The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University (MSU) is a vigorous, research-active department with strong interdisciplinary collaborations. Research thrusts of the Department and University include structural biology, biophysics, bioinorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, nanomaterials, optical spectroscopy, and energy research. The Department is composed of 19 tenure track faculty, several research faculty and approximately 80 graduate students. The Department grants Ph.D. degrees in both Chemistry and Biochemistry and also has a strong tradition of undergraduate participation in research. The Department’s research building (built in 2008) houses shared instrumentation including a new macromolecular x-ray diffractometer, NMR and Mass spectrometry facilities, high field and pulsed EPR, CD, femtosecond laser spectrometers, microscopes, FTIR spectrometers, steady state and time resolved emission laser spectrometers, molecular graphics, parallel computing with a 90-processor heterogeneous Linux cluster, SEM, TEM, scanning Auger, scanning probe techniques, and access to two synchrotron beam lines. MSU is connected to the very broadband network system (vBNS) that provides fast Internet access and facilitates remote computing at national supercomputer sites. The department is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment.