Chemistry, UTK

08/31/2026

Get to know your General Chemistry teaching professors. Today we're featuring Teaching Associate Professor Heather Boyd. Dr. Boyd is teaching CHEM 102 and CHEM 122 this semester.

08/17/2026

Welcome to Rocky Top new and returning Vols! Have a great first day of class.

07/08/2026

We love seeing Dr. Hazari continuing to bring chemistry to students of all ages! Hazari created "The Magic of Chemistry" to celebrate National Chemistry Week and has been inspiring future scientists for 35 years.

07/01/2026

06/22/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Dadmun on his recent appointment to Interim Associate Dean of Research and Creativity in the College of Arts and Sciences!
Dr. Dadmun joined UT Chemistry in 1994. His research focuses on polymeric and other soft materials. His research group uses a variety of techniques to understand how the molecular level structure and processes of polymers impacts the macroscopic properties and functions of the resultant materials.
Outgoing Associate Dean Mike Blum said "Mark Dadmun is very well positioned to further elevate research, scholarship, and creative activity across the college. He will no doubt bring to bear his deep experience and knowledge as a world-renowned researcher to help the college get to the next level.”

05/22/2026

Mike Best, professor and associate head of undergraduate education, was recently named Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year at the Chancellor's Academic Honors Banquet. Congratulations Dr. Best! https://chem.utk.edu/best-named-undergraduate-research-mentor-of-the-year/

05/16/2026

Congratulations to our most recent PhD and MS graduates! We are so proud of all that you've accomplished and look forward to seeing what comes next for you. University of Tennessee College of Arts & Sciences Association of Chemistry Graduate Students

05/15/2026

Brooke Smith joined the PhD program in 2021. Smith was always interested in science and found herself drawn to chemistry as she learned how the core principles of chemistry relate to the world around us. Smith notes her experience in the chemistry graduate program has given her the skills and confidence to design and carry out her own work in a synthetic lab, and provided her with a community and relationships that will stay with her long after graduate school.

Smith is planning to pursue a career in industry, specifically the biotech sector where she can leverage her knowledge of chemical biology and medicinal applications for the improvement of human health. Congratulations Brooke!

05/14/2026

B.S. student Loudon Rogers was originally a biology major until an in-depth organic chemistry class changed his mind. In the spring of his sophomore year, he switched his major to chemistry and never looked back. Rogers has excelled in the department, serving as a supplemental instruction leader for CHEM 260 and becoming an undergraduate member of the Zhao research group. At the 2026 Rock Top Undergraduate Chemistry Research Symposium, Rogers received a poster presentation award.

Rogers will begin graduate studies in chemistry at the University of Georgia this fall. Congratulations Loudon!

05/13/2026

PhD student Anna-Kay West joined UT in 2020 from Manchester, Jamaica. West’s interest in chemistry began in high school, which carried her through an undergraduate degree in biochemistry. A growing interest in research convinced her to pursue her PhD at UT, where she says the community built with her fellow students became a critical part of her graduate school experience.

West plants to pursue a career in research and hopes to explore her interest in science communication. Congratulations Anna-Kay!