Physical Chemistry

Physical chemistry at UW-Madison offers a graduate student the benefits of a strong and diverse faculty, outstanding facilities for research support, and a program that emphasizes both depth in one's thesis topic and breadth of chemical knowledge and experience.

See degree requirements for the Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry

Physical Chemistry Faculty

View all Physical Chemistry faculty members.

Faculty research interests span the remarkable range of topics addressed by modern physical chemistry; theoretical chemistry, gas phase spectroscopy and dynamics, condensed phase structure and dynamics, and macromolecular and biophysical chemistry. The faculty in these broad categories are:

Theoretical Chemistry

• Qiang Cui
• JR Schmidt
• Ned Sibert
• James Skinner
• Arun Yethiraj

Gas Phase Spectroscopy and Dynamics

• Fleming Crim
• Etienne Garand
• Frank Keutsch
• Claude Woods

Condensed Phase Structure and Dynamics

• Fleming Crim
• Mark Ediger 
• Randall Goldsmith
• Robert Hamers
• Mahesh Mahanthappa
• Gilbert Nathanson
• John Wright
• Martin Zanni

Macromolecular and Biophysical Chemistry

• Silvia Cavagnero
• Mark Ediger 
• Randall Goldsmith
• Mahesh Mahanthappa
• Thomas Record
• James Weisshaar
• Arun Yethiraj
• Martin Zanni

We also continue to benefit from the active involvement of our Professors Emeritus Thomas Farrar, John Harriman,Worth Vaughan, Frank Weinhold, and Hyuk Yu.

Students specializing in physical chemistry may also choose to conduct research with faculty members who teach in other paths. Physical chemistry students have recently joined the groups of John Wright (condensed phase chemistry); Frank Keutsch (atmospheric chemistry); Thomas Brunold (inorganic chemistry); Lloyd Smith (bioanalytical chemistry); and Sam Gellman (organic chemistry).

For more information about the Biophysical Chemistry program, visit the Biophysical Chemistry website.