About

Our Goals

The MIT Department of Chemistry is an inclusive, supportive, and innovative community whose common goal is to create new chemical knowledge and to mentor the next generation of the best and brightest students who will define the next frontiers of chemical science.

Recognized as one of the top chemistry departments in the world, paving the way in both education and research, the Department of Chemistry’s illustrious history shares the MIT tradition of excellence. The department’s strong record of achievement is based on its pioneering advances in chemical research and its success in incorporating these advances into our educational mission.

Chemistry is truly the central science and underpins much of the efforts of scientists and engineers to improve life for humankind. MIT Chemistry is taking a leading role in experimentally and theoretically probing chemistry at its most fundamental level, discovering new chemical syntheses, creating sustainable energy, unraveling the biochemical complexities of natural systems, improving the environment, detecting and curing disease, and developing materials with new properties. Fundamental discoveries made in our department have found their way into practical applications ranging from polymer synthesis to medical imaging.

Our Mission

The Department of Chemistry aims to share in the tradition of MIT excellence by pioneering discoveries and advancements in chemical research, and to succeed in incorporating said advances into educational programs and practical applications ranging from polymer synthesis to medical imaging.

Our Commitment to Diversity
Our Community Outreach Efforts

Our Collaborators

Some of our research activities are carried out in association with interdisciplinary laboratories such as the MIT Energy Initiative, Center for Materials Science and Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Plasma Fusion Center, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Lincoln Laboratory, the Laser Biomedical Research Center, Broad Institute, Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology, Novartis Center for Continuous Manufacturing, Picower Institute, and the Whitehead Institute. These interdepartmental research laboratories provide stimulating interaction among the research programs at several MIT departments and give students the opportunity to become familiar with research work in disciplines other than chemistry. Some of our graduate students are also members of the Biophysics Certificate Program, Biotechnology Training Program, Microbiology Program, and Program in Polymer Science and Engineering. In addition, there are opportunities for research in cooperation with other departments such as Biology, Chemical Engineering, Physics, and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.