Overview

Chemical physics provides an interdisciplinary approach to the fields of chemistry and physics using mathematical techniques. The major allows students to explore the interface between chemistry and physics by studying structure, surfaces, bonding, atoms and molecules. By combining the methodologies and knowledge of physics and chemistry, many intriguing scientific questions can be addressed by a student with a strong predilection for mathematics and the physical sciences.


Faculty & Staff

Paul Bonvallet head shot

Paul A. Bonvallet

Professor of Chemistry (On leave 2025-26)

pbonvallet@wooster.edu

Mary Cornelius

Mary Cornelius

Administrative Coordinator - Chemistry, BCMB

mcornelius@wooster.edu

Laura DeGroot

Laura DeGroot

Assistant Professor of Physics

ldegroot@wooster.edu

Paul Edmiston

Paul L. Edmiston

Theron L. Peterson and Dorothy R. Peterson Professor of Chemistry; Department Chair of Chemistry; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

pedmiston@wooster.edu

Jennifer Faust

Jennifer A. Faust

Associate Professor of Chemistry (On leave 2025-26)

jfaust@wooster.edu

Karl Feierabend

Karl J. Feierabend

Associate Professor of Chemistry

kfeierabend@wooster.edu

Kristin Feierabend

Kristin Feierabend

Stockroom Manager - Chemistry

krfeierabend@wooster.edu

Manon Grugel-Watson

Manon Grugel-Watson

Physics Laboratory and Education Coordinator

mgrugel-watson@wooster.edu

Headshot of Cody Leary

Cody Leary

Associate Professor and Department Chair of Physics; Pre-Engineering Advisor Fall 2025

cleary@wooster.edu

Susan Lehman

Susan Lehman

Victor J. Andrew Professor of Physics; Pre-Engineering Advisor Spring 2026

slehman@wooster.edu

Niklas Manz

Niklas Manz

Associate Professor of Physics

nmanz@wooster.edu

Sara Martin, assistant professor of chemistry at The College of Wooster

Sara E. S. Martin

Associate Professor of Chemistry; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

samartin@wooster.edu

Smiling man in blue shirt and white cap standing outside near a tree at the College of Wooster.

Jhony Mera

Electronics & Instrument Technician - Biology, Chemistry, Physics

jmera@wooster.edu

Timothy Siegenthaler

Timothy Siegenthaler

Instrument and Lab Tech/Machinist - Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics

tsiegenthaler@wooster.edu

Mark Snider

Mark J. Snider

Robert E. Wilson Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

msnider@wooster.edu

Sarah Sobeck

Sarah J. Sobeck (Schmidtke)

Professor of Chemistry and Dean for Faculty Development

ssobeck@wooster.edu

James West

James West

Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biology; Chemistry

jwest@wooster.edu


Latest Physics News

Niklas Manz, associate professor of physics

Wooster physicist Niklas Manz goes beyond his discipline to study how phenomena get their names

Niklas Manz, associate professor of physics at The College of Wooster, studies the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction, but why was it named for those two scientists, […]

Michael Jissa '28

Sophomore student dug deep into environmental monitoring with remote internship

Michael Jissa ‘28 spent the summer remotely interning for Atnaf, a coal mining company located in his hometown of Ethiopia. Throughout the APEX Fellowship, […]

Chase Fuller ’19

Physics alumnus becomes lead author on collaborative, peer-reviewed paper on diffusion diodes

Centered around research he conducted as a student mentor during the summer of 2019, physics alumnus Chase Fuller ’19 became the lead author on […]

Niklas Manz, associate professor of physics

Research of interdisciplinary chemistry, physics, and computer science team produces publication in Frontiers of Physics

Interdisciplinary research by a team of five faculty members and two students from The College of Wooster recreated a gravitational astrophysical phenomenon in a […]

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Major

A major in Chemical Physics consists of sixteen courses including the introductory courses of Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics. The student can then choose to focus on either Chemistry or Physics while taking advanced courses in the other field.

Students may not double major in Chemical Physics and in any of the participating departments of Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics. Any student who anticipates attending graduate school in chemistry or physics should also take additional courses in those disciplines.

Interested students should discuss plans with the chairperson of the Department of Chemistry or Physics.

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