The Chemistry of Materials is a rapidly evolving domain of research. Materials Chemistry seeks to understand how composition, reactivity, and structure are related to function from a molecular perspective. The functionality of materials is expressed in a variety of areas including photonics, micro- and nano-electronics, biosystems, nanotechnology, drug delivery, catalysis, polymer science, molecular biology, and chemical and biological sensing. Activities of the Materials Chemistry Group are often broadly interdisciplinary. University-wide synergies among members of this group have led to the creation of the McGill Institute for Advanced Materials (MIAM) and the McGill Nanotools Facility. The latter comprises state-of-the-art micro/nanofabrication, atomic manipulation and high performance computing facilities. MIAM and members of the Chemistry Department have established research that links the Centre for Self Assembled Chemical Structures, the Centre for Biosensors and Biorecognition, the Centre for the Physics of Materials, and the Centre for Bone and Periodontal Research. Synthetic approaches to new materials include research in dendrimers (Kakkar), polynucleic acid architectures (Sleiman), polymers that conduct electrons (Perepichka) or light (Andrews), and biopolymers (Gray, Marchessault, van de Ven). Polymer and colloid science figure prominently in the activities of this Group (Andrews, Barrett, Eisenberg, Gray, Kakkar, Marchessault, Perepichka, Ronis, Sleiman, van de Ven, Whitehead). Research and applications of the chemistry and physical properties of nanostructures is widespread among its members (Andrews, Barrett, Butler, Gray, Kakkar, Kambhampati, Lennox, Marchessault, Perepichka, Sleiman). There is significant activity in understanding directed molecular assembly at interfaces (Andrews, Barrett, Eisenberg, Kakkar, Lennox, Reven, Ronis, Whitehead), and in the application of sophisticated spectroscopic tools (Andrews, Barrett, Butler, Kambhampati, Reven) to explore them.

Our Group has introduced a procedure for graduate education/evaluation designed to set standards while maintaining high flexibility for individual research projects. You will be assigned a graduate evaluation committee whose expertise is tailored to your research project. The primary role of your committee is to provide advisory/mentoring support for the duration of your graduate career.

1. EVALUATION

Each Master's student is expected to complete 4 courses and each Doctoral student is expected to complete 5-6 courses.

You will be assigned a committee of 3 professors, including your thesis supervisor. Your committee members need not all be from the materials group, but they should be experts in areas relevant to your research project. Your evaluation will consist of:

2. COURSES

Required courses reflect the notion that students in the materials thematic group must show core competency in their area of focus. Final course approval is by the Department. In consultation with you, your thesis supervisor, and your committee you will select two core courses. The list below is a guide only; core course selection will depend on the individual project:

CHEM-502 Advanced Bio-Organic Chemistry
CHEM-552 Physical Organic Chemistry
CHEM-555 NMR Spectroscopy
CHEM-556 Advanced Quantum Mechanics
CHEM-571 Polymer Synthesis
CHEM-572 Synthetic Organic Chemistry
CHEM-582 Supramolecular Chemistry
CHEM-585 Colloid Chemistry
CHEM-593 Statistical Mechanics
CHEM-612 Organometallic Chemistry
CHEM-673 Polymers in Solutions

In addition, all chemistry students in their first year must take:
CHEM-650 Seminars in Chemistry 1
CHEM-651 Seminars in Chemistry 2