Research Opportunities

Our faculty members take pride in the high quality of our program. They work closely with students in teaching and research laboratories. We strongly encourage our undergraduate students to participate in research with faculty members as early as the summer of their freshmen year. Research opportunities in the department are available for chemistry majors and minor.


Remi Oki , the department head, is interested in low temperature sol-gel synthesis of bioactive glass materials for bone repairs and replacement. Funding for the research is provided by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculo-skeletal diseases of the National Institute of Health. In addition, his group is also interested in the synthesis of boron based inorganic materials as therapeutic reagents in neutron capture therapy for cancer treatment.



Ananda Amarasekara is interested in organic synthesis and polymer chemistry

Antoine Carty is interested in synthesis and applications of novel heterocycles, and combinatorial chemistry

Vassant Doctor is interested conducting research on the mechanism by which xylan sulfates enhance the anticoagulant action mediated by circulating antithrombic proteins of the blood, the Antithrombin III and Heparin co-factor II, the in vitro interactions of sulfated polysaccharides with proteases and inhibitors of fibrinolysis and coagulation using fucoidan.





HuaJun Fan  is interested in the development and application of theoretical and computational methodologies, from ab initio quantum mechanics to MD simulation of small molecules, macromolecular and nanocomposite systems.




Hylton McWhinney is interested in surface and interfacial characterizations as it relates to                        Environmental waste treatment, waste management and waste restoration, sensing and                            detection of toxic gases and hazardous bio-materials.


Tamiko N. Porter information on Dr. Porter's research interest will be posted soon.






John Williams is interested on computational chemistry and in the general application of                            technology in chemical research and teaching.

In addition, chemistry research opportunities and internships, and coops are also available to our majors outside PVAMU. For more information, contact any member of our faculty and visit the ACS site www.acs.org