Postdoctoral Faculty Fellows Program

Initiated in 2002, the Postdoctoral Faculty Fellowship Program provides a two-year, full time appointment in the Department of Chemistry for recent Ph.D. graduates who wish to gain experience in teaching chemistry, in addition to pursuing research. The Program gives Postdoctoral Faculty Fellows (PFFs) exceptional experience in teaching chemistry at the university level and a clear advantage in the academic job market. In turn, PFFs, who are U.S. nationals, provide high-quality instruction to our undergraduate courses, bringing greater expertise and confidence into the classroom than is usual with graduate teaching fellows.

Teaching: PFFs teach undergraduate classes, which have included general, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry; lead discussion sections; direct laboratory sessions; advise students, and present lectures in our core courses in collaboration with faculty mentors. They develop course and laboratory content and materials and mentor undergraduate research students.

Research: PFFs conduct research in affiliation with faculty research groups (analytical, organic, physical, inorganic, biochemistry). They have wide flexibility in selecting a laboratory and research project. Each fellow conducts her or his own research approximately half time during the academic year and full time in the summer months.