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.
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.
News
Feb. 17, 2025
How I found my research: Fosua Adu-Gyamfi learns from undergrad experiences at both VCU and the National Cancer Institute
The senior, who serves as a research assistant in a VCU lab studying alcohol use disorder, embraces research’s potential to improve the world ‘one question at a time.’
Feb. 10, 2025
Sally Hunnicutt retires after a career teaching students ‘how scientists see the world’
Hunnicutt served in the Department of Chemistry for 26 years, earning a reputation for ‘creating that positive momentum in a student’s life that can change their life trajectory.’ Two spaces in the STEM Building bear her name.
Jan. 24, 2025
From the lab to the runway: Ph.D. candidate finds confidence through research
Graduate student Lauren Moncayo said pursuing a doctorate has made her reevaluate other goals she considered ‘out of reach,’ like becoming a model.
Chemistry Spotlight
Meet Jasmine
Jasmine Witt's curiosity about how the world works on a molecular and cellular level led her to pursue a degree in chemistry. Read more about Jasmine's favorite classes, professors and her leadership role in the American Chemical Society.
Get on the fast track to a master's degree
Choose from one of two programs to earn your M.S. in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of your undergraduate program.
Study in our new STEM building
Our brand new, 169,000-square-foot building is dedicated to all things STEM, including chemistry. Students will have the opportunity to learn in six general chemistry laboratories equipped with snorkel hoods for each student.