Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry - Synthetic Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry, within the College of Arts and Sciences, offers courses of study leading to the degrees of Master of Arts in Teaching Chemistry, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. Students in the M.A.T. program must register through the School of Professional Development. A student in the Ph.D. program may choose dissertation research in any one of the diverse areas of chemistry represented by the interests of the program faculty, or may choose an interdisciplinary topic under the guidance of a faculty member in another program. Coordinated activities exist with several programs, and include optional concentrations in chemical physics and chemical biology. The synthesis of new molecular compounds distinguishes chemistry from other scientific disciplines. Although many disciplines study the properties of materials and natural phenomena, only chemistry concerns itself with the preparation of new molecular arrangements. The success of past synthetic efforts can readily be appreciated by observing the vast array of new materials that have improved the quality of our lives. The Chemistry Department at Stony Brook is very fortunate to have many strong synthetic programs in both organic and inorganic chemistry. Among the studies underway are the search for inventive synthetic reactions to produce new molecules, the synthesis of new molecular structures to evaluate our theories of chemical bonding, and the synthesis of new compounds with unusual physical properties (molecular engineering). A major focus in the program lies in the areas of bio-organic and bio-inorganic chemistry. Synthetic chemistry is being applied to the understanding of receptor-substrate interactions as well as of enzyme function, the preparation of artificial enzymes, the mechanism of mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, and the preparation of new compounds for the treatment of diseases.