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The College of Arts & Sciences
The Cornell Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology has a long history of discovery, innovation and scholarship. We are fortunate to count Nobel Prize winners, National Academy Members, MacArthur Fellows and Guggenheim Fellows among our faculty. Teaching thousands of undergraduate and advanced students each year, education is a central focus of our endeavors. Our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows perform cutting-edge research that is supported by many national granting agencies and foundations. We are committed to the advancement and inclusion of all students and aim to foster a diverse environment for science and learning.
As the need to find climate change solutions becomes ever more urgent, Cornell chemists are leading the way with innovative and far-reaching discoveries, including better electric batteries, carbon capture technologies, renewable plastics and improvements in solar cells.
The new method, Semi-Local Density Fingerprints (SLDFs), can predict molecular properties with up to 100 times more accuracy than the current most popular method for modeling molecules and materials.
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Scientists have outlined exactly how embryonic stem cells protect other cells from the effects of oxidative stress, thus preventing cellular aging.
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An interdisciplinary team of researchers determined that organic residues of plant oils are poorly preserved in calcareous soils from the Mediterranean, leading decades of archaeologists to likely misidentify olive oil in ceramic artifacts.
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New grant funding will support eight research projects seeking to reduce AI’s energy use and integrate AI in environmental research.
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The portraits are part of a series by Christopher Michel, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s inaugural artist-in-residence.
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Coates is being recognized “for transformative work at the interface of chemical catalyst design and polymer science.”
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If Trump allies exceed expectations during Nov. 4 elections, despite his disapproval ratings, it will be a sign that Republicans can still benefit from Democrats’ continued unpopularity.
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Researchers used single-molecule super-resolution reaction imaging in the study.
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The department encourages students to pursue research opportunities while attending Cornell University. More than half of all Chemistry majors engage in research at some point during their undergraduate career, with many beginning in their sophomore or junior year and continuing their research through summer fellowships and outside laboratory positions. Approximately half of every graduating class, or about twenty students, enroll in the CHEM 4980 Honors Seminar and submit a written thesis prior to graduation. Areas of focus outside of Chemistry may include Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Biology, Food Science, and at the Veterinary School. The department offers a variety of workshops and seminars each year that explore best practices for joining a research group, and co-sponsors the CHEM research symposium with Alpha Chi Sigma, the co-ed chemistry fraternity at Cornell.
The availability of research opportunities can change with each new semester. Students should carefully consider their availability before pursuing a research position in the department. Performing advanced research under the guidance of a faculty member and/or graduate student may require an average commitment of eight to twelve hours each week. Students interested in conducting research in C&CB should contact chemundergrad@cornell.edu before seeking a research advisor in the department.
Undergraduate research can be conducted for academic credit or pay (as arranged by the research advisor and department). Credit can be earned through any of the following research listings:
Once an arrangement has been made between a student and a research advisor, the student must complete the independent study form provided by their respective college. For Arts & Sciences students, please complete the College of Arts & Sciences Independent Study Form.
