Department of Chemistry

Department of Chemistry

Chemistry is the study of matter and the transformations that occur in material things. It is one of the basic sciences, and it is fundamental to the study of all other basic sciences. The Department of Chemistry enthusiastically supports the University’s commitment to quality teaching, diversity, and research.

Major & MinorCourses

Chemistry Summer Research 2024

Chemistry Department Summer 2024 Research Students

  • More than 50 students worked on campus this summer in Chemistry Labs
  • Click here to see more opportunities to work in a research lab with Chemistry Department faculty

Chemists in the Kitchen!

In the latest episode, Julie Pollock, associate professor of the chemistry, and colleagues from other institutions test which method is best — deep fry, air fry, or pan fry. Dr. Pollock leads a lab that studies breast cancer and inflammatory disease development and progression.

"Chemists in the Kitchen" is a YouTube series by the National Academy of Science that follows a rotating cast of chemists who cook, experiment, and tinker with all types of recipes and ingredients. 

Dr. Pollock was also featured on the Quick Pickles and Fermentation episode. 

9

Faculty Members with External Research Grants

65

Students Co-Authored Publications in the Past 5 Years

over 100

Undergraduates Performing Research During the School Year

42

Undergraduate Presentations at Regional or National Meetings Last Year

Upcoming Events

Faculty Highlights

Dr. Wade Downey
Downey Awarded

Chiles Wade Downey, professor of chemistry and Clarence E. Denoon Jr. Chair in Natural Sciences, received the 2024 Distinguished Scholarship Award from the University of Richmond at Colloquy.

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Dr. Wade Downey
Downey Published

Wade Downey, professor of chemistry, received a grant from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research to support his research on the construction of synthetic building blocks. The grant also provides his undergraduate student mentees the opportunity to engage in graduate-level chemistry research in his lab. Read more.

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Dr. Jeffrey Simpson
Simpson and Undergraduate Students Published

Jeffrey Simpson, teaching faculty of chemistry, along with undergraduate researchers Jamie Kaplan, ‘26, and Mackey Sherard, ‘24, and collaborators including Michael Leopold, Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Professor of Chemistry, published "Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Halogen Bonding Interactions Involving Fentanyl and Fentanyl Derivatives” in Nanomaterials.

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Spider Talks: Dr. Julie Pollock

Contact Us

Mailing address:
Chemistry Department
Gottwald Science Center B-100
138 UR Drive
University of Richmond, VA 23173

Phone: (804) 289-8242
Fax: (804) 289-1897

Department Chair: Dr. Jonathan Dattelbaum
Academic Administrative Coordinator: Pat Coleman