General Information
The Department of Chemistry offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, both requiring course work and thesis research. In addition to the four traditional areas of analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, the Department also offers special PhD programs in chemical biology and chemical physics.
The Department provides an outstanding research environment. More than 220 graduate students, plus postdoctoral fellows and research associates, are engaged in various research programs. The Department is among the best equipped and best funded in the nation and has a faculty renowned for their excellence in teaching and research.
The active research interests of the staff include the following:
Analytical: Separation science, including gas chromatography, two-dimensional gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis; chemometrics; scanning probe microscopies such as atomic force, chemical force, and tunneling methods for the characterization of surfaces, biocompatible materials, protein adsorption, nano-wires, nano-sensors, and nano-arrays; microfluidic systems for Lab on a chip applications; mass spectrometry for biochemical analysis, Proteomics and metabolomics, utilizing MALDI and electrospray methods; molecular biology applied to developing fluorescent protein-based biosensors for live cell microscopy of biochemical processes; optical and vibrational biomolecular spectroscopic methods and instrumentation development involving laser spectroscopy methods; electrochemical methods and surface modification techniques; surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy of confined materials; thin films and nanoparticles for biomolecule sensing.
Inorganic: Organometallic chemistry of transition metals and f-elements; synthesis and reactions of bimetallic and metallocyclic compounds; metal-metal cooperativity effects; carbon-hydrogen bond activation; asymmetric catalysis; polymer-bound catalysts; rapid catalyst screening; chiral surfaces and electrodes; hydrogen, alkane and methanol fuel cells; inorganic materials, structures, bonding, electrical and magnetic properties; intermetallics and alloys; zintl phases; synthesis of rare-earth and transition-metal pnictides; template-directed synthesis; materials characterization; inorganic/polymer nanocomposites; synthesis of nanoparticles; molecular electronic devices; synthesis and characterization of nanostructured optoelectronic materials; synthesis of metal-based electroluminescent materials; light-emitting diodes; main group chemistry; inorganic polymers; hydrogen storage; ultra-hard ceramic coatings; Lewis acidic macrocycles; sensing technologies; inorganic multiple bonds; ligand design.
Organic: Structural and synthetic studies on natural products; degradation of natural products; heterocyclic chemistry; mono- and disaccharides; glycobiology, bioorganic chemistry, fluorescent probes, protein engineering; organometallic chemistry; reactive intermediates (ylides, carbenes, nitrenes); organic photochemistry; acetylenes; allenes; free radicals; synthesis and conformational studies of oligosaccharides with an emphasis on the application of NMR and molecular modelling; biomedically significant protein-oligosaccharide interactions; structure-activity correlations of antibiotics; development of new synthetic methodology and the synthesis of complex natural products with important biological properties; asymmetric catalysis; the invention of new reagents; mechanism and stereochemistry of enzymatic reactions; conjugated molecules; nanostructures; self-assembly and molecular recognition; organic, electronic and photonic materials; sensor arrays; combinatorial chemistry; bioconjugate chemistry and drug delivery; chemical biology; solid-phase organic synthesis; organoboron chemistry; design synthesis and characterization of unnatural biopolymers.
Physical: Mass spectrometry; chemistry of biologically relevant molecules in the gas phase; NMR spectroscopy; application of modern multinuclear NMR techniques to study molecular structure and dynamics of solid materials; biophysical chemistry involving NMR studies of peptide structure; DNA photo-damage; laser Raman spectroscopy, ultrafast molecular dynamics; nonlinear optical spectroscopy of the solid/liquid interface, structure/function studies of interfacial molecular recognition, green catalysis, and sensors; cavity ring down spectroscopy, chirality and chiral recognition; rotational and vibrational cluster spectroscopy; helium nanodroplet spectroscopy; computational and theoretical chemistry: study of the quantum dynamics; of systems of interest in physical chemistry; radiation-matter interactions; photodissociation dynamics; laser control; study of molecular structure and properties of molecules in excited states; mixed quantum-classical dynamics of condensed phase systems; theory and simulation of activated rate processes; vibrational energy relaxation; modeling of multidimensional spectra; development of basis sets; pseudopotential methods; electron correlation and relativistic effects; computational design and modeling of anti-cancer drugs.
Further information may be obtained by writing the Chair of the Department, or from our website at www.chem.ualberta.ca
Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are a four-year undergraduate degree with a grade point average of 3.0 in the last two years of undergraduate (or graduate) work from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution. Candidates should normally be graduates in chemistry, however the Department will accept qualified applicants with degrees in related fields (cf., biochemistry or other bioscience programs from candidates who wish to pursue the chemical biology PhD program, and mathematics and/or physics background compensating for deficiencies in chemistry from those who wish to enter the chemical physics PhD program.)
English language proficiency requirements are a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based) or 88 (internet-based) or equivalent, where applicable (see English Language Requirement ). To qualify as a Teaching Assistant, candidates must have a TOEFL score of at least 570 (paper-based) or 88 (internet-based) or equivalent.
Financial Assistance
Financial assistance in the form of scholarships and graduate assistantships is normally available for all graduate students who maintain a satisfactory performance. For full details, see our website at www.chem.ualberta.ca (Graduate Program, Financial Support).
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