Graduate

The Department of Chemistry provides a flexible and dynamic environment in which to pursue a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree in chemistry. Students have the opportunity to work with faculty with interests in Biochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, and Materials Science, as well as in Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry. The faculty has active research programs in Synthesis (inorganic, organic, polymer and supramolecular synthesis), Surface Chemistry (catalysis and corrosion studies), Spectroscopy (IR laser spectroscopy and bioanalytical applications for Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman methods), Structural Biology (using NMR and computational methods), and Biophysical studies (including cancer drug discovery). Environmental research programs focus on the development of novel miniature chemical sensors and on pesticide and herbicide transport while computational chemists are developing Ab initio and semiempirical methods to study complex biological systems and important chemical processes. The research is supported by an array of in-house equipment. NMR spectrometers include 600-MHz and 300-MHz instruments. An EPR spectrometer and single crystal and powder X-ray diffractometers with CCD detection are maintained in the department. Students also have access to a wide range of instruments including UV-vis, FT-IR, and UV/Vis/near-IR spectrophotometers, as well as mass spectrometers, including GC-MS, LC-MS, and quadrupole ion trap instruments. Individual research labs maintain an array of instruments including: lasers, an atomic force microscope, a Laser Raman microscope, ITC and DSC microcalorimeters, a stopped-flow UV/vis system, a spectrofluorimeter, a Circular Dichroism spectropolarimeter, a scanning electrochemical microscope, and numerous GC's and HPLC's. Research and teaching assistantships are available.

A Master of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Sciences (Teachers in Interdisciplinary Sciences) is also available through distance learning. A 21-hour emphasis in Chemistry is complemented by 15 required hours from Biological Sciences; Geosciences; and Mathematics & Statistics in the two-year, 36-hour program intended primarily for K-12 teachers. The department also offers five GAANN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) fellowships to qualified U.S. residents. For more information access http://www.chemistry.msstate.edu or write to the Graduate Coordinator, Department of Chemistry, PO Box 9573, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or send electronic mail to grad@chemistry.msstate.edu.

Dr. Stephen Foster
Chemistry Department Graduate Coordinator
Telephone: (662) 325-8854
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