Department of Chemistry

The following list reflects the 2007/2008 faculty.

Chair John E. Straub

Associate Chair, Graduate Affairs Scott E. Schaus

Associate Chair, Graduate Admissions John A. Porco, Jr.

Associate Chair, Undergraduate Affairs Richard A. Laursen

Faculty

Karen Allen Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (biochemistry). BS, Tufts University; PhD, Brandeis University

John P. Caradonna Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (inorganic chemistry). BA/MA, Johns Hopkins University; MA, PhD, Columbia University

David F. Coker Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (theoretical chemistry). BSc, University of Sydney (Australia); PhD, Australian National University

Dan Dill Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (chemical physics). BA, Boston University; SM, PhD, University of Chicago

Linda H. Doerrer Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (inorganic chemistry). BA, Cornell University; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sean J. Elliott Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (inorganic chemistry). BA, Amherst College; PhD, California Institute of Technology

Rosina M. Georgiadis Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (physical chemistry). BS, Indiana University; PhD, University of California, Berkeley

Mark W. Grinstaff Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (bioinorganic, biological chemistry). AB, Occidental College; PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Guilford Jones Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BS, Rhodes College; PhD, University of Wisconsin

Thomas Keyes Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (theoretical chemistry). BS, Yale University; PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

Richard A. Laursen Associate Chair, Department of Chemistry; Director of Undergraduate Studies; Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (bioorganic chemistry). BS, University of California, Berkeley; PhD, University of Illinois

Pinghua Liu Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (biochemistry). BS, Nankai University (China); MS, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (China); PhD, University of Minnesota

Scott C. Mohr Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (biophysical chemistry). BA, Williams College; AM, PhD, Harvard University

James S. Panek Samour Family Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BS, State University of New York at Buffalo; PhD, University of Kansas

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Michael P. Pollastri Research Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic and medicinal chemistry). AB, College of Holy Cross; MS, Duke University; PhD, Brown University

John A. Porco, Jr. Associate Chair, Department of Chemistry; Director of Graduate Admissions; Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BA, College of the Holy Cross; PhD, Harvard University

Alfred Prock Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (physical chemistry). BES, MA, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Björn Reinhard Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (physical chemistry). Diploma, Technical University, Munich; PhD, Technical University, Kaiserslauten (Germany)

Scott E. Schaus Associate Chair, Department of Chemistry; Director of Graduate Studies; Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BA, Boston University; PhD, Harvard University

Kevin Smith Professor of Chemistry and Physics, College of Arts & Sciences (physical chemistry). BA, Trinity College, Dublin; MS, MPhil, PhD, Yale University

John K. Snyder Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BS, Denison University; SM, PhD, University of Chicago

Corey Stephenson Assistant Professor, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BSC, University of Waterloo; PhD, University of Pittsburgh

John E. Straub Chair, Department of Chemistry; Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (theoretical chemistry). BS, University of Maryland; MA, MPhil, PhD, Columbia University

Thomas D. Tullius Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (biochemistry). BS, University of California at Los Angeles; PhD, Stanford University

Feng Wang Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (theoretical chemistry). BS, Peking University (China); PhD, University of Pittsburgh

Adrian Whitty Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (biochemistry and bioorganic chemistry). BSc, King’s College, University of London; PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago

Yu Xia Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (bioanalytical, theoretical, and biophysical chemistry). BS, Peking University (China); PhD, Stanford University

Lawrence D. Ziegler Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (physical chemistry). BS, State University of New York at Stony Brook; MS, PhD, Cornell University

Emeriti

Lowell V. Coulter Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences. BS, Heidelberg College; MA, Colorado College; PhD, University of California, Berkeley

Warren P. Giering Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic chemistry). BS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; PhD, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Standish C. Hartman Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry; Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (biochemistry). SB, SM, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Morton Z. Hoffman Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (physical chemistry). BA, City University of New York, Hunter College; MS, PhD, University of Michigan

Norman N. Lichtin University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (organic and physical chemistry). BS, Antioch College; MS, Purdue University; PhD, Harvard University

Ronald M. Milburn Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences (inorganic chemistry). BSc, MSc, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand); PhD, Duke University

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The Graduate Program

The Department of Chemistry offers programs leading to the MA and PhD degrees. Strong preference is given to PhD candidates: the department accepts both postbaccalaureate and post-master’s students. The program seeks to achieve both breadth of knowledge in the chemical subdisciplines and specialized competence through formal courses, seminars, examinations, and research. Research specializations in the department encompass biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and theoretical chemistry. The Graduate Affairs Committee has responsibility for examinations, standards, and administration of the program within the department.

Admissions Students are ordinarily admitted to the program starting in September, although on occasion positions may be open in January. Admitted students are expected to have received a bachelor’s or master’s degree prior to matriculation, usually (but not necessarily) in chemistry. All applicants are requested to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, including the subject test in chemistry. Foreign applicants must have a TOEFL examination score of at least 550; applicants requesting support through teaching fellowships are required to have a score of at least 600. Requests for further information about admissions should be addressed to Graduate Admissions, Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Requests may also be made through the Department of Chemistry.

Application forms can be downloaded from www.bu.edu/grs.

Seminars The department sponsors both formal colloquia and informal seminar series. Attendance at and participation in these colloquia and seminars are a required part of each graduate student’s educational program.

Registration for Research Students are required to choose faculty research advisors before the end of their first semester in the graduate program and to register for research courses no later than 12 months after their first registration.

Programs of Study First-year programs are prepared in consultation with a faculty advisor who is either selected by the student or appointed by the Graduate Affairs Committee. Upon selection of a major advisor, the student will prepare, with the major advisor’s approval, a program of study listing all courses to be taken toward meeting department and Graduate School requirements.

PhD in Chemistry

Candidates who enter with a bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 16 graduate-level semester courses (64 credits) in chemistry, at least five of which must be nonresearch courses. The student’s major advisor or the Graduate Affairs Committee may require that specific nonresearch courses be taken beyond the minimum of five. Of the nonresearch courses, two must be outside the candidate’s major area of specialization, and at least four must be at the 600 level or above. Students may petition to be excused from nonresearch courses on the basis of equivalent courses taken elsewhere. Two courses acceptable for graduate credit in mathematics or natural sciences other than chemistry may be substituted for chemistry courses. The balance of the total of 16 required courses must be in research. In addition, candidates must satisfy the qualifying examination requirements, and present a dissertation, which must be approved by a first and second reader and defended at an oral examination.

The requirements for candidates who enter with a master’s degree are as described above, except that the total number of courses can be reduced, with approval of the Graduate Affairs Committee, from 16 to 8.

Dissertation Advisory Committee By the beginning of the second year, each PhD candidate, in consultation with his or her major advisor, will select a Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC) consisting of five faculty members, including the major advisor. This committee will serve as the candidate’s qualifying examination and final dissertation oral committees. It will also meet with the student at least once a year to receive a written report and to discuss the student’s progress toward completing research and other programmatic requirements.

Qualifying Examinations Candidates for the PhD in chemistry are required to take two qualifying examinations that are intended to test background in the subject specialty and the ability to think critically, independently, and creatively. Successful completion of these examinations is required for promotion to PhD candidacy.

The first part of the qualifying examination consists of a series of cumulative exams. These are one-hour exams, given at the rate of two per month. Students may begin taking them at any time during their first academic year, but no later than February. Exams are given monthly, continuing through May of the second academic year. Students may take exams for up to 16 consecutive months (32 exams), by which time they must have passed a total of four exams. The exam schedule includes approximately eight exams each in the areas of biochemistry, and inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. The topics covered in each month’s exams are announced a week in advance and may be taken from coursework, recent literature, and work presented at departmental colloquia.

The second part of the qualifying examination, to be taken during the second academic year, requires each student to write a proposal describing his or her dissertation research project, and to defend it in an oral examination administered by members of the DAC. The written proposal should define the background, objectives, significance, and plan of study for the research problem; a bibliography must be included. Recommendations to the department for advancement to PhD candidacy will depend on the results from the two qualifying examinations and on performance in coursework and research.

Public Research Presentation Before the end of the fourth year, each PhD candidate must present a report of his or her dissertation research work in a public forum, as approved by the major advisor and DAC.

Dissertation Candidates must complete a research program acceptable to the major professor and must present a dissertation approved by the major advisor (first reader) and a second reader. The format for the dissertation is specified by the Graduate School.

Final Oral Examination Candidates for the PhD degree must defend their dissertation as a worthwhile contribution to knowledge and demonstrate mastery of the field of specialization as it relates to the dissertation at an oral examination.

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MA in Chemistry

Course Requirements A minimum of eight graduate-level semester courses (32 credits) in chemistry, at least five of which are nonresearch, is required for the MA degree. Of the five nonresearch courses, two must be outside the candidate’s major area of specialization, and at least four must be at the 600 level or above. Two courses acceptable for graduate credit in mathematics or natural sciences other than chemistry may be substituted for chemistry courses.

Research A minimum of two research courses is required. The evaluation of a candidate’s research coursework is based on the level of performance and on a written report to be submitted to the faculty advisor at the end of each semester.

Courses

GRS CH 621 Biochemistry I

GRS CH 622 Biochemistry II

GRS CH 624 Epigenetics

Prereq: CAS CH 421 or graduate status. Protein post-translational modifications and DNA/RNA processing will be surveyed, including mechanistic enzymology of protein and DNA modifications, signal transduction induced by the modifications, and related practical application. Three hours lecture. Liu. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

GRS CH 631 Advanced Coordination Chemistry I: Structure and Bonding

GRS CH 633 Physical Methods for Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry

GRS CH 642 Organic Reaction Mechanisms

GRS CH 643 Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry

GRS CH 645 Transition Metal Chemistry

GRS CH 651, 652 Molecular Quantum Mechanics

GRS CH 655 Statistical Mechanics I

GRS CH 699 Teaching College Chemistry I

GRS CH 722 Protein Chemistry (NEW)

GRS CH 724 Special Topics in Biochemistry (NEW)

GRS CH 741 Organic Spectroscopy and Structure Determination

GRS CH 751 Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry (NEW)

GRS CH 801 Graduate Research Methods, Ethics, and Scholarly Writing

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Directed Study or Research

GRS CH 901, 902 PhD Research in Chemistry

GRS CH 903, 904 MA Research in Chemistry

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Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 02215

9 January 2009
Boston University
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