Department of Chemistry

Teaching: Oxford Chemistry offers world-class teaching, consistently rated among the best in the UK. Students study a four-year course, a unique feature of which is spending their final year working full-time on a project with some of the leading researchers in the UK. more...

Research: Oxford is one of the leading chemistry research departments in the world with around 80 academic staff carrying out international-level research, and an annual research income of around £15 million. The latest (2008) Research Assessment Exercise confirmed that Oxford Chemistry has the highest “power rating” (breadth and depth of science) in the UK.

The Department is currently engaged in a number of innovative themes of work including: Catalysis; Sustainable Energy Chemistry; Advanced functional materials; Synthesis; Interfacial Science; Innovative Measurement and photon science; Chemistry at the interface with biology and medicine; Kinetics, dynamics and mechanism; Theory and modelling of complex systems more...

Facilities: Oxford Chemistry occupies three major laboratory buildings in the University’s science area, including a modern RIBA award-winning £64m dedicated research facility opened in 2004. more...

Outreach: Engaging schools and the wider community in chemistry and science is an important activity for academic staff and students in the Department. Oxford Chemistry regularly hosts visits and events within the Department and takes part in local and national activities to demonstrate chemistry’s central role in everyday life. more...

Commercialisation: The Department has an unrivalled track record in protecting and commercialising the innovative work of research staff. Over £80 million in cash has been raised for the University as a result of spin out activities from research carried out by Oxford chemists. more...

Latest News from the Department of Chemistry

RSC Awards 2012

Our academic staff have received from the RSC: the Frankland Award 2012; the Bioorganic Award 2012; the Green Chemistry Award; the Interdisciplinary Prize and the Tilden Prize
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Paul Kaufman wins 2012 Salters Graduate Prize

Paul Kaufman Part II student from Merton has been announced as one of the 2012 Salters Graduate Prize winners. The Salters Graduate Prize of £1000 ........

On the cover of OBC

Research from Dr Michael Willis' research group has been featured on the cover of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Issue 20. The cover highlights the ........

Part II research on the cover of Cambridge BlueSci Magazine

This term's "BlueSci" Magazine - Cambridge's answer to Oxford's "Bang!" - features a cover highlight article on the Part II work of Joe Paddison from ........

Elected to APS

Professor Peter Edwards has been elected as an International Member to the American Philosophical Society (APS). The American Philosophical Society promotes ........

European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry

Stuart Conway has been designated by an International Selection Committee as the winner of the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry Prize for a ........

Cover article for C&EN

Recent publications from Carol Robinson's group and Justin Benesch's group have been highlighted in a cover article for C&EN. The article discusses the ........

CRL research highlighted in JACS spotlight and C&E News

Recent work by Andrey Protchenko in the Aldridge/Mountford groups together with collaborators from UCL and Monash University has been highlighted in a ........

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Athena SWAN

The Department of Chemistry is committed to addressing gender inequalities, to tackling the unequal representation of women in science and to improving career progression for female academics. more.

The Katritzky Lecture 2012: 'A New World for Molecule Makers'

The annual Katritzky Lecture, 31st May 2012, is to be delivered by Professor Steven Ley CBE FRS, BP (1702) Professor of Chemistry at Cambridge University. (registration and more info)

Oxford Synthesis Connections is a new free resource that provides a single point of contact for the chemistry needs of researchers around the University.

enGENEious 2012
A student organized conference on Synthetic Biology & Biotechnology
25-26 June 2012
Registration is open now. (info)

Plans for a New Chemistry Teaching & Research Laboratory for Oxford (slide show)

The Department is pleased to announce that the Oxford City Council Area Planning West Committee have granted planning approval for New Chemistry Building by unanimous vote. The Committee members were extremely complimentary of the project proposal and work to date, commenting especially on the sustainability initiatives included. In addition the project team submitted the RIBA Stage D report to the Project Steering Group in May and this was duly approved. Read more in the press release.