Research Opportunities
The Department of Chemistry is at the forefront of basic and applied research, with faculty driving breakthroughs in diverse areas of chemical science. In each of our dynamic research groups, faculty and students coalesce around an area of research. Advanced labs and equipment support our activities.
Research opportunities in the department are wide-ranging and available to students at both the undergraduate and graduate level of study. All faculty members accept undergraduate student researchers into their labs. Graduate students work closely with a faculty advisor and their peers in a research group. Participate in innovative, hands-on projects as you become an expert in the topic of your choice.
Learn more about our research groups and their associated faculty.
Research Areas
Chemical Catalysis
Catalysts accelerate chemical reactions. Departmental research in this area includes development of new metallic and organo-metallic catalysts and understanding their activity at a molecular level.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
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Low-valent molybdenum complexes capable of activating dinitrogen;
Synthesis and characterization of heteronuclear quadruply bonded metal-metal complexes;
Molecular dihydrogen compounds;
Catalytic applications of metal-oxo/peroxo systems in the area of epoxidation of olefins;
Construction of metallo-framework cluster materials |
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Surface chemistry and interfacial science;
Reactivity of gases and solutions on metal oxide materials under model (ultra-high
vacuum) and real (near ambient pressure) conditions
;
Designing metal-oxide architectures and nanostructures on various substrates; Atomic
Layer Deposition and tailored growth approaches
;
Growth, properties and reactions on heterogeneous structures for energy and environmental
applications
|
Chemical Measurement
Research in chemical measurement is focused on developing better, faster, more-accurate, and more-detailed analyses of chemical substances and processes. Departmental expertise includes fluorescent sensors, chromatography, and ultrahigh resolution mass spectroscopy.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
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Understanding the identities, occurrence, and transformation of aerosol organic compounds;
Identifying organic aerosol constituents from a variety of atmospheric environments;
Exploration of new LC column chemistries with ultrahigh pressure pumps for fast and
thorough separations
;
Aqueous reaction pathways |
|
Christina Welch |
Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms
Faculty conduct experimental and theoretical research directed toward elucidating electronic and molecular structure, structure-activity relationships, and dynamic interactions at the molecular level. Departmental research may include studies focusing on the dynamic behavior and chemical reactions of molecules and atomic and molecular clusters in gas, liquid, and solid phases.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
|
Surface chemistry and interfacial science;
Reactivity of gases and solutions on metal oxide materials under model (ultra-high
vacuum) and real (near ambient pressure) conditions
;
Designing metal-oxide architectures and nanostructures on various substrates; Atomic
Layer Deposition and tailored growth approaches
;
Growth, properties and reactions on heterogeneous structures for energy and environmental
applications
|
|
Computational characterization of molecules and materials: energetic materials, nanoporous
materials, cementing materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients, crystal growth,
nucleation, surfaces, effect of defects on the structures and properties of materials,
effect of water/solvents on material evolution and degradation, biomolecules
|
|
Development of novel diagnostic and biosensing technologies for clinical settings;
Design and synthesis of functional nanomaterials with enhanced properties;
Surface engineering of nanomaterials |
Chemical Synthesis
Departmental research includes the synthesis of novel organic, inorganic, andorganometallic molecules, as well as the development of new synthetic methodologies.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
|
Chemical biology: development of novel molecular probes for DNA sequencing analysis
and disease gene discovery
;
Medicinal chemistry: development of new imaging and therapeutic agents towards cancer
and cardiovascular disease; Design and synthesis of novel prodrugs of peptides and
peptide mimetics.
|
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Organic synthesis, including the synthesis of natural and unnatural useful molecules
and the development of synthetic methodologies.
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Synthesis, characterization, biomedical sensing, imaging and therapeutic applications
of water-soluble conjugated glycopolymers, glycodendrimers, glyconanopaticles, conjugated
polyelectrolytes, small redox-active carbohydrate conjugates, and near-infrared fluorescent
probes
|
|
Synthesis of molecular probes for evaluating substrate selection by carbohydrate transporters;
Development of platforms for tumor imaging and drug delivery;
Design and synthesis of bioreductively-activated DNA repair inhibitors |
|
Development of novel diagnostic and biosensing technologies for clinical settings;
Design and synthesis of functional nanomaterials with enhanced properties;
Surface engineering of nanomaterials |
Chemistry Education
Studies focus on the teaching and learning of chemistry, including new teaching methods, assessment, and education of teachers.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
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Chemical education;
Technology-supported learning;
Online and Blended Classrooms;
Flipped Classrooms;
Spatial Ability |
Chemistry of Life Processes
Research employs chemical approaches to investigate processes at the chemistry-biology interface.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
|
Structure, metabolism, and biological role of phosphoinositides in plant cells;
Catalytic and structural aspects of phytases, including specificity of hydrolysis,
molecular weight and subunit structure, amino acid sequence, and molecular biology
;
Biosynthesis, subcellular localization, and biological role of novel scyllo-inositol
containing phosphoinositides
|
|
Synthesis of molecular probes for evaluating substrate selection by carbohydrate transporters;
Development of platforms for tumor imaging and drug delivery;
Design and synthesis of bioreductively-activated DNA repair inhibitors |
|
Understanding the molecular recognition features and assembly mechanisms of gene regulation |
|
Protein misfolding and aggregation diseases;
Consequences of protein misfolding in vitro and how it relates to misfolding in vivo;
Molecular crowding |
|
Molecular basis of glycan (carbohydrate)-mediated biological functions;
Glycan binding proteins or lectins;
Glycan detection;
Mechanistic glycobiology;
Macromolecular communication;
Biomolecular thermodynamics |
Environmental Chemical Sciences
Research in the environmental chemical sciences promotes the understanding of natural and anthropogenic chemical processes in our environment.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
|
Climate change communication;
Science-policy interface;
Response of aquatic systems to climate change;
Great Lakes;
Behavior of metal-contaminated sediments in the Lake Superior basin;
Fluorescence-based analytical methods;
Aerosol chemistry;
Origin and fate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in terrestrial, lake, and marine
environments
;
Methods for detection of free radicals, photochemical transformations of natural and
anthropogenic organic compounds in the environment
;
integration of biological, geological, physical, and chemical data for understanding
global cycles.
|
|
Understanding the identities, occurrence, and transformation of aerosol organic compounds;
Identifying organic aerosol constituents from a variety of atmospheric environments;
Exploration of new LC column chemistries with ultrahigh pressure pumps for fast and
thorough separations
;
Aqueous reaction pathways |
|
Surface chemistry and interfacial science;
Reactivity of gases and solutions on metal oxide materials under model (ultra-high
vacuum) and real (near ambient pressure) conditions
;
Designing metal-oxide architectures and nanostructures on various substrates; Atomic
Layer Deposition and tailored growth approaches
;
Growth, properties and reactions on heterogeneous structures for energy and environmental
applications
|
Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry
Departmental research addresses the creation or study of macromolecular, supramolecular, and nanoscopic species and other organized structures that show unique chemical and physical properties and reactivities.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
|
Synthesizing, processing, and characterizing polymers and composites or nanoparticles;
Stimulus-response nanoparticles for drug delivery;
Electrospinning of nanofibers for tissue scaffolds;
Structured nanoparticles for low-leaching wood preservation;
Biocomposites and biofibers;
Studies of controlled nanoscale interfaces of rice-hull reinforced composites;
Engineered wood- or biopolymer-reinforced composites having improved processing, longevity,
moisture resistance, and mechanical properties
|
|
Synthesis, characterization, biomedical sensing, imaging and therapeutic applications
of water-soluble conjugated glycopolymers, glycodendrimers, glyconanopaticles, conjugated
polyelectrolytes, small redox-active carbohydrate conjugates, and near-infrared fluorescent
probes
|
|
Surface chemistry and interfacial science;
Reactivity of gases and solutions on metal oxide materials under model (ultra-high
vacuum) and real (near ambient pressure) conditions
;
Designing metal-oxide architectures and nanostructures on various substrates; Atomic
Layer Deposition and tailored growth approaches
;
Growth, properties and reactions on heterogeneous structures for energy and environmental
applications
|
|
Development of novel diagnostic and biosensing technologies for clinical settings;
Design and synthesis of functional nanomaterials with enhanced properties;
Surface engineering of nanomaterials |
Theory, Models, and Computational Methods
The discovery and development of theoretical and computational methods/models to address chemical challenges is the focus of this departmental research group. Areas of interest include electronic structure, quantum reaction dynamics, statistical mechanics, molecular dynamics, and simulation and modeling techniques for molecular systems and systems in condensed phases.
Faculty and Areas of Interest
|
Computational characterization of molecules and materials: energetic materials, nanoporous
materials, cementing materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients, crystal growth,
nucleation, surfaces, effect of defects on the structures and properties of materials,
effect of water/solvents on material evolution and degradation, biomolecules
|