Physical Chemistry

This track draws on strong interplay and collaboration between theory and experiment in traditional and emerging areas of physical chemistry. More specifically, spectroscopy and microscopy techniques are developed and applied to elucidate molecular mechanisms ranging from macroscopic ensembles to single-atom level. Specific research topics cover (1) reaction kinetics and dynamics, materials, alternative energy and environmental science, photonics and polaritonics,  biophysical and biomedical research; (2) Computational methodologies are developed to address a broad range of problems related to protein folding and drug design. (3) Quantum and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics are developed and applied to model electron and energy transfer, biochemical reactions, aerosol chemistry, gas adsorption in porous nanomaterials and strong light-matter coupling systems. Many research programs have significant overlap with Materials, Analytical and Atmospheric Chemistry, and Chemical Biology tracks, and the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Program.