ABSTRACT
The ‰rst “applied chemists” date from the Bronze Age cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia that developed techniques for extraction of metals from naturally occurring ores, for the brewing of beer, and for the production of pottery and glass. The beginnings of chemistry came later with the Greeks and their conceptions of elements and compounds. The melding of these ancient techniques and chemical concepts formed the basis for alchemy, which reigned until the eighteenth century. Chemistry then evolved with the ability to synthesize an increasing variety of chemical compounds. Chemical engineering, as we know it today, developed in the nineteenth century to meet the need for industrial-scale production of chemicals and materials. Since then, its main focus has undergone a series of transitions.
