The Crystallography Laboratory offers two graduate-level courses in X-ray Crystallography that are also open to qualified seniors. These courses are a sequence, so you need to take the theory course before the practical course. You can take the theory course on its own. Both courses are cross-listed between the Departments of Geosciences and Chemistry. Instructors are Dr. Carla Slebodnick and Prof. Ross Angel.

GEOS5535/CHEM5525 (Fall semester) Fundamentals of Crystallography: This course covers the basics of crystallography and provides students with the tools to interpret and use crystallographic data on crystal structures as published in the literature and databases. Prequisite: 3504 or CHEM 3615 (or their equivalents for graduate students).

GEOS5536/CHEM5526 (Spring semester) X-ray Crystallography: Students taking this course learn how to collect both powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data in the Crystallography Laboratory, how to process the data and solve and refine crystal structures. This is a required course for all students who want to collect data in the X-ray lab. Prerequisite: GEOS5535 or CHEM5525.

More details in a pdf file.

If you are not a VT student, you may apply to join our crystallography workshop to learn how to collect and process Xray diffraction data and solve the structures of your own crystals.