Why study chemistry?

We’re the central science! Chemists have the background to go into a variety of fields to help solve some of the biggest problems we face today.

Chemistry enriches the quality of our lives in numerous ways by providing new solutions to problems in health, material science, and energy usage and storage. Students who study chemistry at VCU get to embark on a path of scientific discovery at the most fundamental of levels.

Learn more about the value of a chemistry degree.

Research Areas

As an R1 University, we provide unique opportunities for advanced study in the traditional areas of chemistry as well as in interdisciplinary topics such as sustainability and energy, chemical biology and biochemistry, nanoscience and nanomaterials, and computational and machine learning.

The Department of Chemistry has excellent resources for research that includes a fully equipped instrument facility, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center and access to university core centers that includes the Nanoscience Core Characterization Center.

Learn more about our faculty labs and facilities

Vials of liquid in a machine

News

Ka Un Lao, Ph.D., an assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Chemistry, is one of four spring 2025 winners of ACS COMP’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Award. (Photo contributed by Ka Un Lao)

Oct. 16, 2024

Chemistry professor Ka Un Lao becomes first to earn three prestigious awards from American Chemical Society

Lao’s most recent honor, the junior faculty award, recognizes his work in computational chemistry, which could propel molecular design and drug development.

Ava Beaudin, a junior at VCU, learned about platinum therapeutics for ovarian and pancreatic cancers during a recent internship. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Oct. 7, 2024

Chemistry major Ava Beaudin embraces the lab and the language

The junior and aspiring doctor sees her recent summer internship in cancer research as a lesson in communication.

Chemistry Spotlight