Chemistry
The team culture in the Rollins chemistry department encourages undergraduates to talk freely with professors starting your first year. With a faculty genuinely vested in the progress and success of each student, the chemistry program offers two degree tracks: one that’s certified by the American Chemical Society as the foundation for lab or tech careers and the other for students who envision going into pre-health, pre-law, or perhaps business.
Your lab, research, and internship experiences early on in your college career will help you determine what you want to pursue, and you’ll have personal guidance from faculty and advisors on each step of your journey.
Why Study Chemistry at Rollins
Range of Expertise
Each faculty member brings an interest in the subdisciplines of chemistry: nanotech, materials, medical, food, solutions, and others. You can narrow your focus according to your own interest.
Transferable Skills
Lab experiences are interactive to help develop life skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and the ability to communicate your findings with scientists and laypeople alike.
Relationships with Faculty
Every professor knows you by name and career goals. They can advise coursework and internships tailored to your vision and write personalized recommendation letters for graduate schools.
Interested in Studying Chemistry at Rollins?
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“The level of mentorship I received in the chemistry department at Rollins greatly impacted my decision to pursue a graduate degree. The hours of help beyond the classroom ensured that I would reach my goals. As an undergraduate, I truly felt the entire department worked together to get me where I am today.”
Rollins Chemistry Careers
Rollins chemistry grads are making tomorrow happen at some of the world’s most innovative companies and prestigious institutions. Learn more about careers in chemistry.
Shalini Allam ’13 MD
Cardiology Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Julian Grundler ’18
Yale University, Graduate Researcher
Carri Geer '13 PhD
Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Novan, Inc.
Michael Kitchin ’17
MD Candidate, NYU School of Medicine
Meagan Amick Tippens ’08
Technical Lead-Chemistry Engineer, Lockheed Martin
Kevin Tucker ’05
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Southern Illinois University
Real World Experience
From internships to research, Rollins chemistry students hone their skills in the real world.
See for Yourself
Get a feel for Rollins’ unique brand of engaged learning and personalized attention through one of our virtual or in-person visit experiences.
Popular Courses
Each class in chemistry is designed to prepare you for internships and research. You’ll use professional-grade lab equipment and access scientific literature to develop solutions to real-world problems.
CHM 220 Organic Chemistry
Learn how to make and characterize molecules, which then leads to the development of biologically active or natural products—medicines, for example.
CHM 320 Analytical Chemistry
Does that pill really have 100 mg of what it says on the bottle? How do you know if your water is safe? You’ll ask meaningful questions in sample analysis, and then find the answers using instrumental methods that impact everything from forensics to the environment.
BCH 335 Biochemistry
Former students say the lightbulbs really go off in this class. It sparks an understanding of the exciting connection between chemistry and biology, putting the pieces together for how our bodies work.
CHM 420 Medicinal Chemistry
Take a giant leap forward in your growth as a potential pre-med student or pharmacy expert, delving into the application of chemistry and biochemistry in drug development.
CHM 460 Advanced Topics: Catalysis of Alternative Energy
Find out where we are scientifically with ethanol, biofuels, and battery systems. On a practical level, how close are we to making them readily available and affordable—and what can we do to get there faster?
CHM 460 Advanced Topics: Nanotechnology
The nano-world is so small yet so important in the future of chemistry. Dive into scientific primary literature and make connections to real-world applications of nanotechnology.
A Day in the Life of a Rollins Chemistry Major
“The liberal arts education at Rollins really forced me to step outside my comfort zone, teaching me how to think outside the box and adapt to different situations and problems.”
Beyond the Classroom
Prestigious Internships Chemistry students at Rollins have earned pre-health internships at the Mayo Clinic, Moffitt Cancer Center, and University of Virginia, and also in research-focused areas with law firms and the military.
Shadowing Opportunities By your sophomore year, you can spend time in a work environment to start determining firsthand if your vision for a career will meet expectations. This is a concrete way to identify your real passion.
Competitive Research Experiences Students can stay on campus for one-on-one research with a faculty member through the College’s Student-Faculty Collaborative Scholarship Program or take advantage of the pipeline created by alumni to research-intensive universities like Georgia Tech or the University of Michigan.
Dive Into Chemistry at Rollins
Explore more about what it will be like to major in chemistry at Rollins.
Facilities & Instrumentation
Rollins’ Department of Chemistry is housed in the newly renovated Bush Science Center. Within our teaching and research laboratories, we have diverse equipment for studies in biochemistry and analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.
What You Will Learn
To fulfill its mission, the Department has designed a curriculum that combines a broad knowledge of chemical disciplines with a deep understanding of modern chemical principles.
Keep Exploring
Take a deeper dive into chemistry at Rollins by meeting your future professors, seeing our grads in action, and sitting in on a class.
July 06, 2023
Rollins Receives Scientific Equipment Grant
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has awarded Rollins a grant that will enhance learning in the sciences and make biology and chemistry majors even more competitive for careers in STEM.
December 01, 2022
Rollins Receives Inclusive Excellence in STEM Grant
The six-year grant will support the College in its efforts to foster inclusivity and belonging for those who have been historically underrepresented in the sciences.
November 02, 2022
Solving the World’s Biggest Problems
For Rollins students, alumni, and faculty, the most pressing issues of our time are not insurmountable. They’re opportunities to bring meaning to the term “global citizenship.”
Expert Faculty
The research experience in the chemistry major at Rollins is rich because all faculty members are active in research too. Each instructor brings depth in a specific subspecialty, so students can choose an interest for targeted instruction.
Department of Chemistry
Telephone: 407.646.2223
Pedro Bernal, PhD
Professor of Chemistry
Research interests: Volumetric properties of water solutions and appropriate water-purification interventions
Marisa Fuse, PhD
Lecturer in Chemistry & Health Professions Advisor
Laurel Goj Habgood, PhD
Professor of Chemistry
Research interests: The use of transition-metal catalysts in organic reactions for potential use in the synthesis of fine and feedstock chemicals
Brian M. Mosby, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Research interests: The design and synthesis of hybrid materials with specific functions or interesting properties
Ellane J. Park, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Research interests: The development of bioselective gold and polymeric nanoparticles that can serve as platforms for improved cancer therapeutics
James D. Patrone, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Research interests: Applying Fragment-Based Ligand Discovery (FBLD) in cancer research
Kasandra J. Riley, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Research interests: Exploring the role of non-coding RNAs in bacterial and viral infections