Chemistry and Biochemistry
Participation in research exposes students to the practice of chemistry as a process of creating new knowledge.
Faculty-student collaboration is an integral part of the undergraduate experience in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Swarthmore.
Students have frequent opportunities to present their research in poster sessions on campus and at professional meetings.
Students have opportunities to engage in independent research in close collaboration with faculty.
The department offers a course major in Chemistry, a special Major in Biochemistry and a special major in Chemical Physics.
During National Chemistry week, students and faculty visit local schools to do demonstrations and supervise hands-on activities.
Ice cream served chemistry style!
Chemistry major Julia Murphy '15 working with members of the Chester Children's Chorus as part of a five-week summer science enrichment program hosted in the Chemistry Department and funded by HHMI.
The aim of the Swarthmore Chemistry and Biochemistry Department is to provide sound training in the fundamental principles and basic techniques of the science and to provide interested students with the opportunity for advanced work in the main subdisciplines of modern chemistry and biochemistry.
There is an active research program at Swarthmore and students are encouraged to include research as part of their undergraduate education. In addition to close collaboration in research labs, many of the upper level courses are taught as seminars providing for in-depth exchanges between students and faculty.
Most of our graduates go on to either graduate school in chemistry or biochemistry or to medical school. Swarthmore's chemistry major and biochemistry major are both certified by the American Chemical Society.