Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Welcome to Chemistry and Biochemistry

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at San Francisco State University offers outstanding educational opportunities for undergraduates and graduates so they can become versatile scientists.

Students will develop a strong understanding of both the theoretical basis and practical applications of their discipline. We are dedicated to educating and inspiring SFSU students from all backgrounds to reach their personal and professional goals. 

Our students have access to 

• Faculty with expertise in analytical, environmental, computational, organic/bio-organic, physical, inorganic and material chemistry and biochemistry. 
• Modern facilities and instrumentation, including facilities for NMR and mass spectrometry, a computational chemistry and visualization lab, and new state-of-the-art labs in the new Science and Engineering Innovation Center (SEIC). 
• Student-run organizations that offer a variety of activities such as social events and free tutoring.  

We designed our programs to prepare students for a variety of career paths. Our alumni enroll in graduate (M.S., Ph.D.) and medical, pharmacy and dental programs, and work in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, chemical manufacturing and teaching.  

In all interactions between faculty, lecturers, students and staff, we strive to promote our core values: scholarship, critical thinking, open-mindedness, independence, scientific curiosity, ethics, collaboration and diversity. Recognizing that our students are driven by a desire to help solve the many problems facing the world and to give back to their communities, we empower our students to engage as successful citizens in ethical applications of scientific skills and knowledge for the benefit of society.