Overview - Chemical and Biological Sciences

Today’s Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences continues NYU-Poly’s rich tradition of excellence and history-making achievements in the chemical and biological sciences.

At the end of World War II, our faculty were the first to establish polymer science as a legitimate academic discipline. At the beginning of the 21st century, our faculty and students conduct research in biocatalysis, protein engineering, biosensors, photophysics, polymer physics, electroactive polymers, nanocomposites, stereospecific synthesis of polymers, natural and unnatural biopolymers, polymer therapeutics, among other demanding research areas.

Pioneering Faculty and Graduates

Former faculty member Rudolph Marcus was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1992 for his theory of electron transfer in chemical reactions. And former graduate student Gertrude Elion shared the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1988 for her work on anti-viral drugs.

Herman F. Mark, widely known as the father of polymer science, served on the Polytechnic faculty for many years. Deeply concerned with establishing the study of polymers as a discrete branch of chemistry, he designed the first graduate curriculum in that discipline, founded a polymer journal and monograph series, and was one of the chief architects of the Polymer Section of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Mark founded the Polymer Research Institute at Polytechnic in 1946, which has served as a training ground for generations of polymer chemists. In 2003, the Polymer Research Institute was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society.

This tradition of excellence continues with our current faculty. Mark Green received the highest honor from the Society of Polymer Science, Japan, their Award for Outstanding Achievement in Polymer Science and Technology in 2005. Richard Gross received a Presidential Green Chemistry Award in 2003, and Eli Pearce served as president of the American Chemical Society in 2002-2003.

In 1999, Avi Ulman received the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt award for his pioneering work on self-assembled monolayers.