About the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Empowering students to take on a complex and changing world.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Who We Are: World-Renowned Scientists and Educators
The University of Mississippi is classified by Carnegie as an R1 university, a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of universities in the nation. As part of a research-intensive university, our faculty are at the top of their field.
Being at an R1 university matters for students because it means they will have professors who bring exciting new discoveries into the classroom and give students a chance to work alongside them as they break barriers.
Our faculty are internationally recognized, and their multidisciplinary research is supported by funding from sources including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Justice (DOJ), and the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry include three current NSF Career Award recipients, a current Biophysical Society Congressional Fellow, two University of Mississippi Faculty Achievement Award recipients, a University of Mississippi Distinguished Research and Creative Achievement Award recipient, the Mississippi Science Teachers’ Association Outstanding College Science Teacher of the Year, an R&D Magazine 100 Award winner, a National Academic Advising Association Outstanding Faculty Advisor honoree, and six University of Mississippi teaching award recognitions.
- Professor James Cizdziel has won the 2024 Melinda & Ben Yarbrough, M.D., Senior Professor Research Award for the Natural Sciences. This award recognizes an outstanding tenured faculty member in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics for sustained exemplary performance in research, scholarship, and/or creative achievement at the national or international level while serving as a faculty member at the University of Mississippi.
- Professor Jason Ritchie has been named the second faculty member to hold the Doctors Andrew Stefani and Eldon Miller Memorial Chair for STEM Teaching and Research.
- Together with her collaborator Professor Jason Paris of Pharmacology, the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department’s own assistant professor Eden Tanner has been awarded a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to support the pair’s work developing a novel treatment for the neurological complications of HIV, also known as neuro-HIV.
What We Do: Cultivate Knowledge and Skills in an Important Science
Working with award-winning faculty, students learn to understand our physical world and to approach it in innovative new ways. Research and teaching are carried out with a low student-to-faculty ratio in a supportive environment where all students are encouraged to succeed.
Our Vibrant Community
Message from the Chair
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi appreciates your interest in our programs. With 26 dedicated faculty members, we offer a strong faculty-to-student ratio that fosters close mentorship. Many of our faculty have won prestigious teaching awards and are committed to student success. Our graduate programs provide a solid theoretical foundation while encouraging creative research and professional development. Graduates of our M.S. and Ph.D. programs secure high-profile positions in academia, government, and industry.
James V Cizdziel
Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Department Leadership and Support
James Cizdziel
- Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Ryan Fortenberry
- Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Maysen Brokaw
- Recent Graduate Intern I
Charlotte Dicus
- Secretary II
Kristin Gaines
- Administrative Coordinator I
Stephen Moore
- Stockroom Coordinator
Anna Omiecinski
- Laboratory Technician
Meredith Sessums
- Operations Manager
Liming Song-Cizdziel
- Lab Manager
Research Faculty
Abby Boyd
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Saumen Chakraborty
- Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
James Cizdziel
- Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Kensha Clark
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Amal Dass
- Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Ryan Fortenberry
- Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Murrell Godfrey
- Assistant Dean of Access and Opportunity Pathways and Associate Professor of Chemistry
Nathan Hammer
- Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jonah Jurss
- Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Penghao Li
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jinchao Lou
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Daniell Mattern
- Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Susan Pedigo
- Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Sujay Ray
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jason Ritchie
- Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Joshua Sharp
- Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Research Associate Professor in Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Acting Associate Dean of Research
Vig Sundaresan
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Eden Tanner
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Co-Director for the Center for Nano-Bio Interactions
Randy Wadkins
- Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Instructional & Other Faculty
Safo Aboaku
- Instructional Associate Professor and Associate Coordinator of Undergraduate Laboratories of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Maurice Eftink
- Associate Provost Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Director Emeritus of Accreditation
Steven Davis
- Professor Emeritus of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Amy Rosen
- Instructor and Associate Coordinator of Undergraduate Laboratories
Emily Rowland
- Instructional Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Gerald Rowland
- Instructional Associate Professor in Chemistry & Biochemistry
Kerri Scott
- Associate Chair, Instructional Professor, and Associate Coordinator of Forensic Chemistry
John Wiginton
- Instructional Professor and Coordinator of Undergraduate Laboratories
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Graduate Students
Learn more about our current Masters and PhD graduate students and their fields.
View Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Students
Our Vales and Beliefs
Vision
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi aspires to be a leading force for advancing society through the continuous pursuit of educational excellence and cutting-edge research in chemistry.
Research Mission
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi discovers, creates, understands and applies new knowledge in the chemical sciences to strengthen the state, region and nation intellectually, technologically and economically.
Educational Mission
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi provides an exceptional educational experience by teaching our students the skills and instilling in them the drive to meet the challenges and needs of the future.
Diversity Mission
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi embraces the rewards of a diverse and inclusive academic community.
Our Community
A Place That Ever Calls
Located 70 miles from Memphis and surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Mississippi, Oxford boasts thriving music, art, and literary scenes along with great restaurants. UM's athletics provide many opportunities to watch and participate in sports—and one of the world's best tailgating parties.
With everything Oxford has to offer, it's no wonder USA Today named Oxford as one of the Top Six College Towns in the Nation.
Come see why.