Chemistry and Biochemistry

Vision Statement for the Department

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, chemical education, material science 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.