Department of Chemistry

Rated first for research in New Zealand. 

Chemistry is the science of substances - their structures, their properties and reactions that transform them into other substances. Knowledge of basic chemical principles is important in all branches of science and for a wide range of industries. Better building materials and textiles, improved medical aids, new alloys, more productive agriculture, better environmental control - all rely on chemical expertise.

The basic understanding of how substances are interrelated and transformed provides the framework upon which the other observational sciences are built. In addition to being an important area of science in its own right, chemistry also forms an integral part of the study of the Biological Sciences and Earth Sciences.

The Department of Chemistry covers a wide range of specialist areas including interface between chemistry and the other sciences, such as analytical chemistry, geochemistry, environmental chemistry, forensic science, industrial chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. Chemistry forms a major growth area in modern science for both research.

The University of Waikato's internationally renowned Department of Chemistry is at the forefront of chemistry research in New Zealand. We were rated number 1 in the most recent Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) assessment.

Science & Engineering - Creating the Future!