Chemistry @ IU

Welcome to the Department of Chemistry at Indiana University in Bloomington.  Our department has a long and distinguished history in the chemical sciences in a tradition that carries on into the present day.

Members of our faculty consistently rank as leaders in their respective fields.  These include current and past winners of the Robert Boyle Prize for Analytical Science given by the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), a member-elect of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science, a National Fresenius Award winner, a Fellow and Innovation Awardee of the American Chemical Society, and a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences.  Our faculty also boasts many past recipients of national and IU-based awards in chemistry and chemical education.

The Department of Chemistry is endowed with outstanding research facilities and top-flight research staff that run these facilities.  Our physical footprint on campus was significantly expanded in 2007 with the opening of Simon Hall in the yard between Chemistry and Biology, in the oldest and most historic part of IU’s beautiful campus.  This award-winning building has catalyzed new collaborative science among faculty in the departments of Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Biology and Physics.

Our graduate program is consistently ranked among the nation’s leaders and currently boasts two divisions that occupy the #3 (analytical) and #13 (inorganic) positions in the country according to the 2010 US News and World Report.  Traditional strengths in synthetic organic chemistry and theoretical chemistry at IU are also highly regarded.  We are expanding our expertise as well, with eight new faculty appointed at all ranks in nearly all divisions since 2007, and this trend is slated to continue.  Our research activities span all traditional areas of chemistry in a highly collaborative environment, and the department attracts over $13 million in external research funding per year.  Chemistry is also the administrative home for a number of interdisciplinary activities including the Nanoscience Center and associated facilities, the National Center for Glycomics and Glycoproteomics and a new graduate training program in Quantitative and Chemical Biology.

At present, Chemistry research laboratories host over 190 graduate students and 50 postdoctoral students and research staff.  IU Chemistry also has a rich history of commitment to the education of undergraduates in Chemistry and Biochemistry and currently ranks in the nation’s top 20 in the graduation of total and ACS-certified degree holders in chemistry.  This experience is strongly enhanced by significant opportunities for undergraduate research.

Bloomington is nestled in the rolling hills of southern Indiana and is a small but vibrant city that couples an array of fine dining and lively entertainment opportunities with a low cost of living.  IU is home to the Jacobs School of Music, consistently ranked among the best music schools in the nation, allowing students to enjoy an enormous range of cultural experiences year-round, including recitals, operas, and other musical events in the city.  Bloomington also boasts a number of unique and highly regarded museums, as well as permanent collections of art and rotating exhibits.  The Hoosier National Forest and many nearby state parks provide trails for hiking and biking in the summer and for cross-country skiing in the winter, with metropolitan Indianapolis just an hour away.

David Giedroc

Learn more about the IU Department of Chemistry:

• Meet the Faculty
• Chair's Office

The Association of Indiana University Chemists publishes an Alumni Journal at least once a year. These journals document the history of our department, our faculty, and our students. To view these journals, please visit the Chemistry Alumni Journal Archives page.

Contact Information

Indiana University
Department of Chemistry
800 E. Kirkwood Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47405-7102
E-Mail: chemchair@indiana.edu
Phone: (812) 855-9043
Fax: (812) 855-8300