Collectively, these courses and associated programmes of study reflect the breadth of contemporary chemistry from core chemistry to medical and biological chemistry, environmental science and materials. Research in chemical education within the Department and in science education outside continually informs the design of our courses. Each member of academic staff in the Department of Chemistry and Analytical Science is actively involved in teaching and this has brought its own recognition. The Department was rated as Excellent in the national Teaching Quality Assessments (one of only 12 of the 72 assessed chemistry departments in England to reach this standard) and a Royal Society of Chemistry Higher Education Teaching Award for 2000 went to a member of the Department. The Department is actively involved in the production and presentation of courses at all levels. The Science Short Course area offers introductory 10-point courses in a range of subject-specific and general interest science areas. Undergraduate courses represent the main thrust of the teaching activity of the Department and lead to Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor Degree qualifications which have been accorded formal recognition by The Royal Society of Chemistry. The Department of Chemistry and Analytical Science takes a lead role in several modules in the Master of Science programme and offers the research-based Higher Degrees of MPhil and PhD.
Further details of our teaching can be found on our website:
http://www.open.ac.uk/science/chemistry/teaching.htm
Our Research
Bio-organic, Medicinal and Supramolecular Chemistry
Research focuses on the chemistry involved in areas of bioorganic and medicinal chemistry relating to chronic human diseases, such as cancer, and the mechanism of action of therapeutic drugs. Sensitive and specific novel methods to detect and quantify DNA and protein damage are being developed. Research in supramolecular chemistry focuses on luminescent sensors and probes and photoactive molecular devices
Inorganic, materials and coordination chemistry
Research focuses on the synthesis and characterisation (by diffraction, spectroscopic, thermal and computer modelling methods) of solid inorganic materials including magnetic oxides, zeolites, titania pigments, bimetallic catalysts, solid acid catalysts and micro- and meso-porous materials. Research in coordination chemistry includes work on the macrobicyclic hexaimino ligands (azocryptands), the study of magnetic exchange interactions and the characterisation of radical anions in charge transfer processes.
Organosilicon Chemistry
Research focuses on the fundamental chemistry of organosilicon compounds including:
(i) the mechanism of substitution at silicon, (ii) synthetic methodologies based on silicon compounds, and (iii) novel organosilicon compounds based on silsesquioxane cages.
Chemical Education
Active projects are validity of assessment methods, problem solving and effectiveness of practical work (both hands-on and virtual).
Research in the Department of Chemistry and Analytical Science is supported in all areas by funds from the Research Councils, research charities, government departments and industry.
Further details of our research are on our web site: http://www.open.ac.uk/science/chemistry/research.htm
Laboratory Facilities
The Department of Chemistry and Analytical Science moved into a purpose-built new building in May 2004 which houses a suite of laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art spectroscopic and analytical equipment. Research students and postdoctoral fellows are provided with a desk or office space with a personal computer giving access to a wide range of electronic resources.
