PhD in Chemistry - Catalysis and Synthesis in Princeton United States | Princeton University

The Department of Chemistry provides facilities for students intending to work toward the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The Department of Chemistry is a vital, expanding hub of scientific inquiry with deep historic roots and a ready grasp on the future. Housed in the world-class Frick Chemistry Laboratory, faculty and students work at the frontiers of science where the lines between chemistry and other disciplines merge. They conduct collaborative, interdisciplinary research with the potential to produce anything from new molecules and forms of energy to advanced models of catalysis and innovative materials. They also are immersed in the classic pursuit of chemistry -- to examine the composition of substances and investigate their properties and reactions. Graduate students are invited and encouraged to pursue individualized programs. Their experience is enhanced by strong faculty mentoring and access to world-leading intellectual and physical resources. The Ph.D. is awarded primarily on the basis of a thesis describing original research in one area of chemistry. Graduate students begin this research during their first year of graduate work, it becomes one of their most important activities in the second year, and thereafter they devote almost all of their time to it. The final public oral examination consists of the defense of a student's original research proposal as well as a defense of the thesis dissertation. The chief objectives of the requirements are stimulation of interesting discussion based upon original inquiry and coordination of information by candidates in a number of fields that challenge their interests. Organic chemistry is, very broadly, the study of molecules containing carbon atoms. But at its core, organic chemistry is the art of understanding connections to carbon and discovering novel and efficient ways to construct chemical bonds. Research efforts range from studying the physical, spectroscopic, and chemical properties of molecules to target oriented synthesis of highly complex chemical structures with bioactivity. Efforts are also directed towards understanding reaction mechanisms and kinetics.