The chemistry department is located in the Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building, built in 1984. This modern facility has classrooms and laboratories for teaching, independent research, and faculty research. It is also home to the Scientific Visualization Laboratory, a suite of rooms equipped with computers, software, and video projection, specifically chosen for their capabilities in visualizing scientific images and data. The department houses an extensive array of instruments for use by students and faculty throughout the curriculum and for student/faculty research collaborations.

The major instruments housed in Mudd Chemistry include:

• NMR:Bruker
• AC-300
• UV/VIS: Hewlett-Packard 8452A and 8453 (Diode–Array)
• UV/VIS: Beckman Coulter DU 640B (3; Scanning)
• UV/VIS/NIR: Perkin Elmer Lambda 900
• FTIR: Perkin Elmer 1600 and 1750
• ICP/AE: Spectro D
• Fluorescence: PTI C60 Quantmaster
• X–Ray Fluorescence: Kevex EDX 771 XRF
• Polarimeter: Rudolph Research Autopol III

• CCD Diffractometer: Bruker SMART APEX II CCD X-ray diffractometer, Monocap X-ray waveguide, Oxford liquid nitrogen cryostream.
• Diffractometer: Syntex (Siemens) P21 Single Crystal, Philips PW–1729 X–ray Generator
• Single Crystal X-Ray Cameras: Hewlett-Packard Huber Weissenberg and Super Weissenberg

• Silicon Graphics: Indigo II, 2 dual-processor Octanes
• Linux Computers: 4–processor Intel computer, 2–processor
• Intel computers (3), single processor Intel computer
• Sun: 8-processor Enterprise 3500, shared with computer science and physics.
• Mercury Consortium: 32-processor SGI Origin 300, 8-processor Origin 300, Beowulf cluster

• GC: Hewlett-Packard 5880A, Gow-Mac Series 580 (3)
• GC/MS: Hewlett-Packard MS 5973, GC 6890
• HPLC: Beckman System Gold 125, Hewlett–Packard 1100 Diode–Array
• Detector with HP Chemstation, Wescan ICM–300 Ion Detector
• HPLC: Agilent Technology/Hewlett Packard 1100 complete system
• FPLC: Pharmacia

• Voltametric: Bioanalytical Analyzer CV-50W, EG&G 264A Polarogrophic
• Analyzer, EG&G 362 Scanning Potentiostat
• Autotitrator: Radiometer A8-RTSS5

• Nitrogen Laser: Photon Technology Inter., Inc. 2.3MW GL-3300
• Dye Laser : Photon Technology Inter., Inc. High Resolution PL202 EG&G Nitrogen Dye laser
• Infrared Diode: Spectra-Physics

• Silicon Graphics: Indigo II, 2 dual-processor Octanes
• Linux Computers: 4–processor Intel computer, 2–processor
• Intel computers (3), single processor Intel computer
• Sun: 8-processor Enterprise 3500, shared with computer science and physics.
• Mercury Consortium: 32-processor SGI Origin 300, 8-processor Origin 300, Beowulf cluster

• MALDI/ToF Mass Spectrometer: Funded and to be purchased
• Calorimetry: Shimadzu DSC–50 and TGA–50; Parr 1455 (2)
• Refrigerated Centrifuge: Dupont Sorvall RC–5C
  

Vassar’s Scientific Visualization Lab is a computer resource for faculty and students from across the campus. The lab is comprised of three spaces, a large room for classes of up to 20 students, a smaller seminar room for classes of twelve or fewer students and for use by faculty/student research teams, and a room in which faculty can prepare and develop teaching and research materials. Each room contains computers with software chosen by faculty for use in capturing, generating, manipulating, analyzing and displaying scientific data and images. Chemistry students use the lab at all levels of the chemistry curriculum. For example, students in general chemistry and organic chemistry use molecular modeling software to investigate the three dimensional structure, stability and reactivity of molecules. Visit Vassar’s Visualization Techniques in Teaching site to see some examples.