Rollins

The team culture in the Rollins chemistry department encourages undergraduates to talk freely with professors starting your first year. With a faculty genuinely vested in the progress and success of each student, the chemistry program offers two degree tracks: one that’s certified by the American Chemical Society as the foundation for lab or tech careers and the other for students who envision going into pre-health, pre-law, or perhaps business.

Your lab, research, and internship experiences early on in your college career will help you determine what you want to pursue, and you’ll have personal guidance from faculty and advisors on each step of your journey.


Why Study Chemistry at Rollins

  1. Range of Expertise

    Each faculty member brings an interest in the subdisciplines of chemistry: nanotech, materials, medical, food, solutions, and others. You can narrow your focus according to your own interest.

  2. Transferable Skills

    Lab experiences are interactive to help develop life skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and the ability to communicate your findings with scientists and laypeople alike.

  3. Relationships with Faculty

    Every professor knows you by name and career goals. They can advise coursework and internships tailored to your vision and write personalized recommendation letters for graduate schools.

Interested in Studying Chemistry at Rollins?

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Mutya Cruz portrait

“The level of mentorship I received in the chemistry department at Rollins greatly impacted my decision to pursue a graduate degree. The hours of help beyond the classroom ensured that I would reach my goals. As an undergraduate, I truly felt the entire department worked together to get me where I am today.”

Mutya Cruz ’15

PhD, Duke University


Rollins Chemistry Careers

Rollins chemistry grads are making tomorrow happen at some of the world’s most innovative companies and prestigious institutions. Learn more about careers in chemistry.

  • Self portrait of Shalini Allam.

    Shalini Allam ’13 MD

    Cardiology Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

  • Julian Grundler

    Julian Grundler ’18

    Yale University, Graduate Researcher

  • Self portrait of Carri Geer

    Carri Geer '13 PhD

    Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Novan, Inc.

  • Self portrait of Michael Kitchin

    Michael Kitchin ’17

    MD Candidate, NYU School of Medicine

  • Self portrait of Meagan Amick Tippens.

    Meagan Amick Tippens ’08

    Technical Lead-Chemistry Engineer, Lockheed Martin

  • Kevin Tucker

    Kevin Tucker ’05

    Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Southern Illinois University


Real World Experience

From internships to research, Rollins chemistry students hone their skills in the real world.

  • Merck
  • Proctor and Gamble
  • CVS
  • BASF
  • University of Florida
  • UNC
Professor and students in a class discussion at a Rollins outdoor classroom

See for Yourself

Get a feel for Rollins’ unique brand of engaged learning and personalized attention through one of our virtual or in-person visit experiences.

Take a Closer Look

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A Day in the Life of a Rollins Chemistry Major

“The liberal arts education at Rollins really forced me to step outside my comfort zone, teaching me how to think outside the box and adapt to different situations and problems.”

Julian Grundler ’18

Yale University, Graduate Researcher


Beyond the Classroom

Prestigious Internships Chemistry students at Rollins have earned pre-health internships at the Mayo Clinic, Moffitt Cancer Center, and University of Virginia, and also in research-focused areas with law firms and the military.

Shadowing Opportunities By your sophomore year, you can spend time in a work environment to start determining firsthand if your vision for a career will meet expectations. This is a concrete way to identify your real passion.

Competitive Research Experiences Students can stay on campus for one-on-one research with a faculty member through the College’s Student-Faculty Collaborative Scholarship Program or take advantage of the pipeline created by alumni to research-intensive universities like Georgia Tech or the University of Michigan.


A professor and two students prep a water filtration system.

Keep Exploring

Take a deeper dive into chemistry at Rollins by meeting your future professors, seeing our grads in action, and sitting in on a class.

Chemistry students work with a professor in a lab.

Rollins Receives Scientific Equipment Grant

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has awarded Rollins a grant that will enhance learning in the sciences and make biology and chemistry majors even more competitive for careers in STEM.

Kasandra Riley and Brandon McNichol ’19 work together in a chemistry lab.

Rollins Receives Inclusive Excellence in STEM Grant

The six-year grant will support the College in its efforts to foster inclusivity and belonging for those who have been historically underrepresented in the sciences.

Solving the World’s Biggest Problems

For Rollins students, alumni, and faculty, the most pressing issues of our time are not insurmountable. They’re opportunities to bring meaning to the term “global citizenship.”


Expert Faculty

The research experience in the chemistry major at Rollins is rich because all faculty members are active in research too. Each instructor brings depth in a specific subspecialty, so students can choose an interest for targeted instruction.

Department of Chemistry

Bush Science Center
1000 Holt Ave. – 2743
Winter Park, FL 32789

Telephone: 407.646.2223

  • Pedro Bernal

    Pedro Bernal, PhD

    Professor of Chemistry

    Research interests: Volumetric properties of water solutions and appropriate water-purification interventions

  • Marisa Fuse

    Marisa Fuse, PhD

    Lecturer in Chemistry & Health Professions Advisor

  • Laurel Goj Habgood

    Laurel Goj Habgood, PhD

    Professor of Chemistry

    Research interests: The use of transition-metal catalysts in organic reactions for potential use in the synthesis of fine and feedstock chemicals

  • Brian M. Mosby

    Brian M. Mosby, PhD

    Associate Professor of Chemistry

    Research interests: The design and synthesis of hybrid materials with specific functions or interesting properties

  • Ellane J. Park

    Ellane J. Park, PhD

    Associate Professor of Chemistry

    Research interests: The development of bioselective gold and polymeric nanoparticles that can serve as platforms for improved cancer therapeutics

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  • James D. Patrone

    James D. Patrone, PhD

    Associate Professor of Chemistry

    Research interests: Applying Fragment-Based Ligand Discovery (FBLD) in cancer research

  • Kasandra J. Riley

    Kasandra J. Riley, PhD

    Associate Professor of Chemistry

    Research interests: Exploring the role of non-coding RNAs in bacterial and viral infections