Research

The Chemistry Department & Biochemistry at Baylor University currently consists of 15 full-time faculty members and offers dynamic research programs representing all major subdisciplines of chemistry. Individual research groups typically consist of 3 to 4 graduate students, facilitating close personal interaction with the research director in a genuinely cooperative and friendly environment. The Department strives to provide the best educational program possible in both the classroom and research laboratory, and many of our faculty are recognized leaders in their field.

Faculty research programs are well supported by competitive extramural funding from agencies such as The National Institutes of Health, The National Science Foundation, The American Chemical Society, The American Cancer Society, and a number of industrial and private concerns. As a Texas university, individual researchers at Baylor are also eligible to obtain funding from the Robert A. Welch Foundation, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A number of research groups have active funding from these prestigious organizations. The Welch Foundation also supports the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair in Chemistry at Baylor University, a position which is always occupied by an outstanding chemist with an international reputation.

Seminar Program

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department at Baylor University enthusiastically supports many programs that provide a broad forum for the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Foremost among these programs is the Gooch-Stephens Lecture Series, which for the past 25 years has brought internationally recognized chemists to campus on a regular basis. Our Colloquium Series provides weekly contact with other outstanding, off-campus researchers, who typically devote a day to interacting with faculty and students and presenting their latest research accomplishments. Welch Tour Speakers and American Chemical Society Tour Speakers visit the Department regularly. Finally, the Graduate Seminar Program, held throughout the fall and spring semesters, provides a forum for graduate students to learn the art of oral communication through presentation of seminars on topics related to their research.

Collaborative Research

The Department also participates in the Baylor Biomedical Research Institute in collaboration with the Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. This interaction stimulates both individual and collaborative research efforts that are at the forefront of the rapidly evolving interplay of chemistry with medicine and medical technology. Several of our faculty have joint appointments at the Biomedical Research Institute, with students conducting research projects in both Waco and Dallas. Medically related research is also an important part of the work of the Center for Drug Discovery, housed within the department.