PhD - Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry

The Chemistry Department offers graduate programs in analytical chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, materials chemistry, physical chemistry, educational chemistry, and polymer chemistry. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for the research and practical application of chemistry to challenges facing mankind. The department also encourages interdisciplinary activities. Faculty members are active participants in the environmental engineering and science and biomedical science and engineering programs; others work with physicists and biologists in areas such as atmospheric science, biochemistry, and biophysical chemistry. The chemistry faculty wants graduate students to understand the purpose of, and need for, fundamental research while working on problems of practical interest and application to the challenges facing mankind in the modern world. Areas of research include the use of digital electronic methods to analyze trace constituents of air and water, a study of the molecules of living systems, the effects of toxic chemicals and carcinogens, synthesis and characterization of compounds of medicinal and industrial interest, methods for studying macromolecules, and characterization of transient species using lasers. The Chemistry Department strives to maintain a community of research scholars (faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students) that is large enough to provide a variety of experiences within chemistry, yet small enough to give each student individual attention.