Russell M. Pitzer
Encyclopedia
Russell Mosher Pitzer is an American
theoretical chemist and educator.
He was born on May 10, 1938, in Berkeley, California
and attended public schools in this and the Washington, DC area.
He received his B.S.
in chemistry
in 1959 from the California Institute of Technology
, his A.M.
in physics
from Harvard University
in 1963, and his Ph.D.
in chemical physics
from Harvard University
in 1963.
At Harvard Pitzer worked with William N. Lipscomb, Jr.
in cooperation with the research group of John C. Slater
at M.I.T. to develop computer programs to use Slater orbitals to produce self-consistent field (SCF) molecular orbital
s.
The ethane
barrier (see diagram at right) was first calculated accurately by Pitzer and Lipscomb using Hartree Fock Self-Consistent Field (SCF) theory.
Ethane gives a classic, simple example of such a rotational barrier,
the minimum energy to produce a 360-degree bond rotation of a molecular substructure.
The three hydrogens at each end are free to pinwheel about the central carbon-carbon bond,
provided that there is sufficient energy to overcome the barrier of the carbon-hydrogen bonds at each end of the molecule bumping into each other by way of overlap (exchange) repulsion.
Also at Harvard, Pitzer also helped formulate the perturbed Hartree-Fock equations in a form for calculating the effects of external electric and magnetic fields on molecules.
He was a postdoctoral
fellow at M.I.T.
and a faculty member at Caltech
before joining the Chemistry Department at Ohio State University
in 1968. He was promoted to Professor in 1979 and served as Department Chair from 1989 to 1994. During 1986-1987 he served as Acting Associate Director of the Ohio Supercomputer Center
, cofounding the center and the Ohio Academic Resources Network
. During 2001-2003 he served as Interim Director of the Ohio Supercomputer Center. He retired in 2008.
His father was the notable Kenneth Pitzer
and his grandfather, Russell K. Pitzer
, founded Pitzer College
, one of the seven Claremont Colleges
in California
. Russell M. Pitzer has served as a trustee of Pitzer College since 1988, and has received an honorary degree in recognition of this service.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theoretical chemist and educator.
He was born on May 10, 1938, in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
and attended public schools in this and the Washington, DC area.
He received his B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
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....
in 1959 from the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, his A.M.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1963, and his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
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...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1963.
At Harvard Pitzer worked with William N. Lipscomb, Jr.
William Lipscomb
William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr. was a Nobel Prize-winning American inorganic and organic chemist working in nuclear magnetic resonance, theoretical chemistry, boron chemistry, and biochemistry.-Overview:...
in cooperation with the research group of John C. Slater
John C. Slater
John Clarke Slater was a noted American physicist who made major contributions to the theory of the electronic structure of atoms, molecules and solids. This work is of ongoing importance in chemistry, as well as in many areas of physics. He also made major contributions to microwave electronics....
at M.I.T. to develop computer programs to use Slater orbitals to produce self-consistent field (SCF) molecular orbital
Molecular orbital
In chemistry, a molecular orbital is a mathematical function describing the wave-like behavior of an electron in a molecule. This function can be used to calculate chemical and physical properties such as the probability of finding an electron in any specific region. The term "orbital" was first...
s.
The ethane
Ethane
Ethane is a chemical compound with chemical formula C2H6. It is the only two-carbon alkane that is an aliphatic hydrocarbon. At standard temperature and pressure, ethane is a colorless, odorless gas....
barrier (see diagram at right) was first calculated accurately by Pitzer and Lipscomb using Hartree Fock Self-Consistent Field (SCF) theory.
Ethane gives a classic, simple example of such a rotational barrier,
the minimum energy to produce a 360-degree bond rotation of a molecular substructure.
The three hydrogens at each end are free to pinwheel about the central carbon-carbon bond,
provided that there is sufficient energy to overcome the barrier of the carbon-hydrogen bonds at each end of the molecule bumping into each other by way of overlap (exchange) repulsion.
Also at Harvard, Pitzer also helped formulate the perturbed Hartree-Fock equations in a form for calculating the effects of external electric and magnetic fields on molecules.
He was a postdoctoral
Postdoctoral researcher
Postdoctoral research is scholarly research conducted by a person who has recently completed doctoral studies, normally within the previous five years. It is intended to further deepen expertise in a specialist subject, including acquiring novel skills and methods...
fellow at M.I.T.
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...
and a faculty member at Caltech
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
before joining the Chemistry Department at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1968. He was promoted to Professor in 1979 and served as Department Chair from 1989 to 1994. During 1986-1987 he served as Acting Associate Director of the Ohio Supercomputer Center
Ohio Supercomputer Center
Established in 1987, the Ohio Supercomputer Center is a partner of Ohio universities and industries that provides a high performance computing, research, cyberinfrastructure, and computational science education services....
, cofounding the center and the Ohio Academic Resources Network
OARnet
The Ohio Academic Resources Network is the technology infrastructure and operations arm of the Ohio Board of Regents and provides a slate of network services and access to its member institutions....
. During 2001-2003 he served as Interim Director of the Ohio Supercomputer Center. He retired in 2008.
His father was the notable Kenneth Pitzer
Kenneth Pitzer
Kenneth Sanborn Pitzer was an American physical and theoretical chemist, educator, and university president....
and his grandfather, Russell K. Pitzer
Russell K. Pitzer
Russell K. Pitzer , an American orange grower, was the founder of Pitzer College in Claremont, California, an early benefactor of the Pomona Valley Community Hospital in Pomona, and a noted philanthropist of other local causes in the Pomona Valley.Russell Kelly Pitzer was born in Mills County,...
, founded Pitzer College
Pitzer College
Pitzer College is a private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont, California, a college town approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. Pitzer College is one of the Claremont Colleges....
, one of the seven Claremont Colleges
Claremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Russell M. Pitzer has served as a trustee of Pitzer College since 1988, and has received an honorary degree in recognition of this service.