Here we will celebrate our success stories and provide a place for students interested in the chemical sciences to discuss openly, as well as participate in fun and exciting events! The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is staffed with 26 outstanding faculty actively involved in research and instruction. A very favorable faculty-to-student ratio encourages close contact between students and
their faculty mentors, and allows the mentors to give personalized attention to the academic and research progress of each of their students. Many of our faculty have won prestigious teaching awards. (Bachelor of Science) degree in chemistry, the B.S. degree in forensic chemistry, the B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) degree in biochemistry, and the B.A. degree in chemistry. The American Chemical Society certifies the B.S. The B.S. degree in forensic chemistry is one of five undergraduate chemistry degree programs in the U.S. that is accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). The B.A. degree in biochemistry closely follows the curriculum recommended by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Our graduate programs are designed to provide students with a solid theoretical background in chemistry and to introduce students to the joy of participating in a challenging, creative research program. Our faculty view graduate students as developing investigators and partners in their research enterprises and are committed to their success and development as independent scientists. The department provides financial support to help students travel to regional and national meetings. This presents opportunities for students to present papers or posters on their own research results and to network with potential postdoctoral mentors and other employers. The success of this strategy is unquestionable because many of our M.S. and Ph.D. graduates occupy high-profile positions in academia, government, and private industry. SMACS, or the Student Members of the American Chemical Society, is the Ole Miss student chapter of the American Chemical Society. Its mission is to provide a forum in which students interested in the chemical sciences can freely engage with one another and exchange thoughts and interests, to allow those students to have a voice within the national community of chemists, as well as to encourage and assist students who are considering careers and education in the chemical sciences.