Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry was established in 1981 with an Under-Graduate programme and it was elevated to a Post-Graduate Department in 1999 with M.Sc. Degree programme in Chemistry. The department was upgraded as the Research Center of the University of Kerala in 2022. The Under-Graduate programme follows a Choice Based Credit and Semester System. The Department offers complementary courses for Botany, Zoology and Physics majors for undergraduate programme. A course on Environmental Chemistry is offered as open course for fifth semester students from other majors. The semester system was introduced at the PG level from 2001 onwards. The department has three laboratories, one instrumentation room and a research lab equipped with modern instruments. The department is supported by fundings from central and state organisations like DST-FIST and KSCSTE. The Department also offers Certificate Courses in ‘Molecular Modelling Techniques and Drug Design’ and ‘Water Quality Analysis’. In addition to the stock of 3000 text books and 10 journals of chemistry available in the central library, the department itself maintains a department library having a stock of more than hundred text books for reference. The total student strength of the department in 2023 is 75. The Department has an alumni association, STEPHANI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, which actively involves in both academic and infrastructure development of the department.

Late Prof. C. P. Krishna Pillai was the pioneering Head of the Department who discharged his service as Head for a long period of time from 1964 to 1990. The selfless service of Late Prof. C. P. Krishna Pillai and his associates was in fact the capital for the growth of the department from its infant stage. The wholehearted and sincere service rendered by the former faculty members brought the department to an esteemed position among other institutions in Kerala. It is like a feather in our cap that our former faculty member and alumnus of the college, Dr. Varughese P. Daniel, served the institution as Principal from 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2017.

Now the faculty strength of the department is eight with two Post-Doctoral Degree holders, three Ph.D. holders and three are pursuing Ph.D. Three of the faculties are approved Research Guides of the University of Kerala. All the faculty members have membership in Academy of Chemistry Teachers and four of our teachers have life membership in Kerala Academy of Sciences. In order to equip them with the emerging academic development and innovative methods of teaching, our teachers are regularly attending the various online and offline orientation and refresher courses offered by the approved HRDCs. The department regularly conducts academic programmes such as National and State level seminars and workshops on emerging areas in chemistry. The faculty members of the department are also involved in the publication of their research works in reputed national and international research journals. To brush up their academic excellence, they continuously attend various national and international seminars, workshops and conferences convened by different colleges and contribute their share by way of their paper presentation in such academic programmes. Along with brightening their academic brilliance, they maintain cordial relationships with parents and alumni members and are instrumental in molding the character of students through mentoring, counseling and guidance.

chemistry@ststephenspathanapuram.ac.in