Hartwick College students in the field at Pine Lake in winter

Welcome to Hartwick Environmental Chemistry

WHY STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY AT HARTWICK?

You aim to support conservation initiatives and influence policies that safeguard our land, air and water. You seek to understand how chemistry can positively impact the environment.

Here’s why our environmental chemistry program stands out:

  • Study in a program approved by the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Professional Training.
  • Engage in faculty research projects, which often lead to opportunities for co-authoring papers and presenting at national conferences.
  • Collaborate with various departments such as chemistry, biochemistry, and geology to expand your knowledge.
  • Sharpen your skills using our labs' professional-grade ion chromatography systems and X-ray diffractometers.

Many Career Paths

With 6,900 environmental chemistry jobs expected to open every year for the next 10 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics), it’s no wonder Hartwick graduates are finding rewarding career opportunities in the field. Here’s where Hartwick alums are putting their environmental chemistry skills to work:

  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Langan Engineering and Environmental Services
  • Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
  • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Naval Nuclear Laboratory
  • Albemarle Corporation
  • Earth Tech Environmental Services

WHERE WILL YOUR HARTWICK ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY DEGREE TAKE YOU?

A Career

Catherine Winters ’14 works as an environmental program specialist for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. While at Hartwick, Winters was president of the Chemistry Club and a member of the Geology Club. She completed her master’s degree in water science and policy from the University of Delaware in 2016.


Brian Redder ’15 helped craft science policy as a Knauss Fellow for U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) and is currently the manager of regulatory and scientific affairs for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) in Washington, D.C.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  • Build a strong foundation with courses in organic and physical chemistry and specialize further with classes in behavioral ecology, groundwater hydrology and others.
  • Join the Chemistry Club and attend regional and national conferences organized by associations like the American Chemistry Society.
  • Get hands-on experience at our Pine Lake campus by taking soil and water samples.
  • Apply for a paid internship at organizations such as the Center for Craft Food and Beverage, the Environmental Protection Agency or the Otsego County Conservation Association.
  • Develop your thesis project during your senior year and seek research funding through the Environmental Scholars Fund or the Freedman Prize in Applied Geosciences.

Faculty

Zsuzsanna Balogh-Brunstad

Professor of Geology and Department Chair & Coordinator of Environment, Sustainability & Society
607-431-4734

John Dudek

Professor of Chemistry

Mark S. Erickson

Professor of Chemistry

Andrew J. Piefer

Professor and Chair of Chemistry
607-431-4916

Sheeba Siddiqi

Technical Specialist in Chemistry
607-431-4778