Environmental Chemistry
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The environment influences your overall health. From the amount of sunlight you enjoy, to the food you eat, to the quality of the water you drink, to the cleanliness of the air you breathe. The environment matters and environmental chemists know this. Environmental chemists study how chemicals travel into the environment and their effects on the world around us. They are developing hybrid automobiles, improving the ways we utilize natural resources, and pioneering new methods for conservation.
Careers
The demand for environmental professionals is growing with abundant and varied opportunities. You can enjoy positions in teaching and research, in governmental and other industrial settings. Companies are placing greater emphasis on compliance issues. Governmental environmental polices and regulations will continue to open doors for scientists. Opportunities exist for chemists to move into various areas of expertise outside a traditional job in the lab. Careers for environmental chemists include: Environmental Monitoring & Quality Control, positions with the EPA, FDA, community and public health agencies, and advocacy organizations such as Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Our Program
The Environmental Chemistry concentration is part of our Integrative Sciences major and prepares you for many areas of natural science, such as ecology, environmental protection or conservation. We designed the program to provide for a range of options across the curriculum so you can tailor your academic portfolio of coursework, internships, projects and specific expertise. In fact, you can develop your own customized track. Want a combination of knowledge in IT and environmental chemistry? What about a program that combines environmental chemistry with geospatial imaging? You have this much flexibility.