The Department of Chemistry offers a PhD in Chemistry, with research specializations available in biological, organic, inorganic, physical and nuclear chemistry. Doctoral students often work at the interface of two or more subfields of chemistry; they may also work at the interface of different scientific disciplines. Lab assignments are therefore made according to each student's research project. Chemistry students may work in a lab outside the department or alongside students from other departments in a chemistry lab.
The department's research strengths in each subfield of chemistry are as follows:
- Biological: biophysical, bioorganic, bioinorganic, biochemistry
- Organic: synthetic, organometallic, bioorganic, physical organic, asymmetric catalysis
- Inorganic: coordination, organometallic, materials, bioinorganic, main group
- Physical: computational, laser spectroscopy, theoretical, magnetic resonance
- Interdisciplinary: biophysical, physical organic, materials
- Nuclear and radiochemistry: stability of nuclei, radioisotopes for medical studies
Washington University's graduate student stipends are in the top 25% of stipends at similar universities, and St. Louis has a low cost of living. The department has an excellent record of placing its graduates in a wide variety of jobs: academic, industrial, governmental, legal, consulting, writing/editing and entrepreneurial.
Contact Information
Richard Loomis
loomis@wustl.edu
314-935-8534
Rachel Dunn
rachel.dunn@wustl.edu
314-935-6521
Barbara Tessmer
barbara22@wustl.edu
314-935-7316
| Website: | http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/graduate |
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Chair
William E. Buhro
George E. Pake Professor of Arts & Sciences
PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
Endowed Professors
Gary J. Patti
Michael and Tana Powell Professor of Chemistry
PhD, Washington University
William B. Tolman
William Greenleaf Eliot Professor of Chemistry
Associate Dean of Research
PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Professors
John R. Bleeke
PhD, Cornell University
Michael L. Gross
PhD, University of Minnesota
Sophia E. Hayes
PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara
J. Dewey Holten
PhD, University of Washington
Richard A. Loomis
PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Kevin D. Moeller
PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara
Jay Ponder
PhD, Harvard University
Lee G. Sobotka
PhD, University of California, Berkeley
John-Stephen Taylor
PhD, Columbia University
Associate Professors
Vladimir B. Birman
PhD, University of Chicago
Richard Mabbs
PhD, University of Nottingham (UK)
Timothy Wencewicz
PhD, University of Notre Dame
Assistant Professors
Jonathan Barnes
PhD, Northwestern University
Julio D'Arcy
PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
Joseph Fournier
PhD, Yale University
Meredith Jackrel
PhD, Yale University
Bryce Sadtler
PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Joint Professor
Richard W. Gross
PhD, Washington University
(Internal Medicine)
PhD in Chemistry
Requirements:
- 72 semester hours of graduate credit in courses and research
- Satisfactory performance on oral cumulative examinations
- Satisfactory performance in annual pre-thesis committee meetings
- Demonstration of teaching competence
- Dissertation research and preparation of dissertation
- Satisfactory performance on a final oral dissertation defense
On average, students take between five and six years to complete the PhD.
Requirements specific to Chemistry include attendance at Thursday evening research presentations during the student's first fall semester, presenting and passing an oral examination within the first four semesters, and annual recertification in laboratory safety.
Almost all students participate in mentored teaching experiences during their first two years and must perform satisfactorily. Students must also make annual research presentations to their advisory committee, prepare a satisfactory dissertation research proposal, and pass an oral examination.