Mission & Visions

Department Mission Statement

The department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will strive to create a diverse, inclusive community that serves students and the public through innovative education, individualized advising, holistic mentoring and modern molecular life science research that creates knowledge and solves real-life problems. We aspire to be a collaborative and supportive environment that enriches teaching and learning, develops scholarships, and fosters relationships.  

Visions

We offer a rigorous and contemporary curriculum that is responsive to current and future developments, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature and diversity of the chemical sciences. We guide and support students to become successful professionals, scholars, scientifically literate citizens and leaders. We empower our students by providing modern effective in-class and lab training with active learning and high student engagement. We maintain facilities to conduct research and lab education that continuously improves to meet higher standards of chemical laboratory safety. We help students develop core values of scientific literacy, integrity, and transparency, and to promote a culture of collaboration and safety. 

We achieve all these goals based on a set of core values based on or Jesuit tradition:  

• Integrity – We act ethically, with honesty and honor, and without compromising the truth to ensure we do what is right. 
  
• Diversity and Respect – We recognize that diversity and excellence go hand-in-hand, enhancing our teaching, scholarship, and service. We respect all people, value the perspective and credibility of individuals from different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and treat people in the way we want them to treat us. 
  
• Teamwork and Community – We care about and help each other. We have fun working together. To maximize our collective impact, we inspire, challenge and support each other to be the best we can. 
  
• Service – We are public employees and take seriously our calling to serve our community, state, country and the world. 
  
• Excellence – We commit to constantly improve and provide the highest quality work that exceeds the expectations of our students, colleagues, administrators, collaborators, alumni and supporters/shareholders. We change lives for the better by striving for excellence. 
  
• Knowledge – Curiosity drives us to create new knowledge through research, discovery and invention. We are experts in our fields and enthusiastically share knowledge and ideas with our constituents through effective communication and teaching. 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry supports the 2020 Loyola University Maryland Faculty Anti-Racism Statement and adheres to its pledge that “as faculty members of a Jesuit university, we will work to enact best practices to create anti-racist classrooms and foster continuing discernment with respect to racial inequality, racism, and white supremacy among ourselves and with our students.”

As a department, we value diversity of ideas and diversity in our community. We strive to create an environment that supports learning and that is free from discrimination and harassment, that promotes inclusion and respect for all, and that values different perspectives. Furthermore, we pledge to empower individuals to explore their unique qualities and to challenge stereotypes. As scientists we especially value the importance of critical thinking to create a rich academic environment. 

Specifically, we make the following pledges:  

• We will create inclusive and student friendly learning environments in the classroom and beyond that are free from bias and harassment.
• We will protect the expression of diverse opinions, and support freedom of thought and expression.
• Any instance of inequity or discrimination will be identified and challenged.