Research in the Chemical Sciences
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs allow a student to study a wide variety of research topics in Analytical, Environmental, Inorganic, Organic, or Physical Chemistry. The choice of basic and applied projects provides the flexibility to match the interests of virtually all students. Among the areas of active research are organic and polymer synthesis, catalysis, physical organic chemistry, and pesticide chemistry.
Molecular spectroscopy research involves infrared, Raman, fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance and laser scattering. In addition quantum mechanical calculations are carried out in conjunction with these. The investigation of chemistry at surfaces is being conducted through the development of scanning electrochemical microscopy and optical waveguide spectroscopy. Research in chromatographic techniques involves the development of lab-on-a-chip microscale separations. Studies in inorganic reaction mechanisms and ligand exchange kinetics in transition metal complexes are under way. Specific projects are described in more detail by the individual faculty members.
The University Industry Chemical Research Center was established in 1984 to foster closer ties between research programs in chemistry at MSU and the needs of chemical industries in the state and region. Two faculty members are affiliated with the center, which has industrial contracts that fund approximately 10 graduate assistantships and two research associates. The experience of being involved with the center is invaluable to students who aspire to industrial careers, and the research has a positive impact on the industries.
Four faculty members are also affiliated with the Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Lab on campus, an organization performing research in fossil fuel technologies. The chemists and physicists involved in the research are those who specialize in atomic and molecular physics and classical and laser spectroscopy. The instrumentation under development is designed for non-intrusive, real-time, remote measurements.
The Chemical Sciences Graduate Program
The Chemical Sciences Program has been in existence at Mississippi State since 1976. It combines the talents of chemists across the campus and in a number of Federal and State laboratories. Although the majority of the faculty are from the Chemistry Department, the outside faculty allow the student to use chemical skills in a wide variety of applied areas. The program currently includes research and teaching units from the Department of Biochemistry, USDA Crop Science Research Laboratory, Forest Products Utilization Laboratory, Department of Physics, University/Industry Research Center, and the Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Laboratory. This unique Chemical Sciences Graduate Program creates an environment of flexibility and cooperative research while providing quality academic training. Tailored programs fit the student's career goals, and an atmosphere is maintained that allows for the maximization of personal interaction and communication between students and faculty. Over recent years the program has had an average of 50 graduate students working toward their advanced degrees.
The University
A detailed history of Mississippi State can be found on the University's main server. A brief summary is given here.
Mississippi State University is located in the northeast part of Mississippi and adjoins the City of Starkville. The University, a land-grant Institution, was established in 1878 as "The Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi." For the first decade, training was confined almost entirely to agriculture, but in 1892 engineering was offered as a separate curriculum. The College of Business and Industry was formally organized in 1915, and training in education led to the establishment of the College of Education in 1935. The first M.S. degree at the University was awarded in 1885 (in Chemistry), and the first doctoral program was offered in 1951. The School of Forest Resources was established in 1954, along with an 8,000 acre experimental forest. In 1956 the College of Arts and Sciences was created, and in recognition of the continuing expansion of the institution, the Legislature in 1958 renamed it the Mississippi State University. In 1973 the Board of Trustees authorized the creation of a School of Architecture, followed by the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1974.
Faculty
The faculty of the Mississippi State University Chemical Sciences Graduate Program is unique in the United States. There are 33 professors on campus, from eight different organizational units, who have banded together to form a strong, highly cooperative research and teaching group. Chemistry Department faculty are listed by research interest and alphabetically. Faculty in othe other research units are shown here
Among the faculty there are many who are officers of state, national, and international scientific organizations, and who have won University, state, and national awards. Members of the faculty have co-authored books, chapters in books, and review articles. Faculty members are co-editors of an on the editorial boards of scientific journals. The staff has been honored with international fellowships, lectureships and visiting professorships at distinguished universities in the U.S. and abroad. A large number of the faculty have chaired sessions at national and international meetings and symposia. The faculty is publishing an average of nearly 100 articles per year and is receiving in excess of two million dollars in research grants annually.
Graduates
As part of their training, students participate in state and national meetings, and some students have been honored at these meetings on the basis of their research results. The graduates of our program have been successful in many different professions. A significant number of the Ph.D. graduates hold faculty positions at colleges and universities, while most of the others are involved in research and development in private industry or government laboratories.
Many students choose to pursue the M.S. degree in preparation for Ph.D. studies at other major universities in the United States. Other M.S. graduates are employed in university, industrial, and government laboratories. To see what some recent graduates are doing, check our alumni page
GRADUATE LIFE
Culture and Entertainment
The MSU campus boasts a very active theater and music schedule of its own. The Starkville-Mississippi State University Symphony Orchestra and Chorus present four to five concerts yearly. In addition to the locally produced events, Mississippi University for Women in nearby Columbus (25 miles from campus) and the Columbus Community Theater have active programs. The Lyceum (lecture) series at MSU brings in nationally known groups and speakers. Popular music stars are scheduled to perform in the MSU coliseum regularly. There is seldom a week there is not some cultural event taking place.
Art exhibitions are presented in Briscoe Hall gallery, the Union art lounge and Mitchell Memorial Library. The surrounding area is a rich source of Southern and Appalachian craftsmen whose hand crafts are shown in numerous craft shows, workshops, and exhibitions. Memphis, Atlanta, Jackson, Birmingham, and New Orleans all have their own symphony orchestras as well as theater and opera productions. These cities are easily accessible for day or weekend excursions.
MSU is in the Southeastern Conference and has intercollegiate athletic events in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball. Cross-country bicycle and canoe races are sponsored by student organizations.
Lifestyle
MSU is located near the Tombigbee National Forest in Northeast Mississippi. The campus adjoins the town of Starkville (population is approximately 20,000) on the west and is surrounded on three sides by countryside. Ten miles south of the campus is the 43,000 acre Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. The friendly, small-town atmosphere and the uncrowded and pollution-free environment provide excellent opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, hunting, canoeing, and other forms of outdoor recreation. The climate is mild and snow is uncommon. Memphis, TN, Birmingham, AL, and Jackson, MS are all two to three hours away by car. Atlanta and New Orleans are five to six hours away, making them all easily accessible for weekend trips.
Housing
University housing for married and single graduate students is available. Apartments and houses are available in Starkville and the surrounding area.
Financial aid
Research and teaching assistantships are available and some fellowships are available, particularly for minority students. Stipends are competitive within the region, but since stipends and fees are subject to periodic adjustment, prospective graduate students should contact the department to obtain current rates. Graduate students receiving assistantships or fellowships also receive a waiver of tuition. The cost of living in this area is considerably lower than most other areas of the country.
