School of Chemistry and Materials Science


School of
Chemistry and Materials Science
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Revolutionizing modern society through the synthesis of materials and medicines, and probing the fundamental processes of life.
Overview
RIT offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that prepare you for professional work in research laboratories and industrial settings. The materials science graduate program seeks to provide solutions for several different fields, including energy, medicine, clothing, and equipment production.
Good to Know
- Chemistry and Biochemistry majors learn about the structure, composition, properties, and behaviors of molecules, giving them a strong foundation in preparation for a wide range of careers involving energy, medicine, materials, food, the environment, and sustainability.
- Chemistry and Biochemistry majors are highly competitive applicants for acceptance into veterinary school, medical and dental school, and various graduate programs.
- Graduate students in the materials science program learn problem-solving skills in several fields, including energy, medicine, clothing, and equipment production.
Typical Job Titles
BS Degree
Research Lab Technician
Research Assistant
Science Writer
Analytical Chemist
Government Analyst
Materials Engineer
Plant Operations
Quality Analyst
BS + Grad/Professional Degree
Senior Scientist
Senior Research Specialist
Professor
Analytical Chemist
Patent Lawyer
Doctor/Dentist
Veterinarian
Process Chemist
Featured Profiles
VP of Research and Development in a Science-first Cannabis Company
Lauren Tamburro ‘04 (biochemistry)
Lauren Tamburro wanted to be acknowledged as a serious scholar, so she chose RIT. Today, she is the VP of Research and Development at Vertosa, Inc.
From Student Support to Student Success in Chemistry MS
Kaitlyn Clark BS ‘19, MS ‘22 (chemistry)
Kaitlyn Clark chose RIT for its access services and began as a mathematics major. With the support from multiple faculty members, she discovered chemistry and is now an MS graduate.
From RIT to Unilever: The Learning Journey Continues
Shin Lutondo ’18 (chemistry)
Shin Lutondo ’18 took advantage of all RIT had to offer - research, co-ops, MOCHA, intramural sports. Today he applies that diverse learning experience to the Research & Development community at...
Undergraduate Programs
RIT’s chemistry and biochemistry programs feature rigorous, in-depth curricula that remain flexible enough to allow students to specialize in several other related fields. We offer robust undergraduate research and laboratory teaching experience opportunities, often as early as freshman year, with faculty mentorship and state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation.
The biochemistry major focuses on the chemistry of living things to prepare you to address current challenges facing the chemical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, forensic, and biotechnological fields.
Learn more about the Biochemistry BS programIn RIT’s chemistry degree, you’ll search for and use new knowledge about chemicals to discover, develop, or improve synthetic fibers, paints, adhesives, drugs, cosmetics, electronic components, lubricants, and thousands of other products.
Learn more about the Chemistry BS programGraduate Programs
Our chemistry and materials science and engineering graduate programs prepare professional scientists by offering curricula that allow students to specialize in their chosen fields while engaging in rigorous, meaningful research using state-of-the-art instrumentation and facilities, under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
A master’s degree in chemistry that prepares you to be an independent researcher in a wide array of chemical disciplines, including your chosen specialty.
Learn more about the Chemistry MS programA graduate certificate in materials science and engineering that develops a foundation of materials-oriented knowledge, conceptualization, product development, and production decisions needed to strive in engineering.
Learn more about the Materials Science and Engineering Adv. Cert. programThe materials science master’s degree combines science, engineering, and sustainability to contribute solutions to challenges facing industries as diverse as energy, medicine, semiconductors, retail/clothing, and sporting equipment.
Learn more about the Materials Science and Engineering MS programMinors and Immersions
All of the required or optional courses for the chemistry immersion are core chemistry courses within the chemistry curriculum.
Learn more about the Chemistry Immersion programChemistry is intrinsically a part of our society from the fuels we use, the air we breathe, and the water we drink to the complex chemical behaviors of our own bodies. Chemistry is involved in the development of myriad materials such as computer chips, packaging materials, and alternative fuels. Increasing numbers of policy and ethical choices facing the global community involve issues where chemistry plays a pivotal role. This minor provides students with the opportunity to study chemistry in order to build a secondary area of expertise in support of their major or as an additional area of interest.
Learn more about the Chemistry Minor programCooperative Education
What’s different about an RIT education? It’s the career experience you gain by completing cooperative education and internships with top companies in every single industry. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world career experience that sets you apart. It’s exposure–early and often–to a variety of professional work environments, career paths, and industries.
Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Science co-ops include a range of hands-on experiences, from co-ops and internships and work in labs to undergraduate research and clinical experience in health care settings. These opportunities provide the hands-on experience that enables you to apply your scientific, math, and health care knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.
Chemistry Research Scholars Program
Undergraduate research is one of the greatest strengths of our School of Materials and Chemistry Science programs. Alumni often come back to report that their undergraduate research experience is what set them apart upon graduation and strongly poised them for success. Students are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research experience under the guidance of faculty mentors as early as their freshman year. Students can also apply for summer research internships at RIT and other institutions. Once a student has worked at least one semester with a faculty mentor in our school, they may apply to the Chemistry Research Scholars Program.
Faculty
Faculty in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at RIT are experts in their field of study. They bring their professional skills and experience to the classroom, teaching, and research labs. Our faculty are scientists who strive to make the world a better place. Chemistry, biochemistry, and materials science are central to the knowledge and skill sets necessary to address our global challenges.
What types of challenges are you interested in learning how to solve?
Meet our faculty and which challenges their research projects address.
Featured Work
Climate Change Course: Complex Teams Solving Complex Problems
Mary Pryor
RIT students from all majors learn creative and interdisciplinary problem-solving through the perspectives of a diverse set of faculty members.
Performing on Stage and in the Lab at RIT
Amyria Kimble ‘24 (chemistry)
Amyria Kimble understands how scientists and performers use the same skills to bring their ideas to life, so it’s no surprise she formed Pandemic Step Team, the first-ever step club at RIT.
Learning Assistant (LA) Program: An Authentic Teaching Experience
The Learning Assistant (LA) program at RIT provides students with an authentic teaching experience so they can experience what it’s like to teach at the college level.
Latest News
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April 24, 2023
André Hudson named dean of RIT’s College of Science
André Hudson has been named dean of the College of Science at RIT. Hudson is a prominent biochemistry and microbiology researcher who has served as interim dean of the science college since August of 2022.
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April 12, 2023
Photo, science classes merge for climate change talk by Pulitzer-winning photojournalist
Salwan Georges of The Washington Post visited the RIT campus for a pair of lectures, including one that detailed his work photographing climate change for a project that received a Pulitzer Prize.
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February 1, 2023
Expanding RIT’s research footprint
RIT has been expanding its research footprint to accommodate the university’s growing research portfolio. The Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED), which opens this fall, is enabling the university to convert 10 existing classrooms, totaling more than 23,000 square feet, into new research space. Another 14,700 square feet of research space opened in January in Brown Hall.
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