Banner LSC Chemistry Research Lab

Chemistry Department

What We Do:

Create a learning environment where students pursue their passion for science and lead their own course of discovery. With guidance and mentorship from our close-knit team of dedicated faculty members, chemistry students are empowered to act as self-starters in the lab, in our classrooms and beyond.

How We Stand Out:

  • Our program is approved by the American Chemical Society.
  • State of the art facilities, like the Loyola Science Center, promote experiential learning, collaboration and engagement.
  • Hands-on experience in the lab as soon as your freshman year.
  • Internships and faculty-mentored research prepare students for success in the competitive job market and/or advanced study in medical professions.
  • Small class sizes and dedicated professors create a close-knit learning community.

Programs:

  • Chemistry - The identification of the substances of which matter is composed; the investigation of their properties and the ways in which they interact, combine, and change; and the use of these processes to form new substances.
  • Biochemistry - The study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms.
  • Forensic Chemistry - The application of chemistry to the study of materials or problems in cases where the findings may be presented as technical evidence in a court of law.
  • Chemistry-Business - Combines theoretical and technical instruction in chemistry with management training in business.
  • Medical Technology - Trains students as medical technologists or clinical laboratory scientists serving hospitals, clinical laboratories, industrial or research institutions.

Meet Our Faculty:

Connect with professors who enjoy research and experiments as much as you do in the Chemistry Department at The University of Scranton. Our faculty members have a broad range of professional backgrounds and expertise. Together, we work to create a well-rounded and balanced curriculum for our students.

Joan M. Wasilewski, Ph.D.

Joan M. Wasilewski, Ph.D.

Chair

Associate Professor and Department Chair

B.S., King’s College
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Phone: (570) 941-7705
Send an email
Internal Website

Christopher A. Baumann, Ph.D.

Christopher A. Baumann, Ph.D.

Professor

Phone: (570) 941-6389
Send an email
Website

Arthur J. Catino, Ph.D.

Arthur J. Catino, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Phone: (570) 941-7797
Send an email
Website

John C. Deak, Ph.D.

John C. Deak, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Phone: (570) 941-6238
Send an email
Internal Website

Gerard G. Dumancas, Ph.D.

Gerard G. Dumancas, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Phone: 570-941-7827
Send an email
Website

Michael W. Fennie, Ph.D.

Michael W. Fennie, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Phone: 570-941-4231
Send an email

Timothy D. Foley, Ph.D.

Timothy D. Foley, Ph.D.

Professor

Phone: (570) 941-7511
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Internal Website

Kristen M. Katchur, M.S.

Kristen M. Katchur, M.S.

Faculty Specialist

Phone: 570-941-7814
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Riddhiman Medhi, Ph.D.

Riddhiman Medhi, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Phone: 570-941-7692
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Website

David A. Rusak, Ph.D.

David A. Rusak, Ph.D.

Professor

Phone: (570) 941-6338
Send an email
Internal Website

Nicholas Sizemore, Ph.D.

Nicholas Sizemore, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Phone: 570-941-5971
Send an email

Inside the Classroom:

  • Small class sizes for a personalized learning experience
  • Hands-on experience in the Loyola Science Center
  • Exposure to all disciplines of chemistry
  • A strategic balance of collaboration and independent study
  • Engagement with faculty and students from a variety of scientific disciplines

Student Research:

Chemistry students gain practical skills and hands-on experience through our faculty-mentored research program (FRSP). From inorganic chemistry and biochemistry to theoretical physics, our professors have a range of interests and specializations, providing a wide breadth of research options for our students. 

What types of projects do students work on in FSRP?

  • Inorganic chemistry with silver coating.
  • Detecting antioxidants in green teas and chocolate.
  • Biochemistry in molecular disease gene regulatory proteins.

At Scranton, students gain confidence to present and defend their ideas which prepares them for career success.

Joan M. Wasilewski, Ph.D., associate professor and department chair

Career Outcomes:

From medical school and graduate studies to work in research laboratories and higher education, our students discover a range of successful outcomes. You’ll find Scranton graduates with a chemistry degree working in fields such as:

  • Medicine
  • Pharmaceutical Industry
  • Computer Science
  • Education
  • Industrial Research Labs
  • Statistical Data Institutions
  • Transport & Logistics
  • Public Administration
  • Military Intelligence
  • Business