Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry - Theoretical and Computational Chemistry

University of Maine

Welcome to the Department of Chemistry at the University of Maine. We are proud to be the only university in the State of Maine to offer Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in chemistry. Our faculty and graduate students are actively engaged in research that spans a broad range of chemistry. The smaller size of research groups in our department allows for a high degree of student-faculty interaction. Many groups have interdisciplinary research projects that provide opportunities for collaboration with engineers, materials scientists, biological scientists or disciplinary based education researchers.The majority of our graduate students are enrolled in the Ph.D. program and all students are typically supported as teaching assistants in their first year. Research assistantships are also available, usually starting in the second year. All students in good standing are guaranteed financial support through the completion of their degrees.Theoretical and Computational ChemistryTheoretical chemistry is a branch of chemistry, which develops theoretical generalizations that are part of the theoretical arsenal of modern chemistry for example, the concept of chemical bonding, chemical reaction, valence, the surface of potential energy, molecular orbitals, orbital interactions, molecule activation, etc. Computational Chemistry is a branch of chemistry that uses computer simulation to assist in solving chemical problems. It uses methods of theoretical chemistry, incorporated into efficient computer programs, to calculate the structures and properties of molecules and solids.