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Basic Sciences Division

CHEMISTRY

Cadet in chemistry lab

Study the foundational principles of matter and energy that enable the Air Force to maintain technological superiority and enjoy the opportunity to conduct basic research impacting Air Force and our DoD partners.

ABOUT US

From developing the materials that extend the life of our aircraft fleet, to understanding space sensor and satellite technology, to analyzing chemical and biological warfare data, chemistry is critical to Air Force operational mission success and is at the forefront of many research programs.

Through the core curriculum, the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Department of Chemistry provides all cadets with a fundamental education in chemistry. Our department also provides a comprehensive curriculum for cadets interested in chemistry, biochemistry or engineering chemistry to pursue positions in research, development, graduate school or medical/dental school.

For an undergraduate only institution, our laboratory facilities and equipment inventory are among the best in the country, including a broad range of state-of-the-art instrumentation that supports teaching and research efforts.

Chemistry Faculty and Staff

MAJORS & MINORS


Department News News From Around The Department


November 14, 2023

Academy cadet selected for postgraduate Rhodes Scholarship

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Madelyn Letendre was selected for a Rhodes Scholarship, a fully funded postgraduate program in the United Kingdom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco) U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Madelyn Letendre, Class of 2024, was selected for a highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship, a fully funded postgraduate program in the United Kingdom. The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international scholarship program enabling young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford, according to the program’s website....

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August 10, 2020

USAFA Pandemic Math Team

Maj Erin Almand tests COVID samples By Nicole Cox, USAFA Graduate Liaison When the United States Air Force Academy made the difficult decision to send the majority of the cadet wing home in March, its faculty and staff immediately got to work to find ways to protect cadets and the Academy mission. Experts from multiple disciplines came together to tackle the problem and answer an important question from the Superintendent: how might we safely return the entire cadet wing to the Academy for in-person instruction during the ongoing pandemic? Maj Erin Almand, a 2009 Graduate and Assistant Professor in the...

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January 30, 2019

Academy celebrates research efforts at annual ceremony

Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost, the dean of the faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy, speaks to the crowd attending the annual research awards ceremony in Polaris Hall, Jan. 29, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley) By Ray Bowden, Jan. 30, 2019 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- This year’s research programs at the Air Force Academy were funded to the tune of $40 million and that cost is paying off in dividends, said the dean of faculty at the school’s research awards ceremony, Jan. 29. “The efforts of our cadets and faculty researchers complement everything we do in the classroom,”...

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United States Air Force Academy, CO 80840
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