Chemists and other life sciences researchers can learn new techniques and advance their education through a new graduate level programme offered by the Indiana University School of Informatics
A graduate certificate in chemical informatics will be available beginning with the autumn/fall 2006 semester.
"The certificate is designed specifically to help practitioners in industry, government and academic enters gain the skills they need to use chemical informatics techniques in their approaches to information technology," says Gary Wiggins, director of the School's chemical informatics programme.
Chemical informatics is the application of computer technology to chemistry in all of its manifestations, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry.
Students enrolled in the program have the option of attending classes on the Bloomington or Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campuses.
Or, they can join classes remotely using a teleconference or web-conferencing system.
All that is required for remote access is an internet-connected computer and telephone, dialing into a toll-free number.
Successful completion of four courses (three credit hours each) earns students the certificate.
The classes must be completed within a maximum of three years.
The classes include chemical information technology; computational chemistry and molecular modeling; programming for chemical and life science informatics; and independent study in chemical informatics.
Participants in the certificate programme must have a bachelor's degree with appropriate computing skills, and must demonstrate a strong need to learn and use chemical informatics techniques.
Formal admission to IU is required as a continuing non-degree student.
The IU School of Informatics has established the first major academic chemical informatics learning and research center in the United States.
An informatics-led team recently received a $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish the Chemical Informatics and Cyberinfrastructure Collaboratory.
