Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Chemistry, as a member of the College of Letters & Sciences, is to:

• Create an environment that supports learning and research;
• Improve student's ability to analyze problems and develop appropriate solutions;
• Establish and maintain a community of scholars and students who aspire to high standards of achievement; and
• Model in ourselves and encourage in our students the ideas of civic responsibility and engagement, as well as personal and professional integrity.

As a science department, we regard our mission to include:

• Teaching students systematic methods for evaluating evidence and information by helping them to build and test scientific hypotheses and theories;
• Fostering students' critical thinking skills such as drawing conclusions, inferring relationships, solving problems, and making predictions about the natural world; and
• Improving science literacy for student citizens, consistent with the philosophy of liberal studies.

As a department of chemistry, we are committed to providing:

• A rigorous, effective, and up-to-date curriculum for chemistry majors and minors, with depth of study for those students who desire to pursue advanced study in or a career related to chemistry or science education;
• Effective and engaging courses for students who choose to take chemistry courses as either part of the breadth of a liberal arts education or whose majors or career goals require them;
• A safe, relevant laboratory environment for practical exploration of chemical principles, methods, and techniques;
• Relevant educational experiences in the chemical sciences through public outreach with emphasis on the UW-Whitewater service area;
• Hands-on learning experiences in all areas of the curriculum which include the partnership of students, faculty, and staff in research and other scholarly activities;
• Well-informed and accurate academic advising through supportive and constructive advising sessions;
• A well-maintained collection of state-of-the-art instruments for student, faculty, and staff use;
• Opportunities tied to environmental sustainability as part of both our curriculum and our research endeavors in order to emphasize responsible citizenry to the global community.
• Support for the development of faculty and staff teaching innovations and research interests;
• A strong disciplinary identity, in part by maintaining accreditation with the American Chemical Society while providing opportunities for interdisciplinary study and research through collaborations with other disciplines and departments.