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Undergraduate Programs

The UW Department of Chemistry runs one of the largest chemistry and biochemistry undergraduate degree program in the nation. We also offer a chemistry minor and serve many non-majors, with more than 3,000 undergraduates taking at least one introductory chemistry course annually. We have the largest undergraduate instructional laboratory program at the UW.

Learn more about our undergraduate programs at the links below:

Undergraduate News

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Top Scholars in Chemistry for the 2021-22 academic year

July 6, 2022
Each year the Department of Chemistry acknowledges our top students in the Honors General Chemistry series, the Honors Organic Chemistry series, and the Physical Chemistry series. The P. C. Cross Award for the top student in Physical Chemistry has been awarded to Nathan Ballinger. Nathan Ballinger is a senior chemistry major from Redmond, Washington. For the past year, Nathan has worked in the group of Associate Professor Al Nelson creating 3D-printable gels that exhibit... Read more
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Undergraduate Research Awards

June 15, 2022
This year’s recipients of the Distinguished Research in Chemistry award are: Emily Ding is a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry. During her undergraduate years, she aided the research group of Professor František Tureček in their studies regarding intramolecular carbene crosslinking in peptide conjugate ions. She also participated in the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program and hopes one day to use her skills to... Read more
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Chemistry students awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

June 2, 2022
Congratulations to the students in the Department of Chemistry who were awarded 2022 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, and to the five graduate students who received honorable mentions. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. NSF Graduate... Read more
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Five Biochemistry and Chemistry Undergraduates named to the Husky 100

May 2, 2022
Congratulations to Aasiya Islam, Sheharbano Jafry, Lucinda Liu, Kathy Nguyen, and Peter Tinker on being named to the 2022 Husky 100! The Husky 100 honors 100 UW undergraduates and graduate students in all areas of study who actively connect what happens inside and outside of the classroom and apply what they learn to make a difference on campus, in their communities, and for the future. Through their passion,... Read more
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Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award

April 29, 2022
The Department of Chemistry's Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award recognizes special contributions by graduate students in undergraduate education. Congratulations to our recipients of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for 2021: Madeline Currie, Mercie Hodges, Dylan Rogers, Devin Rollins, and Sahiti Shankar! Congratulations to Ashley Dostie, the recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for 2020! Madeline Currie is a second-year graduate student in the... Read more
Catherine Chia

Biochemistry major Catherine Chia named Freshman Medalist

March 10, 2022
From the thousands of undergraduate students at the University of Washington, one freshman, one sophomore, and one junior are selected each year for the prestigious President’s Medalist Award. The Department of Chemistry congratulates Catherine Chia, who is majoring in biochemistry, neuroscience and anthropology, who has been named the 2020-21 freshman medalist. Chia was selected by a committee for her high GPA, rigor of classes and number of Honors courses. She is in the University Honors... Read more

Spring 2022 Events for New Huskies

March 1, 2022
Admitted Student Preview Day is a one-day event on Saturday, March 26, 2022, hosted by the UW Office of Admission. New Huskies can join Arts and Sciences faculty, staff, and students to explore programs and special opportunities available to students at the UW. The Department of Chemistry information session will be on Zoom on April 20, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. For more information and to register for these events, see the College's post on... Read more
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BlackPast-PR2ISM Science Communication Interns contribute STEM content to BlackPast.org

February 16, 2022
UW students including sophomore biochemistry major Sumaya Addish researched and wrote BlackPast.org profiles of Black leaders in the sciences, including Calestous Juma, Chester Brown, Theodore K. Lawless, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, William Augustus Hinton, Sekazi Mtingwa, Claire Karekezi, and Vanessa Northington Gamble. Dr. Tam'ra-Kay Francis, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry (pictured above), secured funding from the University of Washington Black Opportunity Fund to develop the... Read more
Photos of the three 2021 BlackPast interns

BlackPast Interns Celebrate Black Scientists

February 9, 2022
Featured on UW College of Arts & Sciences News 
Bagley Hall and the Chemistry Building and Drumheller Fountain

2021-2022 Chemistry Scholarship and Book Award Recipients

January 27, 2022
We are pleased to introduce you to our undergraduate students supported by departmental scholarships and book awards! H. K. Benson Undergraduate Tuition ScholarshipKamryn Smith is a third-year chemistry major graduating this spring. Her main interest is chemistry education, and she hopes to inspire her future students to share the same love and passion for chemistry that she has, while also emphasizing an equitable classroom. After graduation, Kamryn intends to substitute teach... Read more
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