Here are just a few of the many science-related possibilities that have developed recently. See if any of these appeal to you!

• Environmental Engineering: “Every engineer should be a green engineer,” says Dr. Tony Collins, President of Clarkson University. Environmental engineers, who traditionally design systems such as wastewater treatment plants and air pollution control systems, are increasingly involved in designing manufacturing processes to minimize the production of wastes.
  
• Law: Many science and engineering majors head for the bar—via law school, that is. Patent lawyers and environmental lawyers, in particular, need technical knowledge. Law schools love engineers. “The academic discipline that you learn in engineering is perfect preparation for the discipline of law course work,” says Julie McCulloh, Dean of Admission at Gonzaga University.
  
• Anthropology or Archeology: Technology is driving new advances in the study of history and culture—and it’s helping to make or accelerate new discoveries. Plus, anthropology and archeology complement other disciplines in obvious and subtle ways; they can expand your horizons and add a richer dimension to your life.
  
• Information Technology (or Technical Communications): Interested in high tech but don’t want as much math as engineering requires? This new major (it can carry either of the names above—or others) provides a strong background in computer applications rather than in hardware. Graduates work in a variety of areas, including computer networking, website design, or technical writing.
  
• Neuroscience: Lots of colleges have added this interdisciplinary major. Students study the nervous system through courses ranging from molecular biology and biophysics to computer engineering, behavior, and cognition.
  
• Biomedical Engineering: This brings engineering technology, analysis, and design together to solve medical problems. Bioengineers design equipment and techniques used by medical professionals to do high-precision surgery such as fetal or brain surgery; to produce accurate, non-invasive images of the body with MRI, CT, and PET; and to produce artificial body parts. Engineers also contribute to molecular biology and genetics. Vanderbilt, for example, offers a biomedical degree that can be combined with an electrical or chemical engineering major.

How can you find out about science and engineering fields you’re not familiar with?

• Don’t rely only on the good folks in the admissions office. Ask the admissions office to provide you with detailed information about course offerings in the science, social science, and engineering departments and to put you in touch with a professor or the department head.
  
• Make plans to visit the campuses of the colleges you’re interested in. A few weeks before your visit, call and ask the admissions office to set up an appointment for you with a professor in your area of interest—and be ready to ask lots of questions. Intimidated? A professor’s job is to be a teacher. Besides, most are pleased to talk to a prospective student who might major in their field. You can simply say, “I think I might be interested in this field, but I’d like to know more about the opportunities and the options available.”
  
• Sit in on a class; ask to talk with one or more students in the field.
  
• Look carefully at the college’s website or literature to see if cutting-edge courses are offered.
  
• Use online resources to research your area of interest more broadly.

In your college search, explore all the options a college offers. And once you get to college, keep on exploring. In many fields, technology is opening up new possibilities, and new options and applications are constantly being created.

Article by Deborah Knight and courtesy of www.careersandcolleges.com