Welcome to the department of chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since 1818, our department has been a major force in research and teaching in the chemical sciences.
Our large and diverse faculty includes five members of the National Academy of Sciences, one member of the National Academy of Engineering, a recipient of an NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, several winners of American Chemical Society national awards, a Lemelson-MIT Prize winner, and numerous recipients of other prestigious national and local awards in chemistry and teaching.
Our facilities have recently expanded to include the new Caudill Laboratories, which houses almost half of our research groups. Additionally, construction is well underway on yet another world-class science building on the site of former Venable Hall.
Our graduate program is consistently ranked in the nation’s top 15, with some individual disciplines ranked in the top ten. The research activities of the department span a broad definition of chemistry, and our faculty members attract over $21 million in external funding annually. Chemistry is also a focus for interdisciplinary efforts on campus in biological sciences and materials sciences. At present, we have over 200 graduate students and more than 50 postdoctoral research associates. The culture at Carolina involves smaller research groups than at many comparable institutions, allowing for greater mentoring and interaction with faculty. Collaboration between research groups is pervasive, and many students carry out joint projects with two faculty mentors. Carolina PhD’s have carried this tradition to faculty positions at major research universities and small colleges and throughout the chemical industry.
Our department is one of the top producers of undergraduate chemists in the nation, and at present, we have over 650 undergraduate majors. We are committed to providing undergraduates with opportunities in research, and have close to 100 undergraduates working in Carolina chemistry research groups. Our undergraduate alumni include distinguished chemistry faculty members, leaders in the chemical industry, our current University Chancellor, a Nobel Prize winner, and many others who have used the knowledge and discipline of a rigorous chemical education to benefit society.
The links in the left-hand column will provide details about our research activities and degree programs. We also encourage you to use the link there to contact us.
Sincerely,
Matthew Redinbo
Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biophysics and Chair