Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of

The Ohio State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemisty leads the country in education and research. With its vast resources, cutting-edge facilities, and outstanding faculty, the department is consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation by the National Research Council, among others.

We provide our students with excellent training in the classroom and in the research laboratory. Our graduate students go on to hold positions in the finest universities, companies, and government laboratories, and we take pride in their research and professional accomplishments.

{Susan Olesik, Chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry} 

At a Glance

$12 million annually from national granting agencies and industry.

Faculty Excellence

Include Ohio Eminent Scholars; Sloan Fellows, Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar awardees; NSF and DOE Career awardees; and fellows of the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Undergraduate Degrees

• BS, BA

• Scholarship opportunities are available for both entering freshman (Choose Ohio First) as well as continuing majors. Over $190,000 in scholarships were awarded last year to continuing majors.

MS Studies:

• Combined BS/MS degree
• Program in biotechnology 

PhD research areas:

Analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry; photochemistry, stereochemistry, electrochemistry; kinetics; time resolved spectroscopy; theoretical structure and dynamics; statistical mechanics; materials chemistry, metabolomics, organic synthesis; inorganic synthesis; NMR, ESR, laser and UV spectroscopy; X-ray structures; multi-enzyme complexes; catalysis; mechanisms of action of enzymes and coenzymes; structural biochemistry; molecular biology; bio-membrane studies; surface chemistry and separation science.

Chemists Awarded $7.5M Grant to Fight Nerve Agents

A $7.5 million National Institutes of Health grant advances efforts of chemisty professors Christopher Hadad and Thomas Magliery to find ways to counteract deadly chemical nerve agents that might be used in terrorist attacks. They work on engineering enzymes that already exist in human blood that can deactivate these agents; then produce and formulate them as drugs. The research could lead to new types of antidotes for exposure to pesticides and other poisons.

The Research Experiences to Enhance Learning (REEL) Program

A statewide effort to reinvent the way basic college chemistry courses are taught. REEL engages students in authentic research projects, encouraging ownership of their learning processes. Projects are based on real-world problems, such as investigating contaminants in local river ecosystems; the synthesis of medicines; and designing novel, non-toxic inorganic pigments.

Undergraduate Chemistry/Biochemistry Club

Student-led organization explores areas of student interest and helps in planning their future by exploring career possibilities.

National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCCHE)

A non-profit professional organization that is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive scientific community by increasing the number of underrepresented people in fields related to science and engineering. NOBCChE’s aim is to develop, retain, and graduate its undergraduate and graduate student members.

Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (SAACS)

Offers students a wide range of programs and activities to enhance the college experience and prepare for successful careers.

Outreach and Engagement

Wonders of Our World (W.O.W.): A Collaborative Science Education Program of Active Scientists and Elementary School Teachers supplements existing science programs in elementary schools; brings excitement of science into the classroom; increases involvement of local scientists, parents and undergraduate science students in important community projects; generates a pathway that gives teachers easy access to Ohio State scientists; and establishes a model for scientists to assist science programs in other elementary schools.

The Ohio House of Science and Engineering (OHSE), led by Professors Susan Olesik (CBC) and David Tomasko (CBE), offers science and engineering outreach opportunities to local K-12 schools.

12.2017