I am pleased to announce that Prof. Sharon Hammes-Schiffer, Swanlund Professor of Chemistry, was named a fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prof. Hammes-Schiffer, was selected for “the development of innovative theories and computational methods for studying proton, hydride and proton-coupled electron transfer reactions in chemical and biological systems.” Her research focuses on chemical reactions in solution, in proteins and at electrochemical interfaces, particularly the transfer of charged particles driving many chemical and biological processes. Her group has developed theories that blend classical molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics, as well as theories that describe proton-coupled electron transfer reactions. This work has applications in catalyst design for solar cells, understanding how enzymes work, protein engineering and drug design.
by: Department Head Prof. Greg Girolami
Prof. Hammes-Schiffer earned her doctorate from Stanford University in 1993 and carried out postdoctoral studies at AT&T Bell Laboratories. After holding faculty positions at Notre Dame and Penn State University, she joined the faculty at Illinois in 2012. Among many other honors, she is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (the “other” AAAS). She is also a Deputy Editor for The Journal of Physical Chemistry.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society, was founded in 1848. Fellows are chosen for their outstanding contributions to the field, a tradition since 1874.