Leading Carolina Chemistry Into Its Next 200 Years

“This is a pivotal time for Carolina chemistry. Going forward, we want to capitalize on Carolina’s strengths in energy, materials science and the interface with biomedical fields. We also want to increase our touch in interdisciplinary, highly collaborative projects that benefit society.”

Two hundred years after Denison Olmstead became Carolina’s first chemistry professor, Jeffrey Johnson, the A. Ronald Gallant Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, leads the department. It’s difficult to believe Olmstead would have envisioned a campus where chemistry converged with so many different sciences and generated discoveries with such worldwide impact.

With so much expertise, Johnson says the people and their approach to science make the difference and set the University apart. “Since the beginning, people have always been the calling card of our department, and their collegiality and shared sense of purpose make Carolina chemistry unique.”

Read the complete Carolina Story from the UNC College of Arts & Sciences…

This is story number 203 in the Carolina Stories 225th Anniversary Edition magazine.

The Department of Chemistry in the UNC College of Arts & Sciences celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2018.

Photo by Steve Exum.

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