Chemistry

Go to: Division of Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Faculty

Shivani Ahuja
Structural biochemistry, application of biophysical and biochemical techniques to study metal acquisition, virulence and inhibition of bacterial Mn(II) transporters.

Miriam A. Bowring
Mechanistic organometallic chemistry.

Gonzalo Campillo-Alvarado
Organic and materials chemistry; designing functionality into crystalline solids (e.g., electronics, pharmaceutics, separation, photoactive materials) through noncovalent interactions, crystal engineering, and X-ray crystallography.

Danielle M. Cass
Analytical biochemistry and metal analysis of environmental samples.

Kelly N. Chacón
Metallobiochemistry, X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), electronic absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy of metal sites in proteins.

Thomas Dannenhoffer-Lafage
Biophysics of intrinsically disordered proteins using molecular dynamics simulations.

Safaa Y. El-Mansy
Chemistry education research, use of qualitative methods to explore innovations in course and pedagogical design.

Daniel P. Gerrity
Experimental physical chemistry, application of laser spectroscopy to the study of chemical dynamics and molecular electronic structure.

Lynne Gratz
Atmospheric environmental science, mercury and other trace element pollutant sources and transport pathways.

Nicole M. James
Chemistry education research, using quantitative and qualitative methods to explore how students learn chemistry and apply it in interdisciplinary contexts. On sabbatical and leave 2024-25.

Brianna Jett
Organic chemistry, energy and environmental chemistry, mechanistic organic and organometallic chemistry, organoelectrochemistry.

Alicia Frost McGhee
Organic chemistry, chemical education and methodology.

Bobby O’Brien
Natural product synthesis.

Curriculum

Courses in chemistry provide a comprehensive description of the interaction of matter and energy at the atomic level. Examples of chemical phenomena drawn from current research, together with modern theoretical principles, are used to examine a diverse set of subjects, including atomic and molecular structure, the energetics of physical and chemical processes, the dynamics and mechanisms of chemical reactions, the chemical principles underlying biological and environmental processes, and the synthesis of new organic, inorganic, and biochemical compounds and materials.

Coursework is integrated with appropriate laboratory work and is designed to teach the skills used by practicing chemical scientists. A large assortment of modern research-quality instruments is available for undergraduate use, including GC-MS, FT-IR, and FT-NMR spectrometers; an X-ray diffractometer; a 250-kilowatt research reactor (see Campus Facilities ); and a computational chemistry laboratory. Research investigations are used to refine and integrate skills and to introduce students to the daily activities of practicing scientists. The senior thesis provides an opportunity to focus on a single research topic for an extended period of time and is typically conducted as a collaboration between the student and one or more faculty members. Independent study, including research, is encouraged as a method for tailoring studies to the needs of the individual student. Students are offered employment each summer as research assistants and are able to conduct original research. Much of this research is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, the American Chemical Society, the Murdock Trust, and other sources.

Students should also examine the detailed description of the established interdisciplinary program in biochemistry and molecular biology . Students interested in combining the study of chemistry with the study of environmental themes in other fields, such as biology, political science, economics, or history, should consider the environmental studies with a concentration in chemistry major. Interdisciplinary programs linking chemistry to mathematics or other disciplines can also be arranged.

Programs

Majors

Chemistry