Ph.D., 1980, Chicago

Physical Chemistry

My research program focuses on two main topics in theoretical chemistry. The first research area involves the development and testing of semiclassical approximations for the quantum evolution of complex systems. Semiclassical methods, which utilize information from classical trajectories to obtain approximate quantum mechanical energies, wavefunctions, transition probabilities, etc., provide computationally very useful procedures for calculations involving the motion of atomic and molecular systems.

The second area investigates the manner in which solvents influence the vibrational frequencies and population relaxation in liquids and dense gases. These interactions are important because, for instance, the equilibration of vibrational populations plays a significant role in determining the response of condensed phase systems to external perturbations.