Fall 2009

Careers in Chemistry

“Take white lead, one part, and any glass you choose, two parts, fuse together in a crucible and then pour the mixture. To this crystal add the urine of an ass and after forty days you will find emeralds”

Stillman, J. M. The story of Alchemy and Early Modern Chemistry;Stillman, J. M. The story of Alchemy and Early Modern Chemistry;Dover: New York 1960, p. 160.Dover: New York 1960, p. 160.

What is Chemistry?

Although alchemy is now regarded as “silly” the overall goal of chemistry has not changed in several hundred years:

We endeavor to transform naturally occurring elements and compounds into more useful forms, as well as to study how this “chemistry” occurs.

What is Chemistry?

• Studies the atomic composition and structural features of substances.

• Investigates the varied interactions among substances • Utilizes natural substances and creates artificial ones.

• Comprehends the complex chemistry of living organisms.

• Provides a molecular interpretation of health and disease.

What does a Chemist do?

• Organic Chemistry

• Inorganic Chemistry

• Physical Chemistry

• Analytical Chemistry

• Industrial ChemistryIncluding:chemical engineering & materials science

• Biochemistry

Main Divisions of Chemistry

Largest area of specialization among the various fields of chemistry

Organic chemists study the infinite family of compounds derived from carbon

A good organic chemist is someone who enjoys working at the laboratory bench with chemicals and glassware

Organic chemists “create” new carbon compounds, from multi-step synthesis of pharmaceuticals to the careful study of individual reactions

What is Organic Chemistry?

What is Organic Chemistry?

Career applications in Organic Chemistry Include:

Synthetic Organic Chemistry Pharmaceutical Chemistry Polymer Chemistry Dye and Textile Chemistry Pulp and Paper Chemistry Agricultural Chemistry Formulation Chemistry

(paint, food, petrochemicals, adhesives, etc.)

Physical Organic ChemistryCorrelates the physical and chemical properties of compounds with their structural features.

Organic Chemists at Behrend

Dr. Marty KociolekPh. D. University of New Hampshire, 1995

Dr. Kociolek investigates the synthesis and use of isoxazolidines, an important building block in natural product synthesis

Organic Chemists at Behrend

Dr. Michael W. JustikPh. D. University of Akron, 2000

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S

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My research investigation is the synthesis of recyclable or “green” oxidants based on hypervalent iodine

Inorganic chemists study the infinite family of compounds centered on elements other than carbon

A good inorganic chemist is someone who also enjoys working at the laboratory bench with chemicals and glassware

Inorganic chemists “create” new inorganic or organometallic compounds, and studies their properties, structure and use

Many inorganic compounds are important biological and industrial catalysts

What is Organic Chemistry?

Disciplines within Inorganic Chemistry:

• Organometallic Chemistry

• Bioinorganic Chemistry

• Ceramics and Glass

• Semiconductors

What is Inorganic Chemistry?

Inorganic Chemist at Behrend

Dr. Alan J. JircitanoPh.D., 1982, University of Kansas

Dr. Jircitano studies the synthesis and structural characterization of transition metal complexes with macrocyclic ligands.  Macrocyclic compounds are found extensively in nature, playing a role in some very important biological processes. 

A physical chemist measures, correlates, and explains the quantitative aspects of chemical processes

A good inorganic chemist is someone who also enjoys mathematics and its interface with chemistry, working with instrumentation and studying the chemical world through physics

What is Physical Chemistry?

Theoretical Chemistry

Devoted to Quantum and Statistical Mechanics - use computers to help them solve complicated mathematical equations that simulate specific chemical processes

Chemical Thermodynamics & Chemical Kinetics Studies the relationship between heat, work, temperature, and energy of chemical systems and measure the rates of chemical reactions

Electrochemistry Studies the interrelationship between electric current and chemical change

Photochemistry & Spectroscopy Uses radiation energy to probe and induce change within matter.

What is Physical Chemistry?

Physical Chemists at Behrend

Dr. Jay AmicangeloPh.D. University of Vermont, 1999

Dr. Amicangelo’s research project involves the spectroscopic and theoretical investigation of transient intermediates related to chemical vapor deposition processes used to manufacture semiconductor and microelectronic circuitry by performing matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy. . 

Physical Chemists at Behrend

Dr. Jennifer HoltPh.D. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2002

Host-guest chemistry can be used to create new composite materials with novel properties by inserting a guest molecule in a host lattice. These materials often exhibit new properties that are not observed in the individual species, including nonlinear optical behavior. The proposed study aims to better understand how the behavior of the host-guest system is affected when the shape, dimensionality, and chemistry of the host material is varied in order to improve the ability to engineer new materials.

What is Analytical Chemistry?

An analytical chemist is charged with the assay of anything made of chemicals – from a qualitative sense (what is in here?) to a quantitative sense (how much is in here?)

A good analytical chemist is someone who enjoys precision and takes great care in methodology. They enjoy contributing to industry as well as the other chemical disciplines.

They enjoy mathematics and working with instrumentation.

Chemical and Biochemical Methods • Gravimetry• Titrimetric Analysis• Enzymic Analysis• Inmunochemical Analysis

Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopic Methods• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)• Electron Spin Resonance (ESR)• Mass Spectrometry (MS)• Vibrational Spectroscopy (IR, RAMAN)• X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (XPS)• Electronic Spectroscopy (UV, VIS, Luminiscence)• Atomic Spectroscopy (AA, ICP)• Rotational Spectroscopy (Microwave, FIR)

What is Analytical Chemistry?

Chromatographic Methods Gas Chromatography (GC) High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)Ion Chromatography

Thermal Methods Thermogravimetry (TG)Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA)Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)Thermomechanic Analysis (TMA)

What is Analytical Chemistry?

Electrochemical Methods ElectrogravimetryElectrophoresisConductimetry,PotentiometryPolarographyVoltammetry

What is Analytical Chemistry?

Analytical Chemists at Behrend

Dr. Matt HeerbothPh.D. Florida State University 2007

We are currently searching for a tenure-track analytical faculty member for a Fall 2008 start

Chemistry Career Opportunities

Biochemistry Chemical education (formal or outreach) Chemical & pharmaceutical research Chemical sales & marketing Environmental services Forensics Medical, pharmacy & other professional schools

Reference: C&E News 2005 Salary Survey

Where the Jobs Are

Salary Survey

Chemistry at Behrend

B.S. Chemistry Options– General (ACS approved)*– Biochemistry (ACS approved)*– Business– Chemistry Education (w/ Mercyhurst College)– Computer Science

* 633 nation wide - one of two in Northwest PA

Why ACS Accreditation?

Insures high-quality program National recognition for academic rigor Immediate membership in ACS Employers recognize graduates are better prepared

for technical employment Some companies offer higher starting salary

Why ACS Accreditation?

“companies recognize the value of ACS-certified degrees: according to the ACS 2003 Starting Salary survey, the average starting salary for inexperienced bachelor-level chemists with certified degrees was $34,000 compared to $31,000 for those without certification”Reference: CPI Fall 2004 Issue

Chemistry at Behrend

Graduate 8-12 majors a year 8 full-time faculty members Upper-level class sizes (10-15 students) Lots of hands-on experience Mandatory undergraduate research

– students present work at local & national conferences– students are coauthors on papers in peer-reviewed journals

ACS Approved Graduates

Typical yearly graduates:

Bachelors Certified Not Certified

Penn State Behrend 10 5 Penn State (UP) 28 9

University Pittsburgh 8 39

Allegheny College 0 18

Bloomsburg University 5 6

Clarion University 4 2

Franklin & Marshall 11 4

Indiana University of PA 2 6

Swarthmore College 6 3

Chemistry at Behrend

Where do our graduates end up?

Graduate SchoolUC-Berkeley University at Buffalo

Dartmouth College University of Virginia

University of North Carolina University of Utah

Texas A&M University of Kansas

University of Wisconsin University of South Carolina

University of Pittsburgh

Chemistry at Behrend

Where do our graduates end up?

Industry Jobs

Merck Pfizer, Inc. GlaxoSmithKline PPG Industries

Lucent Technologies Wyeth Research

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Ontogen Corp.

Crompton Inc. Lancaster labs

U.S. Steel Lawerence Livermore Labs

Naval Research Labs FBI

Welch’s

An Important Misconception about Graduate School

Most undergraduates dismiss graduate school – more school = more loans/debt or just more school

Truth be told: Natural sciences graduate programs are desperate for

domestic students to fill ranks of teaching assistants Graduate programs only require 24-32 additional credits of

courses you are interested in followed by 2-5 years of research Tuition is waived for all 2-6 years You earn a salary for research and teaching duties – National

Average in 2009 – $18,779 Student loans from the B.S. are deferred

Ph. D. Program?

Of course…

Academic Salaries