The faculty of the Department of Chemistry, through courses and research opportunities, provides a nurturing but challenging environment for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in chemistry. Undergraduate students in our department typically take a total of 45 credits in chemistry courses for a B.S. degree and 36 credits for a B.A. degree. The courses offered range from basic level General Chemistry, to the two semester sequence of Organic Chemistry and more advanced courses in Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry. Many students also choose to do research, as hands-on laboratory experience is vital in the development of a chemist. When graduating from our department undergraduate students follow diverse paths, such as working for the chemical industry or going to graduate and medical school, among others.

Undergraduate Student Spotlight: Kelly Whitenack

Kelly Whitenack is a senior chemistry major working in Professor Jon Zubieta's laboratory. The scope of her research involves the synthesis and characterization of microporous hybrid organic-inorganic materials with the potential of storing hydrogen and other gases. Hydrogen storage is a key enabling technology for the advancement of hydrogen and fuel cell power technologies in transportation, stationary, and portable applications. One material which Kelly recently synthesized has the ability to store modest amounts of hydrogen in addition to exhibiting magnetic properties similar to those seen in magnetic storage devices. These results were recently submitted for publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. When not in the lab, Kelly is a member of Syracuse University Ambulance, and also spends Syracuse's snowy days on the slopes.