Department of Chemistry

Mary L. Sohn, Ph.D., Head (Interim)

Degree Programs

Biochemistry: Chemistry Emphasis, B.S. 
Biochemistry, M.S. 
Chemistry - General Chemistry, B.S. 
Chemistry - Premedical Chemistry, B.S. 
Chemistry - Research Chemistry, B.S. 
Chemistry, M.S. 
Chemistry, Ph.D.  

Undergraduate Minor Program

Chemistry Minor  

Professors
J. Clayton Baum, Ph.D., photophysical and photochemical problems, optical sensors, computational chemistry.

D. Andrew Knight, Ph.D., inorganic chemistry, catalysis, bioinorganic chemistry, biodefense applications, green chemistry.

Gordon L. Nelson, Ph.D., University Professor of Chemistry, polymers, polymer flammability and aging, C-13 NMR.

Joshua Rokach, Ph.D., leukotrienes, lipoxins, synthetic organic chemistry, synthetic pharmaceuticals.

Mary L. Sohn, Ph.D., nature of sedimentary humic acids in aquatic sediments, evaluation of humic acid-metal and humic acid-organometallic formation constants.

Associate Professors
Boris B. Akhremitchev, Ph.D., single-molecule techniques, protein-ligand interactions, hydrophobic interactions, protein aggregation, atomic force microscopy, force spectroscopy, physical and biophysical chemistry.

Monica H. Baloga, Ph.D., bioorganic chemistry, physical organic chemistry.

Alan B. Brown, Ph.D., physical organic chemistry, stereochemistry, bioorganic chemistry.

Yi Liao, Ph.D., photochemical processes, reversible photoreactions under visible light, photoresponsive polymers, photo-controlled catalysis.

Nasri A. Nesnas, Ph.D., bioorganic chemistry.

Joel A. Olson, Ph.D., scanning tunneling microscopy.

Rudolf J. Wehmschulte, Ph.D., materials and organometallic chemistry.

Kurt Winkelmann, Ph.D., physical and materials chemistry including photochemistry, catalysis, surface chemistry.

Visiting Associate Professors
Norito Takenaka, Ph.D., organic chemistry, asymmetric catalysis, synthetic chemistry, bioorganic and medicinal chemistry.

Visiting Assistant Professor
Thorsten Schmidt, Ph.D., nuclear chemistry, analytical chemistry, geochemistry.

Instructor
Jessica L. Smeltz, Ph. D., organometallic chemistry, catalysis, chemical education.

Professor Emeritus
Michael W. Babich, Ph.D.

Dual-degree Options

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

This option requires approximately one additional year of study and allows the student to complete bachelor’s degrees in both chemistry and chemical engineering.

STEM Education

This option allows the student to complete bachelor’s degrees in both chemistry and STEM education (see Department of Education and Interdisciplinary Studies ).

Minor Program

A minor in chemistry is offered through the chemistry department. A complete policy statement regarding minors can be found in the Academic Overview  section. Information about current minor offerings is available through the individual colleges/departments.

Research

Research areas presently of interest to chemistry department faculty include biophysical chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, chemical education, environmental chemistry, geochemistry, molecular spectroscopy, nanotechnology, natural products, organometallic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, photochemical processes, physical organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, molecular modeling, renewable energy applications, solid-phase reaction kinetics, surface phenomena, synthetic organic chemistry and thermal methods of analysis.