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UCF Department of Chemistry

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UCF Department of Chemistry

Welcome to the official account of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Central Florida!

We have a growing and diverse population of faculty and students carrying out cutting edge research in five broad areas of study:
Materials Chemistry
Biochemistry
Environmental Chemistry
Forensic Chemistry and
Chemistry Education

05/22/2026

🌌 From UCF Chemistry to the Frontiers of Space Exploration! 🚀

We are incredibly proud to see our alumni leading the way in NASA's Kennedy Space Center!

Drs. Vasileios Anagnostopoulos, Matthieu Baudelet, Andres Campiglia, Anthony Altomare and Mr. Patrick Maloney recently visited KSC, where they were hosted by Charles Richardson-Gongora and a fantastic group of talented alumni: Olivia Feild, M.Sc., Joshua Bass, Mateo Londoño, and Saha Setayesh.

From analytical chemistry and materials characterization to critical mission-support operations, these exceptional scientists are playing a major role in supporting ground operations, the landmark ARTEMIS program, and ongoing space missions. Seeing the direct impact of UCF-trained scientists on the nation's space enterprise is a testament to the strength and rigor of our program.

Looking ahead, we are excited to expand on this momentum by establishing new educational, training, and collaborative pathways connecting UCF Chemistry students directly with NASA and KSC partners! 🧪✨ UCF College of Sciences UCF Office of Research

05/20/2026

New research from Dr. Jonathan Caranto's Nox Nation research group reveals how bacteria act as "natural chemical factories," building rare nitrogen-rich molecules similar to those found in explosives. This discovery uncovers a previously unknown biosynthetic pathway with potential applications in safer, more sustainable chemistry and healthcare.

The study includes contributions from postdocs and students: Gabe Padilla, Dr. Ben Rathman, and Brenda Martinez Rodriguez.

Read more:
https://www.ucf.edu/news/natural-chemical-factories-ucf-study-reveals-how-bacteria-build-explosive-like-molecules/

Source: https://journals.asm.org/eprint/A5T5MEDQIDVVUWYCT4YK/full
(Applied Environmental and Microbiology)

05/18/2026

Take a look at the latest issue of the UCF Chemistry Newsletter. Issue 4 is packed with incredible accomplishments, highlighting the events of a very productive and successful Spring semester, including research updates, student awards and community success stories!
⭐ Reach for the Stars! We Provide the Elements!

UCF College of Sciences

05/08/2026

To our graduating Knights of UCF Chemistry — congratulations on this incredible achievement! 🎓⚛️

Today we celebrate your hard work, resilience, curiosity, and countless hours spent in classrooms, laboratories, research groups, and study sessions. Whether your next chapter leads to graduate school, medicine, industry, research, education, or new adventures beyond the lab, you leave UCF with the skills and determination to make an impact!

We are proud of all that you have accomplished and excited to see where your journey takes you next.

Congratulations, Class of 2026 —
THE CATALYST IS YOU!
Charge On and Go Knights! ⚔️ 🖤💛

05/02/2026

Wrapping up another incredible semester at the UCF Department of Chemistry! 🎓

Today we hosted our Undergraduate Research Day, a cornerstone of the bachelor's program where our students present their hard-earned findings. It is truly inspiring to see the breadth of talent on display, with research spanning from
Inorganic & Organic Chemistry,
Atmospheric & Environmental Chemistry,
Computational, Radiochemistry, Catalysis, Biochemistry and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Agricultural Chemistry and beyond!

Congratulations to all of our undergraduate researchers for their dedication and for successfully reaching this milestone!
The future of the chemical sciences is in great hands.

05/01/2026

From the Chemistry Lab to the NASA's Kennedy Space Center 🚀

We are incredibly proud to celebrate UCF Chemistry alumna Olivia Feild, who was recently honored with the Distinguished Natural Sciences AlumKnight Award!

At UCF Department of Chemistry, we don’t just train scientists; we empower leaders!
As a lead lab analyst at Kennedy Space Center, Olivia’s work in analytical chemistry is mission-critical. From testing commodities for launch to ensuring the safety of life support systems, her expertise quite literally helps power our nation’s reach into the stars.

Beyond her technical excellence, Olivia remains a pillar of our UCF community, serving as the Board Chair of the UCF College of Sciences Alumni Chapter and mentoring the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations, Olivia, on this well-deserved distinction!
Thank you for showing the world what UCF Chemistry graduates can achieve.
⚔️ GO KNIGHTS!
Full story here: https://tinyurl.com/2xm4rhwn

04/27/2026

Congratulations to the newest cohort of Chemistry Learning Assistants!
This talented group of LAs, majoring in Chemistry, Forensic Science, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, and Biotechnology, helped support over 2,000 students in chemistry courses including Chemistry Fundamentals I & II, Organic Chemistry I & II, Analytical Lab, and Trace Evidence.
You might spot a few of them crossing the stage at graduation! Others will be back this summer and fall, continuing to support their peers as they learn and succeed in chemistry.

04/24/2026

Congratulations to our outstanding faculty for their recent recognition at the UCF College of Sciences Awards!

Excellence in Mission Impact (EMI) Award: Recognizing significant contributions to the university’s core mission and strategic goals: Drs. Anthony Altomare, Nicole Lapeyrouse, Ph.D. and Vasileios A. Anagnostopoulos!

Outstanding Names in Instruction (TONI) Award: Celebrating excellence and innovation in teaching and student mentorship: Drs. Nicole Lapeyrouse, Ph.D., Vasileios Anagnostopoulos , Tamra Legron-Rodriguez, Ph. D. and Dana-Marie Dennis!

OSCAR Award: Highlighting exceptional commitment to undergraduate research and creative scholarship: Drs. Karin Chumbimuni Torres, Tamra Legron-Rodriguez, Ph. D. and Christopher Randles!

These awards are a testament to the dedication, innovation, and impact of our educators and researchers and our collective commitment to excellence in the chemical sciences.
Thank you for your hard work and for inspiring the next generation of scientists!

04/21/2026

We are thrilled to congratulate our graduate student Melissa M. Deinys on being awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP)! 🎓🧪

This highly competitive award recognizes Melissa's exceptional potential for significant contributions to the scientific community.

Melissa’s research bridges the gap between chemistry and sustainable agriculture. Drawing on her previous work developing environmentally safe nanoparticle treatments for coastal mangrove ecosystems, her current research focuses on overcoming biological barriers in plants. By developing plant cell culture membrane systems, she is investigating how nanoparticle size, charge, and surface chemistry influence transport within plant tissues.
Her goal is to design next-generation, efficient delivery systems that support both crop health and broader ecosystem resilience.

Please join us in celebrating this incredible milestone in Melissa’s research career! Go Knights! ⚔️

UCF College of Sciences UCF College of Graduate Studies

04/19/2026

We are delighted to announce the well-deserved promotions of our esteemed faculty!
Please join us in congratulating Drs. Karin Chumbimuni Torres, Matthieu Baudelet and Xiaohu Xia for their promotion to Professor, Dr. Kangsang L. Lee's promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure and Dr. Tamra Legron-Rodriguez, Ph. D. for her promotion to Senior Lecturer!
Your unwavering commitment to research, teaching, and mentorship exemplifies academic excellence.
Congratulations!
UCF College of Sciences

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4000 Central Florida Boulevard
Orlando, FL
32816

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Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

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+14078232246

Website

https://sciences.ucf.edu/chemistry/

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