Department Overview

Welcome to the University of Alabama Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, a division of the College of Arts and Sciences.

As one of the original six disciplines taught at the University, we trace our roots back to the institution’s founding in 1831. Today, we are a growing program that produces world-class research and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. We have 28 full-time faculty, nearly 100 graduate students, and over 300 undergraduate majors.

Facilities

We are based in Shelby Hall, a state-of-the-art facility for our research, teaching, and administrative functions. Within Shelby, we maintain a wide range of instrumentation in specialized research facilities for nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. Modern glassblowing, electronics, and machine shops provide rapid, on-site equipment maintenance and the capability to create custom-designed apparatus.

Research

Our faculty members’ research projects span the major chemistry disciplines and numerous interdisciplinary fields. All of our faculty provide undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students the opportunity to get involved in research, exposing them to a wide range of challenging problems.

Through their involvement in interdisciplinary centers, our students and faculty also interact with scientists in other fields to address problems of current and far-reaching interest. These centers include the Center for Materials for Information Technology (MINT) and the Center for Biomolecular Products. Learn more about our research programs.

Seminars

The department hosts a seminar program that brings distinguished speakers from the forefront of chemical science to our campus. These lectures enhance our research environment and broaden students’ awareness of exciting developments in our field.