About the Department
HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
POST GRADUATE & RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
Vision of the Department : To inculcate a keen interest in learning Chemistry, acquiring skills in carrying out tasks systematically with perseverance and precision, motivating towards research, inspiring to lead a life with scientific approach and promote the standard of personal and societal living.
Programmes Offered : The Department of Chemistry which had a sterling start in 1957 now offers B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes. The PG programme was started in 2005 and Ph.D in 2009. M.Phil. Programme was offered from 2008 till 2018.
The year 2007 marked the splendour and legend of its Golden Jubilee. The Department holds a remarkable record of achievements and accomplishments amidst challenges, which were transformed successfully into stepping-stones for its progress.
Highlights Curricular Aspects : The Department offers in addition to the core courses, Skill Based Electives (SBE) - Agricultural Chemistry for non-Chemistry I year students of Shift II and Non Major Elective (NME)-Food and Nutrition Chemistry for non-Chemistry III year students of Shift I and Shift II and Non Major Elective (NME)- Cosmetics and Dyes for non-Chemistry III year students of Shift I. SBE- Small Scale Chemistry and SBE-Food Chemistry are offered for B.Sc. Chemistry students in the fifth and sixth semesters respectively. The Department offers Independent elective courses such as Dairy Chemistry, Quality Control and Chemical Analysis, Research Methodology, CSIR-NET Preparatory Course in Inorganic Chemistry, Water Chemistry, CSIR-NET Preparatory Course in Organic Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry, CSIR-NET Preparatory Course in Physical Chemistry, Advanced Instrumentation Techniques and Leather Chemistry for PG students. The course on Research Methodology is made mandatory for PG students and can be taken up either in the first or third semester. The Postgraduate students carry out summer projects in other universities and colleges.
Facilities : The Department is furnished with fully equipped laboratories, spacious store rooms, Book Bank facility, Audio Visual Aids, Research Laboratory and Instrumentation Room along with provisions made for rainwater harvesting.
The instrumentation centre is equipped with the latest instruments such as JASCO V 730 UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, FTIR Bruker Spectrometer with ATR, FTIR Schimadzu, UV Schimadzu, Electrochemical work station, Digital Micrometer, Flame Photometer, Vacuum Rotor, Sonicator, Colorimeter, Spectro Fluorimeter, Turbidometer, Muffle Furnace, Cooling Centrifuge, Salinity Meter, Polarimeter, pH meter, Nephlometer, Deionizer, Digital Potentiometers, Digital Conductometers, Digital Micrometer, Computers with Printers, Vacuum Oven and Fume Hoods etc.
Research Activities : The Department focuses its research activities on thrust areas such as Conducting Polymers, Polymer blends and composites, Bio Polymers, Nanocomposites, Inorganic complexes, Organic Synthesis and Phyto Chemistry. The Department subscribes International and National journals and is actively involved in publication of research papers in international and national journals. The faculty members and research scholars present papers in national and international seminars and conferences.
Membership : The Department is an active member of RUSAC (Rural Society for the Advancement of Chemistry). The seminars, industrial visits, paper presentation, quiz, debate, career guidance programme and science exhibitions organized through RUSAC help in enhancing the skills of the students.
Periodical : An annual periodical CHRYSL (Chemistry Resonating in Young Students’ Lives) is also released since 2005 which gives expression to the creativity and the aspirations of the young and old Auxilians.
Solid Waste Management Project : The Department has implemented in 2008 and carrying out a project on Solid Waste Management and students are also engaged in coaching school students in the neighbouring villages as a part of extension activities.
Chemistry Association : The Association activities of the Department by way of organizing resource talks, exhibitions, debates, poster competitions, seminars, UG quiz and PG quiz competitions bring out the creative skills of the students and expose them to the advances in the field.
MoU : The Department has signed a MoU with Thirumalai Chemicals Ltd., Ranipet to promote research and to establish industry-academia tie up in November 2014.
Alumnae Association :
The past pupils association was christened ACAM (Auxilium Chemistry Alumnae Movement) in the year 2005. ACAM is a brainchild of Rev.Sr.Alphonsa Mary, the former Principal of the College. With the financial assistance offered by the past pupils, two scholarships have been instituted.
Scholarships : The Department has got instituted a number of scholarships for the students based on merit and merit cum means.
Industrial visits : Industrial visits are organized every year for the final year UG and PG students to expose the students to the manufacturing processes and spectroscopic techniques.
Madame Marie Curie Endowment Lecture: The Madame Marie Curie Endowment Lecture was initiated in 2018-2019 academic year and every year a lecture by an eminent scientist is arranged.
Innovative Initiatives: The innovative initiatives undertaken by the Department are Entrepreneurial Skill Training and Career Guidance Training. Herbo Heal hair oil and Phenyl - Chemaux pdts are prepared and marketed by the students in the campus. A workshop on career guidance training is offered to the final year students.
The Faculty members of the Department instill a keen interest in research in the young minds and also continue to bring out the talents of the students through sports, extra-curricular and co-curricular activities thereby inculcating a sense of responsibility and train students making them good and honest citizens.
