New Student Welcome and Orientation

Welcome to the Department of Chemistry

Congratulations on your recent acceptance to attend UC Davis as a major in chemistry! We certainly appreciate you, and we are very excited to begin working with you as our latest addition to our academic community.

To help you get better acquainted with the Department of Chemistry, we have provided you with this comprehensive look at our undergraduate programs and how opportunities for academic and personal growth are not always accomplished in our classrooms and laboratories. And for any questions you have about us, feel free to write to chemundergrads@ucdavis.edu.

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New Transfer Student Orientation Session via Zoom

Did you miss our zoom presentation that occurred on Monday, June 26? No worries. For those of you who were not able to attend, simply go to the link provided here to tune-in and learn a little about navigating OASIS and Schedule Builder. We also talked about other topics to prepare you for your Summer advising session with a departmental advisor. 

2023 New Transfer Student Orientation

 

Degrees in Chemistry

You have the flexibility to pursue an A.B. or B.S. degree in Chemistry. Our A.B. degree offers a substantive program in chemistry while allowing students the freedom to take more courses in other disciplines and to pursue a broad liberal arts education. Students who have a deeper interest in chemistry normally elect one of the several programs leading to the B.S. degree. Our standard B.S. program, accredited by the American Chemical Society, provides students with a more rigorous scientific preparation, or you may choose to specialize in an area such as chemical physics, forensic, environmental, or pharmaceutical chemistry.

After completing required initial sequences in chemistry, physics and calculus, you will begin working with more advanced topics such as physical chemistry, organic and inorganic chemistry, and analytical and laboratory methods. In addition to taking courses in these disciplinary areas of upper-division study, many students incorporate undergraduate research and/or the pursuit of internships as part of the curriculum. Including such experiences to your studies can offer insight into career possibilities within specific research fields and lead to publication opportunities. 

BS in Applied Chemistry (Environmental)

BS in Applied Chemistry (Forensics)

BS in Chemistry (American Chemical Society Accredited)

BS in Chemical Physics

BS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry

AB in Chemistry

Minor in Chemistry

 

Academic Support and Other Resources

Student success is among our top priorities. It is our mission to ensure that students are not only receiving sound advising from our award-winning staff and peers, but that they are also provided with a solid support system via tutoring and mentorship.

Academic Advising and Student Affairs in Chemistry - All of our majors are encouraged to meet with our staff and peer advisors to review their academic plans towards graduation, discuss how to get involved with research, or share in moments of stress or distress. Led by Alan Reynolds, advising sessions are offered throughout the year either by appointment or drop-in. To schedule an advising session, go to our Advising Appointment System.

Chembassador Program in Chemistry - This program enlists senior majors in chemistry to voluntarily engage new and continuing students majoring in chemistry to help them find a supportive community in our department. Peer ambassadors are asked to attend recruitment fairs, plan and host social and informational events, and share experiential advice with our students. 

Peer Academic Assistance Program in Chemistry - Our peer learning assistants have helped countless numbers of students better understand and engage with their upper-division study in chemistry. This program was created because we recognized that academic resources in these areas -- outside of instructor and/or TA office hours -- were not readily available to students who needed additional support. We have provided help in the area of organic chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and pharmaceutical chemistry. 

Academic Assistance and Tutoring Center (AATC) - AATC is committed to helping students throughout spring quarter. The team of Specialists, Tutors, Student Assistants, and Staff are working to provide the services you have come to depend on for your academic success.

STEM CaféSTEM Café is a program hosted by the Women’s Resources and Research Center (WRRC) with the goal of providing a friendly, collaborative, and informal setting for students in STEM classes to work on homework or discuss the subject. STEM Café is open to all students, regardless of gender.

First-Year SeminarsFirst-Year Seminars are an exciting program of small, innovative classes that reflect instructor’s intellectual interests. Limited to 19 students each, these once-in-a-lifetime courses promote intellectual exchange, critical thinking, and community.

First-Year Aggie Connections - First-Year Aggie Connections (FYAC) groups first-year students (freshmen and transfers, including international students) into 25-person “Connections” based on a shared purpose, interest, or theme. Connections meet regularly for one academic quarter and are led by staff or faculty facilitators who engage students in discussions surrounding crucial topics related to transitioning to life at UC Davis.

 

Undergraduate Research in Chemistry

Undergraduate research looks great on your transcript and resume. Most employers and graduate programs in chemistry strongly recommend, if not require, some prior independent research experience. It may also offer insights into career possibilities by giving you an idea of what research fields interest you.

We have a diverse and interdisciplinary group of faculty, students, postdocs, and staff engaged in a wide breadth of research.  Here you can explore many different areas of chemistry, including biofuels, nucleic acids, glycoscience, metabolic engineering, imaging, metalloenzymes, reaction kinetics, spectroscopy, natural product synthesis, nanomaterials, medicinal chemistry, protein structure, vaccine design, and more.

We also encourage and support research that transcends traditional academic boundaries by bringing together scholars from different areas of study who share our interest in the chemical sciences, such as the School of Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Biological Sciences, and Genome Center.

CHE 99, 199 and 199H are independent study options that allow you to conduct state-of-the-art scientific investigations under the supervision of one of our faculty members. These units may be used towards your chemistry major requirements.

Faculty Research Areas

Research Highlights and Journal Features

Undergraduate Research Center

 

Undergraduate Internships and Volunteerism

Internship and/or community volunteerism (also known as experiential education) are work experience opportunities that are either directly related to your major field of study or your career interest. They are opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge under the supervision of a professional.

Internships may vary from 4-40 hours per week, are paid or unpaid and typically range from 10-12 weeks during the summer or throughout the academic year.

General Internships

Health-Related Internships

International Internships

Community Volunteerism

For more information about internships or volunteerism, visit the Internship and Career Center. They have a staff of career counselors on-hand to assist you, including how create a resume and write an effective cover letter.

 

Undergraduate Conferences in Chemistry

We are one of --- if not the only --- academic department at UC Davis who hosts four unique undergraduate conferences. These outlets have historically helped students showcase their research projects to wide audiences in respected STEM fields or introduced them to career professionals who are poised to offer jobs or internships.

R. Bryan Miller Symposium

Richard Larock Undergraduate Research Conference

Inorganic Symposium

Career Conference in Chemistry

 

Department Affiliated Student Clubs/Programs

ACS Chemistry Club at UC Davis - Get involved with outreach events, such as the famous Picnic Day Magic Show, and meet others excited about chemistry! Join the email list to get information about meetings and events by writing to ucdchemclubpres@gmail.com.

Chemistry Peer Mentoring Program (CPMP) - This program aims at helping first-year undergraduate and first-year transfer students majoring in chemistry transition into college life at UC Davis. The goal is to provide new incoming students, especially first-generation and underrepresented minorities, with guidance and resources to have a successful first year directly from their peers.

Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) - SACNAS is the largest multicultural and multidisciplinary STEM diversity organization in the country. We have the largest diversity in STEM conference, the largest multicultural and multidisciplinary national student chapter network, and the largest cohort of diverse emerging STEM leaders.

 

Our Campus Partners and Resources

Student Health and Counseling Services - UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services or SHCS provides a wide variety of medical, mental health and wellness services to all registered UC Davis students regardless of insurance coverage. Most services are provided through scheduled appointments, however acute care (services without appointments) for acute medical and mental health needs are also available. Services are provided at two primary locations: The Student Health and Wellness Center and North Hall.

Center for Advocacy, Resources, and Education (CARE)The UC Davis Center for Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE), a program within the UC Davis Office of the Provost, is dedicated to reducing the incidence and impact of sexual harassment and sexual violence. We provide confidential advocacy, support, and healing services to survivors of sexual harassment and all forms of sexual violence, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. We also facilitate prevention programming and professional training, and serve as subject matter experts with regard to victim dynamics, impact of trauma, bystander intervention, and social norm change.

Health Professional Advising - Attend workshops to learn about paths to take towards the career you’re considering and meet with advisers to learn about professional school requirements and more.

Academic Assistance and Tutoring Center (AATC) - AATC is committed to helping students throughout spring quarter. The team of Specialists, Tutors, Student Assistants, and Staff are working to provide the services you have come to depend on for your academic success.

Student Disability Center - The Student Disability Center (SDC) is staffed by team of professionals who have expertise in the education of students with disabilities. Student Disability Center Specialists approve services and coordinate accommodations to establish equal access to the University’s educational programs. While accommodation information is shared on a “need to know” basis in order to facilitate services, disability information kept confidential and does not appear on transcripts or diplomas. 

Calteach/MAST - The UC Davis CalTeach/Mathematics and Science Teaching Program (CalTeach/MAST) provides students with opportunities to explore careers in K-12 mathematics and science education while completing their degree in a STEM field. CalTeach/MAST offers seminar/internship courses that will expose you to teaching methods and practices in local area elementary, middle or high school classrooms. Our courses will give you the opportunity to acquire required internship hours to enter a teacher education credential program at either a UC or CSU campus. 

Undergraduate Research CenterUC Davis is one of the top research universities.  Undergraduates work with top-notch faculty committed to the mission of "Learning, Discovery and Engagement" across all majors.  

Internship and Career Center - There are many resources to help you find what you need, such as a job or internship or help with writing your resume.

Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services - The Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services (OEOES) is committed to the development and success of students during their undergraduate years and beyond.  Using a holistic approach and through partnerships with campus and community resources, OEOES offers services that support student learning, enhance the student experience and foster strong communities where students feel empowered to achieve their goals.

Women's Resources and Research CenterThe WRRC's mission is to promote gender equity and social justice. We provide a place for students and the Davis community to learn about resources and to attend educational programs that focus on gender equity and social justice.

Center for African American Diaspora Student Success - The Center for African Diaspora Student Success (CADSS) is intensively focused on the retention, persistence, and graduation of all undergraduate students of the African diaspora at the University of California, Davis.

Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success - The core mission of CCLASS is to provide an academic support space where students thrive as scholars and unique individuals. The center's practices and services are grounded in the following three priorities: Access, Academics, and Empowerment.

Center for Student InvolvementThe Center for Student Involvement empowers students to get involved and to author their own experience through meaningful co-curricular engagement. We purposefully cultivate an environment that enables students to access the resources they need to develop a sense of belonging while discovering their passion.

Native American Academic Success Center - The Native American Academic Student Success Center (NAASSC) is focused on creating a sense of belonging for Native American students in a culturally appropriate way. Our community includes students, staff, faculty and alumni from a wide variety of tribal backgrounds, experiences and academic interests.

Global Learning Hub (Study Abroad) - The Global Learning Hub can help you find the perfect program to help you achieve your academic goals and provide you with an experience you will never forget! Take the time to ask the question, “Why Study Abroad?” and explore the possibilities of studying in a foreign place to expand your potential.

LGBTQIA Resource CenterThe LGBTQIA Resource Center promotes education as well as space for self-exploration about all sexes, genders and orientations and their intersections with other identities. The LGBTQIA Resource Center values and honors that we are complex, multifaceted, and whole individuals.

AB540 and Undocumented Student Center - The AB540 and Undocumented Student Center at UC Davis strives to empower undocumented students, their families and members of the community in being informed leaders and active participants in our communities. The Center strives to educate and build awareness of changing policies affecting California's undocumented population. 

Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) - In addition to welcoming, guiding, and orienting new international students and scholars, SISS provides ongoing support through expert advising and regular programming—aiming to provide our students and scholars with both a sense of place and sense of self, through orientations, events, and programming that create community, introduce new cultures, and develop skills.

Veterans Success CenterThe Veterans Success Center (VSC) at UC Davis is committed to providing services to student veterans, service members and dependents of the Armed Services. We aspire to foster academic excellence of the whole student, from the beginning and beyond, while creating an environment of learning, networking, engagement, diversity and inclusion. 

 

Check Us Out on YouTube

Members of our peer advising staff -- past and present -- have created our very own YouTube Channel to help you get better acquainted not only with our department and campus in general, but they have gone one step further to share their personal experiences with course registration, undergraduate research, student involvement, and good health and well-being. Check out these and other insightful episodes.

Navigating Schedule Builder (Hosted by Julia Weidner)

Course Catalog Overview (Hosted by Julia Weidner)

Fun GE Courses at UC Davis (Hosted by Julie Weidner)

UC Davis Bike Tour (Hosted by Julia Weidner)

Keys to Success (Hosted by Alexandria Adams and Emily Jimenez)

2022 New Transfer Student Orientation (Hosted by Departmental Advisors in Chemistry)

 

Student Outreach and Engagement

The Department of Chemistry is committed to outreach and engagement. It is a way for us to bring our faculty, lecturers, post-docs, students (undergraduate and graduate), and staff together to inform and educate as well as to entertain and create community. Professional networks are born from these activities as are long-lasting friendships.

Spooktacular 

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Chemsgiving

Chemsgiving

Tie Dye

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Edible Chemistry: Science of Tea

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Connect with Us

Staff Advisor Email: chemundergrads@ucdavis.edu

Peer Advisor Email: chempeeradvising@ucdavis.edu

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucdavischemistry/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNtWdHHRhkiQFIKpaR3RgJQ

Discord: https://bit.ly/discordchemclub