long-term e!ects
on the nervous system (Spandorfer, Curtiss, & Snyder, 2010).
Chemical Engineering
Occupation Statistics
Mary Pearson
Organic Paint
Percentile
Bottom
10%
Lower 25%
Median
(50%)
Upper 25% Top 10%
Hourly
Wage
$28.52 $36 $46.02 $58.3 $76.43
Annual
Wage
$59,320 $74,870 $95,730 $121,250 $158,980
State Employment
Location
quotient
Hourly Mean
wage
Annual wage
mean
Texas 6,680 2.44 $61.27 $127,430
California 2,310 0.62 $46.96 $97,670
Louisiana 2,170 4.57 $56.04 $116,570
New Jersey 1,640 1.71 $51.94 $108,030
Pennsylvania 1,620 1.15 $46.10 $95,890
Components of Paint
Issues with Inorganic Manufactured Paint
Texas, Louisiana, California, Illinois,
Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York,
and Virginia have the highest amount of Chemical
Engineering employment in the country. Texas far exceeds any
of the states.