About

Chemistry

Chemistry deals with phenomena that affect nearly every aspect of our lives and environment. A liberal arts education in this scientific and technological age exposes students to the theories, laws, applications, and potential of this science.

From left, Robert Ibarra '17, a psychology major from Los Angeles; Dana Professor of Chemistry Glen Lawson; Yessenia Saucedo '16, a politics major from Oakland, Calif.; and Associate Professor of Spanish Claudia Aburto Guzmán, enjoy a moment of levity in a Dana Chemistry lab as they use heat to extract copper metal from ore.Why are they laughing?Ibarra had difficulty igniting the fire, and when he succeeded, he registered surprise, much like humans must have responded when they first realized they could reproduce fire, Lawson observed. "It was great to be able to laugh in a space that - at least for me - is so intimidating," says humanist Aburto Guzmán.This moment occurred on the second day of a new interdisciplinary (biological chemistry meets Spanish) Short Term course titled "Intersection of Biomedicine and Human Rights: The Case of the Chilean Mining Experience," co-taught by Lawson and Aburto Guzmán. Students and faculty will soon travel to Chile to explore the intersections between natural scientific inquiry and social and cultural studies. Through historical, scientific, cultural, and bioethical lenses, the group will examine biomedical science in Latin America and the struggle for civil, human, and health rights by workers in the Chilean mining industry since the nineteenth century.
From left, Robert Ibarra ’17, a psychology major from Los Angeles; Dana Professor of Chemistry Glen Lawson; Yessenia Saucedo ’16, a politics major from Oakland, Calif.; and Associate Professor of Spanish Claudia Aburto Guzmán, enjoy a moment of levity in a Dana Chemistry lab as they use heat to extract copper metal from ore.

The chemistry curriculum is sufficiently flexible to allow students with career interests in areas such as the health professions, law, business, and education to design a major program suitable to their goals. Students interested in careers in chemistry or biochemistry will find sufficient chemistry electives to provide a strong background for work in graduate school, industry, or other positions. The department and its curriculum are approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS), and an ACS-certified major is offered.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry encompasses the study of the form and function of the proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids found in living organisms.

Alex Salazar '20 of Ridgefield, Conn., was one of a group of students in Paula Schlax's Honeybee Science course who visited an apiary on Thursday, May 18, 2017. The course centers around recent observations of increased bee mortality specifically exploring the proposed roles of varroa mites, viruses, and pesticidesWe are at 755 College Road Lewiston tomorrow at 10 and at 1:30 looking at Bees at my house. As long as we emphasize that students:1. Measured protein and sugar content in honey2. Examined different anatomical features using the Scanning Electron Microscope,3. Used molecular biology techniques to discover the presence of viruses and bacteria in honeybees4. Examined wax and honey for commonly used pesticides using Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry5. Examined the different stages of the development of honeybees in a local beehive (tomorrow)
Alex Salazar ’20 of Ridgefield, Conn., was one of a group of students in Paula Schlax’s Honeybee Science course who visited an apiary on Thursday, May 18, 2017. The course centers around recent observations of increased bee mortality specifically exploring the proposed roles of varroa mites, viruses, and pesticides.

Traditionally, biochemistry has been an interdisciplinary field, drawing on techniques and expertise from physics, medicine, biology, and chemistry. The required courses for the major give a student a solid foundation in basic science, while the array of elective courses allows wide latitude in pursuing an area of individual interest. The thesis provides a final integrating experience.

The program maintains affiliations with certain research laboratories at which students may conduct a semester of research for credit. Such credits may be used to fulfill one of the elective requirements or a portion of the thesis requirement; however, such a possibility must be arranged by the student prior to beginning the research program.