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Focus on your future

Chemistry Convocation

2 p.m., Sunday, May 17, 2026

Ceremony Livestreaming

For those who are unable to attend the Chemistry Convocation, the ceremony will be livestreamed at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17, 2026, and a recording will be uploaded to Illinois Media Space following the event.

Chemistry News

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Vito Failla looking forward to medical school
 An aspiring physician who wants to do Alzheimer’s research, Vito Failla describes graduating as bittersweet.“Being able to make my family proud by reaching this milestone in my life feels great. It does feel a little sad with this chapter closing in my life, but I am excited to see what the...
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Sky is the limit for Michaela Klein
 A chemistry major in the Class of 2026, Michaela Klein won’t miss the Illinois campus after graduation, because she will be pursuing a second degree in Atmospheric Sciences at Illinois.“There are many routes my future can take, but currently, my career goals are becoming an aviation...
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Abigail Calixto starting career as scientist at Eli Lilly
In August, Abby Calixto starts her new job as a scientist for Eli Lilly and Company in the Manufacturing Science Department in Indianapolis.“I am so excited to be crossing the finish line of my undergraduate years here at Illinois,” said Calixto, a Class of 2026 chemistry graduate. “What once felt...
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Mary Choy to pursue PhD at Carnegie Mellon University
 Getting involved in research completely changed the trajectory of Mary Choy’s undergraduate experience at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.“I cannot emphasize enough how meaningful that experience has been for me,” Choy said. A senior majoring in chemistry and earth, society,...
Portrait of Soumitra Athavale
Alumnus Soumitra Athavale (Ph.D., '19) featured in C&EN's "Talented 12"
As an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California Los Angeles, alumnus Soumitra Athavale (Ph.D., '19) has been working to engineer iron-containing enzymes that could change the way drugs are made by using sustainable and environmentally friendly systems to...
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Nobel laureate and alumnus Omar M. Yaghi (PhD, '90)

"Believe in the power of the experiment"

The 12th person from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to win the Nobel Prize, alumnus Omar M. Yaghi (PhD, '90) said it was as a graduate student at Illinois that he learned from his PhD advisor Walter Klemperer how to do rigorous science and become a scientist that can break new ground, not somebody who follows other people’s discoveries. 
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Chemistry at Illinois: #9 in the nation

The graduate program in Chemistry at Illinois is one of the top programs in the nation and specialty areas are ranked in the Top 10 as well — U.S. News and World Report rankings. Learn how you can pursue an advanced degree in this nationally ranked program and experience the thrill of working on some of the most challenging problems in the chemical sciences.

#4 Analytical / #7 Inorganic / #8 Organic / #9 Physical / #9 Theoretical

Research Areas in Chemistry

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Analytical Chemistry

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Chemical Biology

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Inorganic Chemistry

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Materials Chemistry

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Organic Chemistry

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Physical Chemistry
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Chemistry courses offer study abroad opportunities

Explore these two courses in the Department of Chemistry that offer short-term study abroad opportunities that will enrich what you learn in the classroom by applying your knowledge to real-world experiences while exploring another part of the world. 
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Chemistry Learning Center

The Chemistry Learning Center (CLC) is an opportunity for all undergraduates enrolled in general chemistry to receive help with homework, meet with teaching assistants and connect with other students taking the same courses. 

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