CHEMISTRY: Support the Bonds We Make

Greetings from the Department of Chemistry! I am Stanislaus S. Wong, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry. I am really looking forward to this year’s Giving Day on March 25, 2026, where we are asking for your support of the Department of Chemistry’s Excellence Fund. This fund helps to provide essential discretionary financial support, which allows the department to respond to its greatest unfunded needs and/or to act quickly when opportunities arise. Funds have previously been used to support student initiatives such as our research seminar program, student awards and so much more.

This year, we are asking for your support of two key initiatives. The first objective is to revitalize the main seminar room space located in room 412. This high-visibility, outward-facing shared facility is used for enabling the hosting of a wide range of departmental activities. These include recruiting seminars, graduate student workshops, monthly seminars and colloquia, student training activities, internal department-wide events, including safety demonstrations and cross-departmental initiatives, with direct impact upon student educational enrichment, faculty recruitment and departmental reputation.

The second goal involves the creation of a special fellowship fund that will serve as a safety net for graduate students, given the current uncertainties in state and federal funding of fundamental research. The idea is to ensure that the department has an option to financially support students to some extent throughout the duration of their graduate careers, regardless of contingency. Indeed, the expectation is that students should concentrate on and benefit from their educational experiences in the department as opposed to being unduly distracted and impacted by unforeseen and challenging circumstances and events beyond their control.

Your invaluable support of these initiatives will do a lot toward enhancing the quality of our department. Hence, your generous contributions are greatly appreciated!