The Location

The University of Maryland, CollegePark is the flagship campus of the University System of Maryland. It is located a few miles northeast of Washington, D.C., 30 miles south of Baltimore, and 30 miles west of Annapolis.  It is one of the largest campuses in the United States. There are over 80 graduate programs at College Park and a number of independent research institutes. There is a strong commitment to quality education at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels.

The Departmentof Chemistry & Biochemistry benefits greatly from its proximity to major national laboratories such as the  National Institute of Standards and Technology , the National institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. In addition to the many research opportunities within the Department itself, graduate students can carry out collaborative research with prominent scientists at these nearby laboratories.  The American Chemical Society headquarters is located nearby in Washington D.C., while the  American Center for Physics is also located in College Park.

The growth of the Washington area as a cultural and scientific center has contributed to the growth of the College Park campus. The many museums, libraries, theatres, and performing arts organizations in the area are well-known all over the world. Outside the metropolitan area and just minutes from the campus, the countryside is pleasantly rural. A great variety of recreational and leisure activities are available in nearby states and national parks and on East Coast waterways. Here are some links to local information: