A message from Chair David Ryan

The Department of Chemistry at UMass Lowell presently consists of 28 full-time research and teaching faculty, nearly 150 undergraduate majors and approximately 75 graduate students. The department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. 

  • The M.S. program offers specializations in Analytical, Applied Chemistry, Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Polymer Science, and Sustainable Chemistry. 
  • The Ph.D. program offers specializations in Analytical, Organic and Physical Chemistry as well as options in Biochemistry, Environmental Studies, Green Chemistry and Polymer Science. 
  • The B.S. degree is approved by the American Chemical Society and meets all of the standards set forth by this society. In addition to the traditional B.S. degree, options are also available in Biochemistry and Forensics Chemistry. Both of these are ACS-approved degrees.

At the undergraduate level, the department seeks to train highly competent chemists to enter the workforce directly or enroll in nationally recognized graduate programs. At the graduate level, students who are awarded an M.S. degree are prepared to enter the workforce in a variety of settings. Students graduating with a Ph.D. are well-prepared for leadership in industry and academia. Many of our alumni are currently professors and researchers at U.S., and international, colleges and universities. Others have reached the top of the research and managerial ladders in the corporate world.

Chemistry research faculty are active in a variety of technologically important areas, including polymer synthesis, organic electronics, biofunctional surfaces, chemical and biological sensors, protein chemistry, tribology, nanotechnology, catalysis and analytical chemistry related to the environment. Students receiving M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are highly trained for rewarding careers that help sustain the Massachusetts and United States economy. Our laboratories are well-equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, and our faculty have funding from a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Army Research Office, Air Force Office of Research, Office of Naval Research, National Institutes of Health and various industrial sponsors.