Overview

About

Chemistry major from Lewis and Clark College

Chemistry is an experimental science. Ideas explored in the classroom come to life when tested in the laboratory. At Lewis & Clark, students strive to understand the nature of the chemical world around them. Chemistry students ask themselves a variety of questions: Why do chemical reactions occur? How do they occur? What are the fundamental theories that explain chemical phenomena? How can we make use of chemical reactions in medicine and technology?

The study of chemistry is divided into analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry. Chemistry majors at Lewis & Clark are exposed to each of these areas and develop an understanding of how chemists discover new phenomena and solve technological problems. In addition, students majoring in biochemistry, biology, or physics find it essential to know certain aspects of chemistry for greater insight into their own fields. The chemistry program at Lewis & Clark, which is certified by the American Chemical Society, challenges students to achieve these goals through excellence in coursework and research projects.

Introductory chemistry courses enroll as many as 180 students but are subdivided into much smaller lab, lecture, and discussion sections. Laboratory sections are capped at 24 students. Upper-level courses rarely exceed 20 students.

The chemistry faculty emphasize research as a teaching tool. Students are involved in research at all levels, initially assisting professors on research projects and ultimately performing studies of their own. Lewis & Clark students quickly discover that the challenge of research is exciting.

Research at a very sophisticated level takes place at Lewis & Clark. Rather than participating in a lab where the instructor has worked out the details of the experiment, students doing research at Lewis & Clark are testing new ideas and procedures. For example, a recent graduate who received honors in chemistry studied how DNA bending is affected by a carcinogen in cigarette smoke.

Students find special opportunities for funding their research projects through Lewis & Clark’s Student Academic Affairs Board or through grants received by their professors. Special grants are also available to provide income for students who choose to spend a summer working in Lewis & Clark’s chemistry research laboratories.

In some instances, students are able to use the resources of the surrounding community to conduct projects that require unusual instrumentation or facilities. Occasionally students conduct independent projects at Oregon Health and Science University, one of the largest research facilities in the Northwest. Other students have arranged independent projects through local industry.

The chemistry major includes a senior seminar. Seminars meet weekly in the fall semester; seminar speakers include students, faculty, and other professional chemists who discuss their current research as well as career opportunities for chemists. Each senior submits an abstract and makes an oral presentation of professional quality in the seminar series. Seniors who have demonstrated significant achievement may turn their senior seminar into a yearlong honors project.