Department of Chemistry

Chemistry at Durham is a thriving centre of scientific activity for teaching and for world-leading research in the chemical sciences.

Durham's Department of Chemistry topped the UK research impact charts in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014). Our next assessment is due in 2021. The impact tables are a measure of how research work done in universities makes a difference in terms of both the economy and society. In the same exercise, 96% of Durham Chemistry’s research activity was rated as internationally excellent or world leading.

Our research is inter-disciplinary and is divided into six research groupings:

Bioactive Chemistry and Synthesis
Catalysis and Sustainable Chemical Processes
Computational and Dynamics
Functional Molecules and Materials
Physical Organic and Assembly
Soft Matter and Interfaces
Through these groupings we focus on tackling global challenges across three core themes, manufacturing the future, bio-economy and new material discovery.

Located at the heart of the University Science site and just 10 minutes’ walk from the city centre, we are a global 100 University (QS world rankings, 2020) that is consistently in the top five in major UK league tables. We are currently 2nd in The Guardian's University Guide, 6th in The Complete University Guide and 4th in The Times Good University Guide, demonstrating our commitment to quality teaching, research and student experience.