Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Department of Chemistry

The Graduate Program =
PhD in Chemistry
MA in Chemistry
Courses
Directed Study or Research

The following list reflects the 2006/2007 faculty.

Chairman Guilford Jones

Associate Chairman Warren P. Giering

Associate Chairman, Graduate Affairs  Scott E. Schaus

Associate Chairman, Graduate Admissions Mark W. Grinstaff

Associate Chairman, Undergraduate Affairs Richard A. Laursen

Faculty

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard A. Laursen Associate Chairman, Department of Chemistry; Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences (bio-organic chemistry). BS, University of California, Berkeley; PhD, University of Illinois

Pinghua Liu Assistant Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and 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 and Sciences (biophysical chemistry). BA, Williams College; AM, PhD, Harvard University

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

John A. Porco, Jr. Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences (organic chemistry). BA, College of the Holy Cross; PhD, Harvard University

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lawrence D. Ziegler Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and 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 and Sciences. BS, Heidelberg College; MA, Colorado College; PhD, University of California, Berkley

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

Morton Z. Hoffman Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts and 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 and Sciences (organic and physical chemistry). BS, Antioch College; MS, Purdue University; PhD, Harvard University

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

TOP OF PAGE

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, chemical physics, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, photochemistry, 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 encouraged 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, pass the language examination, 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.

TOP OF PAGE

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 525 Physical Biochemistry

Prereq: CAS BI/CH 422, MA 121 or MA 123, PY 106 or PY 212. Introduction to physical chemical principles, with particular application to topics in biochemistry, solution and solid phase chemistry of biomolecules as studied by equilibrium, hydrodynamic, and spectroscopic/quantum mechanical methods. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Liu. 4 cr, 2nd sem. Does not qualify for credit in graduate degree programs in chemistry.

GRS CH 541 Natural Products Chemistry

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 552 Electrochemistry

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 553, 554 Molecular Structure Determination

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 612 Separation Methods in Chemistry and Biochemistry

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 621 Biochemistry I

Prereq: CAS CH 204, CH 212, or equivalent; graduate status. Introductory biochemistry. Protein structure and folding enzyme mechanisms, kinetics, and allostery; nucleic acid structure; lipids and membrane structure; bioenergetics; vitamins and coenzymes; introduction to intermediary metabolism. Three hours lecture, 4 hours laboratory, 2 hours discussion. Same as GRS BI 621. Lecture and laboratory meet with CAS BI/CH 421. Tolan. 4 cr, 1st sem.

GRS CH 622 Biochemistry II

Prereq: GRS CH 621 or equivalent. Polysaccharides, energy storage and recognition; intermediary metabolism; lipid and isoprene metabolism; nitrogen metabolism; nucleotide metabolism; macromolecular biosynthesis with emphasis on metabolism; nucleotide metabolism; macromolecular biosynthesis with emphasis on specificity and fidelity in the mechanisms of RNA, DNA, and proteins synthesis. Three hours lecture, 4 hours laboratory, 2 hours discussion. Same as GRS BI 622. Lecture and laboratory meet with CAS BI/CH 422. Kornberg. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

GRS CH 631 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 632 Advanced Coordination Chemistry II: Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 633 Physical Methods for Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 634 Metallobiochemistry

The roles of transition metals in biology is assessed by review of the structural, spectroscopic, and genetic aspects of metallobiochemistry. Metal import and trafficking; cofactor biogenesis; biocatalytic transformations in biogeochemistry; reactive oxygen species; the inorganic basis of life. Elliott. 4 cr, 1st sem.

GRS CH 641 Physical Organic Chemistry

Prereq: CAS CH 352; coreq: GRS CH 651, or consent of instructor. Physical fundamentals of organic chemistry; thermodynamics, kinetics, molecular orbital theory, theory of concerted reactions; isotope effects, aromaticity, linear free energy relationships, acidity functions, photo- and free-radical chemistry. Three hours lecture. Jones. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

GRS CH 642 Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Prereq: CAS CH 212, or consent of instructor. Fundamentals of organic reaction mechanisms; techniques used to study reaction mechanisms; reactive intermediates: carbonium ions, radicals, carbenes, nitrenes; acid/base catalysis, reactions for the carbonyl group, cycloaddition, nucleophilic displacement reactions, and redox chemistry. Three hours lecture. Porco. 4 cr, 1st sem.

GRS CH 643 Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry

Prereq: GRS CH 641 and CH 642. Organic synthetic strategies for total synthesis. Various approaches for organic molecules whose synthesis constitutes major contributions to organic chemistry. Three hours lecture. Panek. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

GRS CH 645 Transition Metal Chemistry

Prereq: junior standing and CAS CH 203/204 or CH 203/214 or CH 211/212 and CH 232; recommended corequisite: CH 301. Introduction to the concepts of transition metal-mediated reactions and mechanisms, including electronic structure and properties, reaction mechanisms, kinetics, organometallic compounds, catalytic reactions, and aspects of asymmetric catalysis. Schaus. 4 cr, 1st sem.

GRS CH 651, 652 Molecular Quantum Mechanics

Prereq: CAS CH 351, CH 352, or equivalent. Suggested coreq: GRS CH 654. Introduction to quantum theory, atomic and molecular structure, spectroscopy. The chemical bond; Born-Oppenheimer approximation; electronic, vibrational, and rotational motion in molecules. NMR, ESR, microwave, IR, raman, visible, UV spectroscopy, computational ab initio methods for analyzing molecular structure and spectroscopy. Three hours lecture, two hours discussion. Wang, Coker. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

GRS CH 653 Molecular Spectroscopy

Prereq: GRS CH 652 or equivalent. Theory of electromagnetic radiation-matter interactions; linear and nonlinear molecular spectroscopy, time and frequency domain spectroscopic techniques; molecular responses and dielectric relaxation processes; theory of NMR, ESR, microwave, IR, Raman, visible, and UV spectroscopies; computational methods. Ziegler. 4 cr, either sem.

GRS CH 654 Methods of Chemical Physics

Prereq: consent of instructor. Vector calculus with applications; Fourier series and Fourier integral with applications, and function of a complex variable with applications; also Green’s function methods, theory of linear vector spaces, and solutions of eigen function problems. Same as CAS PY 355, with extra discussion. Staff. 4 cr, either sem.

GRS CH 655 Statistical Mechanics I

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 656 Statistical Mechanics II

Prereq: GRS CH 655 or equivalent. Selected advanced topics may include theories of liquids, free energy perturbation theory, phase transitions, Ising model, Zimm-Bragg model of coil-to-helix transition; irreversible thermodynamics, scattering, linear response theory, time correlation functions, transport, models of diffusion, chemical reaction rate theory, and spectroscopy. Three hours lecture. Straub. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

GRS CH 658 Chemical Kinetics and Dynamics

Chemical kinetics and reaction dynamics. Rate theory. Theoretical models of reaction dynamics: transition state theory, collision theory, statistical methods. Transport theory. Modern experimental approaches. Photochemical and photophysical dynamics, energy transfer, condensed phase and atmospheric reaction processes. Georgiadis. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

GRS CH 699 Teaching College Chemistry I

The goals, contents, and methods of instruction in chemistry. General teaching-learning issues. Required of all teaching fellows. TBA. 2 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

GRS CH 722 Protein Chemistry

Grad prereq: GRS CH 621 or equivalent. Methods for determining the structure of noncrystalline proteins, including protein sequence analysis, chemical modification, NMR spectroscopy and site-specific mutagenesis; case studies of the structure and function of selected proteins. Three hours lecture. Laursen. 4 cr, either sem.

GRS CH 723 Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules

Not offered 2007/2008

GRS CH 724 Special Topics in Biochemistry

Grad prereq: GRS CH 621. Detailed analysis of special topics of research in biochemistry. The topics are determined by the instructor depending on interest and expertise. Subjects covered include protein analysis, mechanistic enzymology, nucleic acid research, protein/nucleic acid interactions, and spectroscopic methods. Staff, Hartman, Laursen, Lee, Mohr. 4 cr, on demand.

Directed Study or Research

GRS CH 901, 902 PhD Research in Chemistry

Instructor and hours arranged. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

GRS CH 903, 904 MA Research in Chemistry

A written report at the end of each semester is required. Instructor and hours arranged. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

TOP OF PAGE

Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Sherborn Street
Boston, MA 02215

31 October 2007
Boston University
Questions
Credits