David Chandler (chemist)
Encyclopedia
David Chandler is a physical chemist who is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley
. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
and a winner of the Irving Langmuir Award
. He has published two books and over 200 scientific articles.
in 1944. He is currently Bruce Mahan Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley
. He received his S.B. degree in chemistry
from MIT in 1966, and his Ph.D. in chemical Physics
at Harvard in 1969. He began his academic career as an assistant professor in 1970 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, rising through the ranks to become a full professor in 1977. Prior to joining the Berkeley faculty in 1986, Chandler spent two years as professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania
.
Chandler's primary area of research is statistical mechanics
. With it, he has also created many of the basic techniques with which condensed matter chemical equilibrium
and chemical dynamics are understood with molecular theory. He provided the modern language and concepts for describing structure and dynamics of liquids, a series of contributions that has allowed quantitative and analytical treatments of simple and polyatomic fluids, of aqueous solutions and hydrophobic effects, and of polymeric melts and blends. He has also developed the methods by which rare but important events can be simulated on a computer, techniques that have culminated in Chandler’s development of a statistical physics of trajectory space. This work has enabled his studies of systems far from equilibrium, including processes of self-assembly
and the glass transition.
Chandler’s honors include the Hildebrand and Theoretical Chemistry Awards from the American Chemical Society
, the Irving Langmuir Chemical Physics Prize
from the American Physical Society
, the Bourke and Lennard-Jones Lectureships from the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Hinshelwood Lectureship from the University of Oxford
, the Hirschfelder Prize from the University of Wisconsin, Mulliken Prize from the University of Chicago
, election to the National Academy of Sciences
and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
. His influential textbook, Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics is appreciated by students and specialists for its novelty and pedagogy.
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and a winner of the Irving Langmuir Award
Irving Langmuir Award
The Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics is awarded annually, in even years by the American Chemical Society and in odd years by the American Physical Society. The award is meant to recognize and encourage outstanding interdisciplinary research in chemistry and physics, in the spirit of Irving...
. He has published two books and over 200 scientific articles.
Biography
David Chandler was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1944. He is currently Bruce Mahan Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He received his S.B. degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from MIT in 1966, and his Ph.D. in chemical Physics
Chemical physics
Chemical physics is a subdiscipline of chemistry and physics that investigates physicochemical phenomena using techniques from atomic and molecular physics and condensed matter physics; it is the branch of physics that studies chemical processes from the point of view of physics...
at Harvard in 1969. He began his academic career as an assistant professor in 1970 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, rising through the ranks to become a full professor in 1977. Prior to joining the Berkeley faculty in 1986, Chandler spent two years as professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Chandler's primary area of research is statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics or statistical thermodynamicsThe terms statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics are used interchangeably...
. With it, he has also created many of the basic techniques with which condensed matter chemical equilibrium
Chemical equilibrium
In a chemical reaction, chemical equilibrium is the state in which the concentrations of the reactants and products have not yet changed with time. It occurs only in reversible reactions, and not in irreversible reactions. Usually, this state results when the forward reaction proceeds at the same...
and chemical dynamics are understood with molecular theory. He provided the modern language and concepts for describing structure and dynamics of liquids, a series of contributions that has allowed quantitative and analytical treatments of simple and polyatomic fluids, of aqueous solutions and hydrophobic effects, and of polymeric melts and blends. He has also developed the methods by which rare but important events can be simulated on a computer, techniques that have culminated in Chandler’s development of a statistical physics of trajectory space. This work has enabled his studies of systems far from equilibrium, including processes of self-assembly
Self-assembly
Self-assembly is a term used to describe processes in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organized structure or pattern as a consequence of specific, local interactions among the components themselves, without external direction...
and the glass transition.
Chandler’s honors include the Hildebrand and Theoretical Chemistry Awards from the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
, the Irving Langmuir Chemical Physics Prize
Irving Langmuir Award
The Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics is awarded annually, in even years by the American Chemical Society and in odd years by the American Physical Society. The award is meant to recognize and encourage outstanding interdisciplinary research in chemistry and physics, in the spirit of Irving...
from the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, the Bourke and Lennard-Jones Lectureships from the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Hinshelwood Lectureship from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, the Hirschfelder Prize from the University of Wisconsin, Mulliken Prize from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, election to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
. His influential textbook, Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics is appreciated by students and specialists for its novelty and pedagogy.