Chemistry is an experimental discipline that uses applied principles and new skills to solve scientific problems. Through foundational courses and collaborative research with professors, students gain an understanding of chemical processes and acquire the tools to apply that knowledge in innovative ways. Faculty-mentored student projects emphasize modern techniques and instrumentation and use Colby?s research-grade facilities and laboratories. Recent research has included the synthesis of supramolecular structures, the detection of superoxide in natural water sources, and the molecular basis of cancer therapy.

Students in the Chemistry Department are provided a firm foundation in the fundamental principles of the discipline. Majors have access to a wide range of instruments for course work and research projects under supervision of a faculty that includes teaching specialists in analytical, environmental, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, and biochemistry. Many students go on to graduate school in chemistry or biochemistry or to careers in medicine, dentistry, health-related fields, or industrial research. Other career choices in recent years have included patent law, chemical engineering, environmental science, computer science, and molecular biology.