Vision Statement
The "right size" department: The official vision statement of the department is "to inspire and educate students, today and for the future, in the concepts and skills of chemistry and biochemistry; to prepare them to think about, to work with, and to enjoy the concepts of chemistry and biochemistry."
To accomplish these goals requires faculty, staff, equipment, buildings, and the commitments of everyone involved. If a chemistry department is small, it's hard to afford the equipment, staff, and expertise that it takes to teach a modern, technical subject like chemistry. When departments get large, there is lots of equipment and expertise, but often the commitment to students and the personal attention that education requires is lost.
You will find the CSU, Chico Chemistry Department to be just the "right size". We are big enough to have faculty expertise (and staff support) in all of the major branches of chemistry: organic, inorganic, analytical, physical, and biochemistry. We are well equipped for all of the typical analyses that chemists are called upon to perform. And yet we are small enough to allow for the individual attention and hands-on experiences that are required to learn the concepts and practices of chemistry and biochemistry. Small classes, especially in the upper-division, and individual research projects are the norm for the department. Our faculty are chosen for their expertise and their commitment to students. And our students go on to compete and succeed in the finest graduate programs, professional schools, and the full array of industrial settings.
More...
News and Announcements
-
Enrollment in CHEM 320
is by permission only. Please see the instructions available here.
- Enrollment in all other CHEM courses is via the online registration process. Waiting lists will NOT be constructed for courses other than CHEM 320
until Aug 3. For additional information please see the document available here.
Chico State alumnus named Editor-in-Chief of new ACS journal
Dr. Craig Lindsley, a 1992 graduate with a B.S. in Chemistry, has been named the Editor-in-Chief of a new American Chemical Society journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience. While a student at Chico State, Craig conducted undergraduate research with Dr. David Ball. Craig went on to obtain his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara and to conduct postdoctoral research at Harvard University. He is currently Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Chemistry at Vanderbilt University. More information about his background, research and accomplishments can be viewed here.
Chemistry Summer Research Institute (CSRI)
The department will once more host the undergraduate research institute that runs from June 1 through Aug 14. Faculty and students will collaborate on a number of projects in all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. To get a flavor for the types of research being done this year, and in previous years, check out the Friday seminar schedules below.
On Thursday, April 23 the department honored many students in a variety of categories. Click the link above to see a complete listing.
- Outstanding Students
- Graduating Seniors
- SAACS Officers
- CSRI participants
Prof. David Ball receives Outstanding Research Mentor Award
Prof. David Ball has received the University's Outstanding Research Mentor Award in recognition of his decades-long commitment to undergraduate research. Since 1974 Dave has worked side-by-side with over 50 undergraduate researchers with most of those going on to obtain doctorates at distinguished universities around the country. Dr. Randy Vivian, a Chico State alumnus (1997) who worked closely with Dr. Ball while an undergraduate says "Prof. Ball deserves this recognition for many reasons, including his passion for the science of organic chemistry, his professionalism as a lecturer and laboratory instructor, and his ability to help talented students realize their potential for becoming professional scientists." The photo shows Dave accepting the award from President Paul Zingg and Provost Sandra Flake during his organic spectroscopy class.
Organic Chemist receives Research Corporation Grant
Dr. Jinsong Zhang recently received a Research Corporation grant to support her work on the synthesis of 1.4-benzodioxane-based natural products using a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. This two-year grant will enable Dr. Zhang to work with undergraduate students throughout the academic year and as part of our Chemistry Summer Research Institute. Dr. Zhang joined the CSU, Chico faculty in Fall 2006. Her primary teaching responsibilities are sophomore-level Organic Chemistry. Dr. Zhang joins three of our newest faculty members who have been recipients of Research Corporation grants over the past five years: Dr. Chris Nichols, Dr. Dan Clark and Dr. Dan Edwards. For more information on Dr. Zhang see here.
New Analytical Chemist
Dr. Lisa Ott joined the faculty in fall 2008. Dr. Ott received her B.S. in chemistry at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon and her Ph.D. with Dr. Richard Finke at Colorado State University where she worked on transition metal nanoclusters. She just completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Thomas Bruno at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado. Her research at CSU, Chico will involve the application of advanced distillation curve metrology to understanding the properties of biodiesel and other fuels. Her primary teaching responsibilities will be Quantitative Analysis, Instrumental Analysis, General Chemistry and the Integrated Chemistry Laboratory.
More...
