experiment lab studying lab

Chemistry

logo

B.S. Chemistry
B.S. Biology/Chemistry


As a Chemistry major, you will be working in the lab beginning in your freshman year, gaining plenty of hands-on experience. Your small classes will be taught by professors, not graduate assistants, who will give you the individual attention you need to develop as scientists; experiment, ask questions, investigate, and collaborate with faculty on research projects.

The B. S. in Chemistry degree prepares you to work in a variety of laboratory settings in government, private industry, and nonprofit/environmental organizations. Many of our graduates have successful careers as research & development scientists, laboratory technicians, technical consultants, and customer support personnel for chemical companies. Others have gone to graduate or professional schools to study for an advanced degree.

B.S. Secondary Education, Chemistry

This degree prepares you to teach chemistry in grades 7 - 12. Along with your extensive coursework in chemistry, you will also study teaching theory and methods of classroom management. You will have a variety of hands-on field experiences in schools as well as a semester of student teaching during your senior year in a middle school and a high school setting. Our unique dual-advisor program means that you will have two academic advisors - one from the Education Department and one from the Chemistry Department so that you will be sure to have the skills you need to teach after graduation. Our graduates have a high success rate in finding teaching positions in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S.

Facilities

Ulmer Hall houses teaching and research laboratories. Current chemical instrumentation available for student use includes gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-Mass Spec), infrared (ATR-FT), nuclear magnetic resonance, atomic absorption and UV-VIS spectrometers, electrochemical equipment, and gas and liquid chromatography. Molecular modeling software, SciFinder scientific literature database, and a computer lab are also available for student use. You will get instruction and hands-on experience with this equipment which is used in industrial, forensic, and government laboratories across the nation.

Undergraduate Research

One of the best ways to develop as a chemist and scientist is by participating in undergraduate research. Our low student to faculty ratio gives you the opportunity to work closely with a chemist on novel research projects. The chemistry faculty supervise student research
in all of the major chemistry subdisciplines: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, physical, chemical education, and nanotechnology.

ACS Logo
The LHU Chemistry Program is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the highest approval rating available in the U.S.

Externships / Internships

You will be well prepared to be very competitive in applying for an internship with the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Through this program, you will work for ten weeks during the summer at a predominately research-oriented university. You may also qualify for an internship with a local chemical company such as Avery-Dennison Performance Polymers, Croda, Inc., and Lonza.

Chemistry Club

The Chemistry Club is an award-winning and nationally-recognized Student Affiliate Chapter of the ACS. The students and faculty advisors sponsor field trips to local and national meetings and places of interest, perform chemical demonstration shows, provide educational outreach venues, and have fun together in a supportive, positive environment.

Employment/Graduate Schools

Companies which employ some of our recent graduates include Avery-Dennison, Croda, Inc., Rohm & Haas, Proctor & Gamble, Supelco, and Restek. Many graduates have also found employment in laboratories throughout the east coast.

Our graduates have also been accepted into highly-ranked graduate programs in chemistry such as Purdue University, Cornell University, Penn State University, the University of Delaware, University of Michigan, Georgia Tech University, Virginia Tech University, and SUNY - Stony Brook.


Chemistry Department Faculty

Your chemistry courses will be taught by professors who have their doctoral degrees in chemistry. They instruct in both the classroom and the laboratories. In addition to teaching and advising, the faculty supervise student research in a variety of special interest projects.

Dr. Stephen Coval
Ph.D. University of Hawaii
Organic Chemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry
Research Interests: natural products, drug discovery

Dr. Troy Dermota
Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University
Instrumental Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Chemistry in the Environment
Research Interests: analytical laboratory development

Dr. Laura Lee
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison
Inorganic Chemistry, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry,
Principles of Chemistry I & II, First-Year Student Seminar
Research Interests: lecture and laboratory chemical education projects, inorganic chemistry

Dr. Martin Maresch
Ph.D. University of Vermont
Organic Chemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry,
Forensic Chemistry
Research Interests: organic synthesis, antitumor activity

Dr. Brent May, Department Chair
bmay@lhup.edu
Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University
Physical Chemistry I & II, Radiochemistry, Principles of Chemistry I & II
Research Interests: physical chemistry laboratory development, synthesis of novel transition metal/carbon materials

Dr. Kevin Range
Ph.D. University of Minnesota
Forensic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry I & II, Computational Chemistry,
Science Seminar
Research Interests: computational chemistry, physical chemistry

Dr. Kurt Rublein
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison
Instrumental Analysis, Spectroscopic Determination of Molecular Structures, Quantitative Analysis, Principles of Chemistry I & II
Research Interests: water quality analysis of local waterways, NMR studies of rapidly exchanging organometallic complexes

Dr. Jacqueline Whitling

Ph.D. Duquesne University
Biochemistry I & II, Chemical Literature, Chemistry of Nutrition
Research Interests: enzyme kinetics, nano-targeted drug delivery



B.S. Biology/Chemistry

This interdisciplinary degree is a joint program with the Biology and Chemistry Departments. Whichever track you choose, you will study theory in both disciplines along with extensive hands-on work in laboratories. All courses are taught by dedicated professors, not graduate assistants. You will get the individual attention you need to succeed. This degree will prepare you for careers in research and development labs, the pharmaceutical industry, a variety of healthcare settings or government agencies. Or you may choose to continue to medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary or graduate school.

Track options:

  • Pre-Medicine
  • Pre-Pharmacy
  • Pre-Dentistry
  • Pre-Veterinary Medicine
  • Medical Technology
  • Pre-Veterinary

Pre-Medicine
With an aging population, the demand for doctors of all types will continue to increase. Biology/Chemistry is the ideal major if you are planning to attend medical school. LHU graduates have had great success in gaining admission to leading medical schools.

Pre-Dentistry
The demand for dentists remains strong. This track will provide you with a solid foundation in biology and chemistry to qualify you for admission to a professional dental school.

Pre-Pharmacy
Since pharmacists use chemical compounds to treat biological conditions, the biology/chemistry degree is a natural choice for preparation for pharmacy school. You will have a strong foundation on how the two sciences are interconnected. With an aging population, pharmacists will continue to play a very important role in healthcare and remain in high demand.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Animals are an important part of our lives, whether as pets or as part of our agricultural industry. Therefore, their health and maintenance is important. This track will provide a strong emphasis on animal biology and physiology to prepare you for admission to veterinary school.

Medical Technology
Also referred to as Clinical Laboratory Science. For the first three years, you will take classes at the Lock Haven University campus. The senior year will be spent in an approved clinical setting, such as one of our affilitates: Susquehanna Health, St. Vincent Hospital, Altoona Hospital, or Robert Packer Hospital. After completing this track, you will be qualified to take the state medical technology certification examination. Once certified, you will be able to work in a variety of healthcare settings such as doctor's offices, clinics, hospitals, and diagnostic centers.


Faculty & Facilities

Since this is an interdisciplinary degree, you will use the facilities of both the chemistry and biology departments and will take classes taught by professors from both departments.

Employment, Graduate Schools

Recent graduates have been accepted into medical studies at Hershey Medical Center and Thomas Jefferson College. Others have found employment at Charles River Laboratories and Croda, Inc.