Welcome from the Chair

Our undergraduate offerings include bachelor’s degrees in pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology, and cheminformatics, in addition to our ACS-certified chemistry degree. Our degree programs provide preparation for a career in the chemical industry or the government, graduate school, health programs including medical school, and law school. The department’s innovative Studio Lab provides a supportive learning environment for chemistry majors.

The department has connections with high-profile employers, such as Los Alamos National Laboratory, who offer co-op and internship opportunities.

We have a dynamic group of students in our department, many of whom participate in undergraduate research. We're always looking for future chemists—could you be one? Drop us a line, schedule a visit, or apply to Michigan Tech today.

Opportunities in graduate education include an MS and a PhD in Chemistry; interdisciplinary PhD programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Atmospheric Sciences, and Environmental Engineering; and a Peace Corps Master's International program, which offers an MS in Applied Science Education in conjunction with Peace Corps service.

The new Chemistry Accelerated Master’s program allows students to simultaneously earn an MS in Chemistry along with any bachelor’s degree offered by the department in five years of study.

Our graduate students interact closely with a faculty advisor in research groups of two to six people. Research is often interdisciplinary in nature. New graduate students may apply for open GRA and GTA positions in research groups directly through the Graduate School.

Our creative, enthusiastic faculty lead externally funded research projects that actively engage graduate-level students. We have several research groups in multiple areas of chemistry, including biochemistry, organic chemistry, and computational chemistry. All of our faculty members welcome undergraduate researchers into their groups. Once students master lab techniques and safety, they have the freedom to conduct individual research.

Departmental research has been expanding boundaries in areas as diverse as molecular probes in medicinal chemistry; design of chiral ligands and synthesis of combinatorial libraries; polymer synthesis and applications of nanoparticles, nanofibers, and bio-composites; composition of aerosol particles; and vibrational spectroscopy of solid-state structures in batteries.

Our alumni include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Melvin Calvin, who was one of three scientists to first map the chemical process that takes place during photosynthesis (known as “the Calvin cycle”). In 2011, Calvin’s image appeared on a commemorative US postage stamp in recognition of this pioneering work. Department alumni have been hired by companies including Kimberly-Clark, Sigma-Aldrich, and Amgen, plus a number of small start-ups; universities and colleges worldwide; and government labs including Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

We want to hear from our alumni! Let us know what you're up to, send us a note, come for a visit, or catch up with us at a conference. Network with your colleagues and classmates through Alumni Relations.