Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry offers programs of study leading to the Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science degrees. These degrees are based on coursework and original research. Many research projects merge disciplines such as chemical/synthetic biology, biophysics/physics, computational science, informatics, photonics/photophysics and materials science with chemistry. General courses as well as advanced and special topics courses are offered.
Admission Requirements
Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in chemistry or in a closely related field with a strong chemistry background. A GPA of at least 3.0 in the sciences is needed for consideration. GRE General Test scores are not required. Admission decisions are made as completed applications are received. For most favorable consideration for the Fall term, all application materials should be received by January 15 (both domestic and international students).
Master's Degree Requirements
The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in chemistry is a research degree that requires six graduate courses, a minimum of 30 credit hours, and research leading to a thesis.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
In the doctoral program, emphasis is placed on original research and a comprehensive knowledge of one's chosen field.
Student Financial Support
Incoming graduate students are supported by departmental teaching assistantships. Outstanding applicants are eligible for supplemental fellowships during their first year of study. Research assistantships are normally available to second-, third-, and fourth-year students. The department also has fellowships for students interested in the area of electronic materials, biotechnology and pharmaceutical and synthetic organic chemistry, as well as travel funds to attend and deliver an oral presentation professional meeting(s).
Other Relevant Information
The Chemistry Department forms part of the College of Sciences. More than one dozen new faculty members have been added in the last ten years, thereby greatly enhancing opportunities for graduate research especially in cutting edge interdisciplinary programs.
Faculty
Full Professors
- Dimitris S. Argyropoulos
- Edmond F. Bowden
- Felix Nicholas Castellano
- Stefan Franzen
- Edith Glazer
- Christopher B. Gorman
- Jonathan S. Lindsey
- James D. Martin
- David C. Muddiman
- Alexander A. Nevzorov
- Maria T. Oliver-Hoyo
- David A. Shultz
- Alexej I. Smirnov
- Leslie A. Sombers
- Brian Space
- Gavin John Williams
Associate Professors
- Nelson Rodrigo Vinueza Benitez
- Erin Marie Baker
- Nelson R. Vinueza Benitez
- Michael S. Bereman
- Ryan Chiechi
- Reza A. Ghiladi
- Elon A. Ison
- Elena Jakubikova
- Lucian A. Lucia
- Paul A. Maggard
- Joshua Glenn Pierce
- Tatyana I. Smirnova
- Yi Xiao
Assistant Professors
- Oliver Baars
- Yevgeny Brudno
- Wei-Chen Chang
- Denis Fourches
- Raja Ghosh
- Milena Jovanovic
- Xiaotong Li
- Vincent Lindsay
- Jun Ohata
- Caroline Proulx
- Thomas Theis
Practice/Research/Teaching Professors
- P. Brown
- J. Feducia
- M. Gallardo-Williams
- A. Ison
- M. Martin
- G. S. McCarty
- L. Del Negro
- L. Petrovich
- G. Rabah
- K. Sandberg
- L. Sremaniak
- M. Voynov
- R. Warren
Emeritus Faculty
- Alton J. Banks
- Robert D. Bereman
- Charles Boss
- Carl L. Bumgardner
- Halbert H. Carmichael
- Daniel L. Comins
- Forrest W. Getzen
- Forrest C. Hentz
- Morteza Khaledi
- S. Levine
- Charles Moreland
- Suzanne T. Purrington
- William L. Switzer
- William P. Tucker
- Dennis W. Wertz
- Myung H. Whangbo
- Jerry L. Whitten
Adjunct Faculty
- V. Bornemann
Courses
Survey of the present state of understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to the emergence of sustainable self-replicating systems in the prebiotic era on the early Earth, including historical context, experimental studies, and theoretical foundation. The course will include a focus on the fundamental chemistry of and mechanisms for the plausible prebiotic formation of diverse biomolecules (including amino acids, sugars, nucleotides, lipids, tetrapyrroles) and self-organizing chemistry leading to protocells, the proposed early progenitors of living cells. Credit will not be given for both 颁贬听463 and 颁贬听563.
Typically offered in Spring only
Introduction and history of the field of proteomics followed by the principles and applications of proteomics technology to understand protein expression and protein post-transitional modifications. Laboratory sessions include growing yeast with stable-isotope labeled amino acids, protein purification, Western blots, protein identification and quantification, and protein bioinformatic analysis. This is a half-semester course.
Typically offered in Spring only
Review and discussion of scientific articles, progress reports on research and special problems of interest to chemists.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in CH
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Detailed study of a particular problem or technique pertaining to chemistry.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
Thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Study of periodic table/trends, symmetry and molecular orbital theory of small molecules and extended structures, transition-metal coordination complexes, acid/base and redox reactivity of polyatomic ions, solid-state structures, and selected special topics.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course uses group theory as the basis for developing molecular orbital theory, vibrational spectroscopy, and electronic spectroscopy. Together, these methods are used to discuss topics of current research interest in inorganic chemistry.
Prerequisite: 颁贬听701 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
Coverage of concepts of bonding and structure of transition metal complexes with emphasis on the interaction of transition metal fragements with organic ligands; study of experimental methods of mechanistic study; treatment of inorganic and organometallic reactions including metal-mediated organic synthesis, metal-catalyzed polymer synthesis, and models of bioinorganic systems.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Spring only
First semester of two-semester integrated sequence covering advanced methods for extraction and interpretation of chemical information from electronic/optical signals in chemical analysis. Digital and analog electronics, signal acquisition and processing, chemometrics, and instrumentation.
Typically offered in Fall only
Introduction to physical organic chemistry. Topics include: bonding/introductory molecular orbital theory, reactive intermediates, aromaticity, pericyclic reactions, thermochemistry, linear free-energy relationships, kinetics, and transition-state theory. Topics and concepts are related to molecular reactivity and reaction mechanisms.
Typically offered in Fall only
Introduction to acid-base theory and mechanistic organic chemistry as applied to synthetically useful organic reactions.
Prerequisite: 颁贬听721
Typically offered in Spring only
Application of physical methods to the solution of structural problems in organic chemistry. Methods discussed include electronic absorption spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry.
Typically offered in Fall only
Fundamentals of mass spectrometry including topics such as: mass, isotopic distributions, resolving power, mass accuracy. Ionization source topics: electron impact, chemical ionization, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, electrospray ionization and contemporary methods. Instrumentation and mass analyzers: quadrupole, time-of-flight, Fourier transform based mass analyzers; hybrid instruments such as a quadrupole orbitrap. Tandem mass spectrometry and dissociation. Applications: quantitation, small molecule analysis, and peptide sequencing.
Typically offered in Fall only
Survey of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics, with emphasis on reactions in liquid phase. Problem solving an important part of course. Designed for review and expansion on materials usually covered in a one-year undergraduate physical chemistry course.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall only
Modern views on structure, function, and thermodynamic stability of biological macromolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and biological membranes; theories and models of protein folding, high resolution experimental methods for structure determination of soluble and membrane proteins including solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy.
Physical principles underlying the experimental spectroscopic methods used to study structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules. Detailed discussion of experimental techniques include high-resolution solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance in combination with spin labeling and spin trapping methods, and fluorescence spectroscopy, including single molecule methods and fluorescence microscopy. This course is offered every third semester from Spring 2010.
This course is focused on physical and quantum mechanical principles that make magnetic resonance the most important spectroscopic technique in chemistry. Detailed discussion of description of magnetic resonance phenomena and NMR and EPR experimental techniques covers both classical and quantum mechanical treatments. Students of diverse backgrounds will gain in-depth knowledge of modern magnetic resonance as applied to problems in chemistry, materials, and nano-science, and biophysics.
Introduction to rotational, vibrational and electronic molecular spectroscopy from a quantum mechanical viewpoint. Emphasis on the elucidation of structure, bonding and excited state properties of organic and inorganic molecules.
Prerequisite: 颁贬听435
Typically offered in Spring only
Elements of wave mechanics applied to stationary energy states and time-dependent phenomena. Applications of quantum theory to chemistry, particularly chemical bonds.
Typically offered in Fall only
Thermodynamics and kinetics of electrode reactions presented as well as experimental methods for studying them. Particular emphasis on measurement of standard potential and establishing number of electrons transferred. Applications of electrochemistry in production/storage of energy and in chemical analysis.
Typically offered in Spring only
Basic principles of methods in chemical separation including gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, etc. Theory, instrumentation and applications of various chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques.
Typically offered in Fall only
Effects of structure and substituents on direction and rates of organic reactions.
Typically offered in Fall only
Detailed examination of the relationship between chemical structure and physical properties of materials with potential use in applications. Different classes of molecules and materials requirements for several applications will be emphasized.
Prerequisite: 颁贬听201 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
The interface between inorganic and biological chemistry will be explored, focusing on the catalytic processes in metalloenzymes, and with an emphasis on the diverse roles of transition metals in biology. The physical methods required for the study of bioinorganic systems will be introduced, with application toward determining enzymatic mechanisms. Selected topics will include heme chemistry, nitrogen fixation, C-H bond activation, electron transfer, oxygen transport, metal ion uptake and toxicity, drug activation and/or metabolism by metalloenzymes, and metallodrugs.
Prerequisite: 颁贬听401
Typically offered in Spring only
Selected topics in solid-state chemistry including: extended symmetry, structure, bonding, characterizations, and special topics. Graduate standing in Chemistry required.
Prerequisite: 颁贬听701 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Review and discussion of scientific articles, progress reports on research and special problems of interest to chemists.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in CH
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Detailed study of a particular problem or technique pertaining to chemistry.
Typically offered in Fall only
For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall only
Dissertation research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer