Chemistry - Virginia Commonwealth University

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The Department of Chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary study and scientific discovery at both the undergraduate and graduate level. We seek to create independent thinkers capable of addressing and solving the next generation of scientific and technological problems. Currently, we have 35 faculty and more than 400 Chemistry majors and 70 graduate students. We recently introduced two new graduate programs in chemistry: An Accelerated BS+MS program as well as a non-thesis MS program in Chemistry to serve those that work in industry who want to further their education. We are also fully invested and participate in two interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology. Diversity and inclusion are among our greatest assets.

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Research

The Department of Chemistry’s research laboratories provide space for more than 100 graduate students, postdoctoral research associates and faculty to conduct research in a safe and spacious environment. We specialize in interdisciplinary and collaborative research in the fields of chemistry, chemical education, chemical biology, materials, and nanoscience. We house an excellent, modern instrumentation facility in Chemistry, a separate NMR and Mass spectrometry facility, and are within walking distance to a state-of-the-art facility for the characterization of nanoscale materials.

Why Choose Chemistry?

Because chemistry is everywhere! "If it exists, chemistry is involved; If you can buy it, a chemist was involved somewhere." (from the late Cliff Meloan). Chemistry enriches the quality of our lives in numerous ways by providing new solutions to problems in health, materials, and energy usage.

About us

Our department has 35 faculty members and more than 400 undergraduate chemistry majors. VCU Chemistry ranks in the top 20 nationally in BS degrees in Chemistry, including those awarded to women and underrepresented minorities. Our degree concentrations include chemical science, professional chemist, professional chemist with honors, chemical modeling, and biochemistry. Undergraduate research is a big component of our program and we encourage all our majors to participate in undergraduate research opportunities, if at all possible. Our dedicated chemistry advisors are highly connected with our students and help guide them through to degree completion.