Chemistry (PhD)

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry

Program Website: Chemistry

Field(s) of Specialization

• Organic Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Physical and Computational Methods

Faculty and Administration

For a listing of program faculty and administrative contacts, please visit the program directory.

Program Description

The Department provides facilities for students intending to work towards their Master’s and/or Doctoral degrees in Chemistry. Faculty members specialize in Organic/Bio-organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Physical/Theoretical Chemistry. The Department also supports MSc and PhD degrees in Biotechnology.

The following research fields are currently represented, and are described in detail on our department website.

• Organic Chemistry: Synthesis of biologically active and medicinally important compounds including carbohydrates; antimicrobial compounds, macrocyclic peptides, including bioconjugation methods. Enzymatic synthesis of natural and silicone analogues of lipids; chiral synthon production; isotopically labelled compounds; fluorescent nucleic acids and lipids for bioanalytical applications and microscopy; affinity labels and bioconjugates; protein and nucleic acid chemistry and biochemistry, protein-membrane interactions. Organocatalysis and photocatalysis, design, synthesis and computational analysis of novel superbases and hydrogen bond catalysts. Enantioselective synthesis, including synthesis of chiral ligands, chiral auxiliaries; organometallic catalyst design and synthesis; methodology and synthesis of biologically active compounds.
• Inorganic Chemistry: Current research emphasis lies at the interface of coordination chemistry, structural chemistry, and molecular magnetism, and is aimed at the synthesis of dual property single molecule magnets (SMMs), spin crossover complexes, Ln-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and MRI contrast agents. Other areas of interest include the synthesis and study of organosulfur compounds as the semi-conducting components of organic electronic devices, and emissive compounds for solid-state light emitting devices. Synthesis of redox-active ligands and switchable coordination complexes featuring reversible ligand to metal electron transfer reactions and semiconducting properties toward new molecular spintronic materials. In the organometallic/catalysis stream, the research emphasis is placed on the design of new ligand platforms for stabilization of main-group compounds in very low oxidation states for applications in activation of small molecules and molecular catalysis. Research in analytical chemistry includes methodological development for characterizing organic matter and quantifying environmental pollutants using mass spectrometry-based techniques. Applied bioanalytical chemistry research focuses on developing new point-of-care diagnostic devices for the rapid detection of infectious diseases, specific pathogens, and blood biomarkers (e.g., cardiac, cancer, bacteria).
• Physical and Computational Methods: Research includes modern time-resolved electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy to study the structure and function of photosynthetic reaction centres and porphyrin-based model systems. Other areas include optical and electrical property of nanostructured materials characterized by advanced laser spectroscopy and microscopy; synthesis of nanostructured organic and inorganic semiconductors and their applications in solar energy, catalysts, optoelectronics. Computational research focuses on theoretical studies to understand charge and energy transfer reactions in photosynthetic proteins.

Admission Requirements

Successful completion of a Master’s degree, or equivalent in Chemistry or closely allied discipline (e.g. Biochemistry), with an overall average of not less than 80%.

Applicants with exceptional research potential and who hold an Honours BSc may be admitted directly into the PhD program. Research potential is gauged by (i) publications and other accomplishments, detailed in applicant’s resume and reference letters, and (ii) examples of the applicant’s scientific writing.

Students who have successfully completed a minimum of one year in the Brock Chemistry MSc program may apply to be transferred to the PhD program. Students transferring from the MSc to the PhD program will normally be expected to have attained an 80% average and have achieved significant research progress as determined by their supervisory committee.

Applicants required to demonstrate English language proficiency must meet the standard minimum requirements established for graduate-level study.

The Graduate Committee will review all applications and recommend for admission a limited number of candidates.

It is not possible to complete a PhD degree entirely on a part-time basis. After completion of the full-time residency requirement (three years) a student may request part-time status, provided that a draft of the thesis has been submitted, but before submission of the final copy and scheduling of the defense has begun.

Students with MSc degrees in Chemistry with a background in biological applications of chemistry may apply for admission into Brock’s PhD program in Biotechnology.

Program Notes

• Continued enrolment in the Doctor of Philosophy program requires the successful completion of a Candidacy Examination.
• The candidacy examination must be completed by the end of the third year of graduate studies at Brock.
• Prior to the candidacy exam, students must complete all course requirements except CHEM 7F90 - PhD Research and Thesis .
• The exam combines a written component with an oral presentation and defence. The written component is a research proposal on a topic not directly related to the candidate’s research prepared in the general format of an NSERC Discovery Grant proposal.
• The examining committee will be composed of the graduate program director or delegate (Chair), the student’s supervisor, two members of the student’s Supervisory Committee, and either one additional member from the Department involved in the program or one member from a Department in the Faculty of Mathematics and Science not participating in the program.
• The possible outcomes are pass or fail. The Examination Committee may request that a passing performance be recorded only after completion of remedial work, which may include rewriting the research proposal thereby addressing its flaws, tests, essays or courses, and is at the discretion of the Examining Committee.
• Students who fail the examination or do not complete it by the end of the third year of graduate studies at Brock will be immediately removed from the PhD program but may be allowed to submit and defend an MSc thesis, if they do not hold a similar or identical degree.
• In exceptional circumstances, the candidacy examination may be postponed but only with prior approval of the student’s advisory committee, the Graduate Program Director and the Chair. Such approval should be arranged before the end of the third year of study.
• Further details are available on the department website.