Chemistry is the science that studies matter, the stuff of which all things are made. Chemists study the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter on the molecular scale and larger. Chemists also discover and synthesize entirely new materials. Modern chemistry touches many other fields of science, engineering, and medicine. Chemistry will continue to provide critical solutions to intellectually exciting and societally important problems.
Education
A student wishing to study chemistry or biochemistry and undertake cutting-edge research in the Pacific Northwest has a nationally and internationally recognized option at the University of Washington. We offer bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biochemistry, a chemistry minor, a master’s in applied chemical science & technology (ACST), and the Ph.D.
The Department serves many non-majors, with more than 3,000 undergraduates taking at least one introductory chemistry course annually. It has the largest undergraduate instructional laboratory program at the UW.
Many of our undergraduate majors enrich their educational experience through participation in undergraduate research with our faculty.
Diversity & Equity
In the UW Department of Chemistry, our courses and research programs leverage fundamental chemical principles and the diverse expertise of our students, staff, and faculty, to shape a sustainable, resilient, and just future. Together we tackle some of the biggest challenges facing science and society: clean water and energy for all, eradicating disease and promoting global public health, advancing the next generation of efficient, sustainable, and accessible technologies, and educating to advance scientific literacy, among others.
We embrace the rich perspectives and experiences that arise from racial, ethnic, socio-economic, sexual, gender, religious, ability, and other differences that embody diversity. We know that our best work will happen when members of our community are affirmed, empowered, and committed to our shared CHEM ideals:
COLLABORATION that brings all people and ideas to the table
HONOR and respect for the people and lands in and around our community
ENGAGEMENT with tough questions and curiosity that drives discovery and change in science and society
MOTIVATION to strive for excellence in education and research at the frontiers of chemical science
Faculty
The Department of Chemistry has 45 faculty who have received numerous awards from a wide variety of organizations. Faculty honors include:
- American Academy of Arts & Sciences Fellows
- ACS National Awards
- Beckman Young Investigator Awards (3)
- Cottrell Scholars awards
- Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards (9)
- Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Chemical Society and American Physical Society
- Kavli Microbiome Award
- National Academy of Sciences
- NSF CAREER Awards
- Packard Fellowships (4)
- PECASE Awards
- Sloan Fellowships (20)
- UW Distinguished Teaching Awards
- UW Faculty Lecture
- Washington State Academy of Sciences Members (13)
Students as of Autumn 2025
- Undergraduate majors: 985
- MSACST students: 51
- PhD students: 234
- Postdoctoral scholars: 35
Degrees awarded from Summer 2024 through Spring 2025
- Bachelor’s degrees: 342
- MSACST degrees: 28
- MS Chemistry degrees: 33
- PhD degrees: 45
Major student awards since 2023
- Astronaut Scholarship, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
- A&S Dean’s Medals in the Natural Sciences
- Churchill Scholarship
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship
- Goldwater Scholarships
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Fellowship
- Husky 100
- Graduate Research Fellowships from DoE, NIH, and NSF
- NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards
- Truman Scholarship
- UW Excellence in Teaching Award
- UW Gonfaloniere
- UW President’s Medals
- Washington NASA Space Grant Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Major postdoc awards since 2022
- Clean Energy Institute Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
- Mistletoe Research Fellowship, Momental Foundation
- United States-Israel Education Foundation (Fulbright Israel)
- Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholar, Mortimer B. Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program
Historical Record of Departmental Chairs
- Horace Greeley Beyers 1899 - 1919
- Henry Kretzer Benson 1919 - 1947
- Herman Vance Tartar 1947 - 1949
- Paul Clifford Cross 1949 - 1961
- George Hamilton Cady 1961 - 1965
- Verner Schomaker 1965 - 1970
- Norman W. Gregory 1970 - 1975
- Arthur Fairhall 1975 - 1976
- Edward Lingafelter 1976 - 1977
- Alvin L. Kwiram 1977 - 1986
- Bruce E. Eichinger 1986 - 1987
- Thomas Engel 1987 - 1990
- Robert O. Watts 1990 - 1995
- Paul B. Hopkins 1995 - 2015
- D. Michael Heinekey 2015 - 2020
- Munira Khalil 2020 - 2025
- Alshakim Nelson 2025 -