Richard Bader
Encyclopedia
Richard F. W. Bader is a quantum chemist
, noted for his work on the Atoms in Molecules
approach. This approach explains chemistry
, particularly established chemical models such as the Lewis structure
, in terms of the topology
of the electron density
function in three-dimensional space.
He was born in 1931 in Kitchener, Ontario
, Canada. He obtained a B Sc (1953) and a M Sc (1955) from McMaster University
, Hamilton, Ontario
, Canada and a Ph D (1958) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT). He did postdoctoral work at MIT and the University of Cambridge
. He was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ottawa
in 1959 and promoted to Associate Professor in 1962. He moved to McMaster University as Associate Professor in 1963, became full Professor in 1966 and has been Emeritus Professor since 1996. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
in 1980.
His work on atoms in molecules is the subject of his book, Atoms in Molecules: A Quantum Theory.
Quantum chemistry
Quantum chemistry is a branch of chemistry whose primary focus is the application of quantum mechanics in physical models and experiments of chemical systems...
, noted for his work on the Atoms in Molecules
Atoms in Molecules
The atoms in molecules or atoms-in-molecules or quantum theory of atoms in molecules approach is a quantum chemical model that characterizes the chemical bonding of a system based on the topology of the quantum charge density...
approach. This approach explains 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....
, particularly established chemical models such as the Lewis structure
Lewis structure
Lewis structures are diagrams that show the bonding between atoms of a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule. A Lewis structure can be drawn for any covalently bonded molecule, as well as coordination compounds...
, in terms of the topology
Topology
Topology is a major area of mathematics concerned with properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, such as deformations that involve stretching, but no tearing or gluing...
of the electron density
Electron density
Electron density is the measure of the probability of an electron being present at a specific location.In molecules, regions of electron density are usually found around the atom, and its bonds...
function in three-dimensional space.
He was born in 1931 in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, Canada. He obtained a B Sc (1953) and a M Sc (1955) from McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada and a Ph D (1958) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT). He did postdoctoral work at MIT and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
in 1959 and promoted to Associate Professor in 1962. He moved to McMaster University as Associate Professor in 1963, became full Professor in 1966 and has been Emeritus Professor since 1996. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
in 1980.
His work on atoms in molecules is the subject of his book, Atoms in Molecules: A Quantum Theory.