Berea College

Chemistry is central to many of the major issues that will face society for years to come, ranging from energy and waste management to medicine and biotechnology. The program prepares students to address chemical problems dominating today’s news headlines. The Chemistry Program offers a B.A. degree with three possible concentrations: general, professional (ACS certified) and biochemistry. A minor in chemistry is also available.

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Our courses also serve as collateral requirements in <a href="https://www.berea.edu/academics/departments-programs/biology">Biology</a>, <a href="https://www.berea.edu/academics/departments-programs/sustainability-and-environmental-studies">SENS,</a> and <a href="https://www.berea.edu/academics/departments-programs/nursing">Nursing</a>. They also provide general and environmental chemistry courses to serve the entire student body.

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The chemistry department has undergone many changes over the course of the College’s history. The first science instruction began at the turn of the century (circa 1900) and grew slowly. By the mid-’60s, we had three faculty members: Julian Capps, Gus Levey, and Thomas Beebe. These three men combined to serve Berea College for over 100 total years of service time. Beebe was the first at Berea to form an undergraduate research program in the mid-’60s. In the early ’80s, the department expanded to four full-time members. By the late ’90s, we embraced an active biochemistry requirement and added a part-time member in the sustainability and environmental studies area.

Historical Information

<ul>
 	<li>High field 500 MHz JEOL ECZR Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer, with z-field gradient amplifier, a gradient probe, multinuclear capability, a 3.2mm MAS probe, and a variety of other accessories, for more information follow our posts at the Magnetic Fielders Coaches Bench,</li>
 	<li>Low field Magritek Spinsight43 NMR,</li>
 	<li>Scanning Electron Microscope with EDS for elemental analysis,</li>
 	<li>N2 Homogenizer,</li>
 	<li>Ultracentrifuge,</li>
 	<li>Waters 1525/2487 HPLC with column heater and dual-wavelength detector,</li>
 	<li>Waters e2695 HPLC with 2489 UV/Vis and 2432 Conductivity detectors,</li>
 	<li>Millrock Technology Lyophilizer with multiple ports,</li>
 	<li>Thermo Evolution 201 UV/Vis Spectrometer with 8 sample positions,</li>
 	<li>Ocean Optics FLAME UV/Vis Spectrometer with Quantum Northwest TC125 temperature controller,</li>
 	<li>Shimadzu RF5301pc Luminescence Spectrometer with chiller for –15 to 100˚C operation,</li>
 	<li>Thermal-Nicolet Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (model 380, 2007) with single bounce diamond ATR (SMART-ATR),</li>
 	<li>Finnigan LCQ Deca XP Max Electrospray Mass Spectrometer with Finnigan Surveyor Autosampler/HPLC interface,</li>
 	<li>Phillips XPert powder X-ray diffractometer,</li>
 	<li>Eppendorf Vacufuge plus with rotors for Eppendorf tubes as well as larger centrifuge tubes,</li>
 	<li>HP 7820 GC with FID detector with autosampler,</li>
 	<li>HP 7820 GC with a 5977B Mass Spectrometer Detector and autosampler,</li>
 	<li>Parker/Balston hydrogen gas generator to replace He as flow gas in the GCs,</li>
 	<li>Amersham Biosciences AKTA FPLC System with UPC-900, P-920 Pump &amp; Frac-950 Fraction Collector housed in 4˚C refrigerator,</li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.bucksci.com/products/211-accusys-atomic-absorption-spectrophotometer" rel="noopener noreferrer">Buck Accusys 211</a> Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer,</li>
 	<li>Thermo Smart2Pure distilled water system to supply both 5 (Type 2) and 18 (Type 1) M-ohm water,</li>
 	<li>Thermo Pacific distilled water system to supply 5 megaohm (Type 2) water,</li>
 	<li>CEM Microwave reactor with a LibertyLite peptide synthesizer,</li>
 	<li>three Cole-Palmer Rotary Evaporators with –20˚C Thermo Polystat chiller baths,</li>
 	<li>VAC systems high-performance glove box for work at low pressure or inert (N2) atmospheres with attached -30˚C refrigerator,</li>
 	<li>two undergraduate research facilities (MAC 460 and 248),</li>
 	<li>one smaller laboratory with 8 hood stations for advanced lab and lectures with seating for 16 (MAC470),</li>
 	<li>one large laboratory with 10 hood stations for organic and analytical chemistry with seating for 32 (MAC457),</li>
 	<li>one large laboratory with 20 snorkel stations for general and allied health chemistry with seating for 32+ (MAC257)</li>
</ul>

Facilities

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Berea Chemistry graduates gain theoretical knowledge and practical experiences through coursework, research, and work program. They are prepared for:

Our students have gone on to work in many fields including:

Berea College | Margaret A. Cargill Natural Sciences and Health | CPO 1722 | Berea, KY 40404 | 859-985-3298<br>