Chemistry at Drake

Our Program

The Chemistry department at Drake is certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS). Certification of our program ensures that the provision of chemistry education through modern, rigorous, and comprehensive learning experiences that prepare students for their future professional careers.

• Students in the sciences are engaged in collaborative research projects with faculty from the College of Arts & Sciences, and/or the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Students can choose to do research with faculty from departments outside their major. For example, in the chemistry research laboratories it is common to find students majoring in chemistry, physics, BCMB, and pharmacy
• Six full-time faculty members with teaching and science awards, along with eight laboratory instructors contribute to the education of our undergraduates during and outside of class hours.
• Students have direct access to our excellent teaching and research facilities and modern instrumentation to gain hands-on experience.
• A capstone experience for chemistry majors engages students in a collaborative research project with a faculty member which leads to a research thesis and professional development through a series of seminar courses.
• Through our chemistry Colloquium Series, students learn about career opportunities in different settings such as academia and industry, graduate work, cutting-edge chemistry research, and the role of chemistry in society.
• The peer mentor program provides chemistry majors hands-on teaching experience while helping their peers with course materials.
• Drake chemistry graduates have pursued doctoral degrees at University of Notre Dame, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Arizona State University, and many other schools.

What's Special about the Sciences at Drake?

• A select group of our science students have been awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. This award is considered the most prestigious in the United States to undergraduates in the sciences.
• Students have the opportunity to learn about science by attending monthly presentations by visitors from academia, and industry organized by the Drake Undergraduate Science Collaborative Institute (DUSCI)
• Students in the sciences have the opportunity to showcase their research projects at the Drake University Conference in Undergraduate Research in the Sciences (DUCURS) which is organized in the month of April every year.