United States Air Force Academy

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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, Space 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 and Space 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 instruments that support learning and research efforts.

Chemistry Faculty and Staff

MAJORS & MINORS


Department News News From Around The Department


January 26, 2024

27-year chemistry professor puts cadets first

Dr. Kimberly Gardner, U.S. Air Force Academy associate chemistry professor, poses for a photo in a conference room on the Academy campus in Colorado Springs Jan. 21, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Rayna Schmidt) By Katherine Spessa U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - In a conference room nestled among the classrooms and academic laboratories of Gregory Hall, cadets bring their individual readings to the table. The unique class Dr. Kimberly Gardner is teaching is more of a discussion than a lecture. The cadets choose their topics and what they read. Today, the discussion...

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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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United States Air Force Academy, CO 80840
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