Physical Chemistry
Purdue Physical Chemistry prides itself on two characteristics: outstanding scientific research and a supporting and collaborative environment. Physical Chemistry at Purdue encompasses a wide range of scientific endeavors, from ultracold single-molecule chemistry, quantum computation, and ultrafast microscopy to machine learning and immunology, and biological exciton formation — both in the lab and on the computer. We have particular depth in quantum chemistry research, including quantum computing (Hood, Kais), electronic structure theory and computation (Chen, Slipchenko, and Wasserman) and nonlinear spectroscopic methods (Ben Amotz, Huang, Reppert).
Our Faculty

Ming Chen
- Molecular Dynamics
- Machine Learning
- Electronic Structure

Qi (Tony) Dong
- Energy and sustainability
- Nanomaterials and nanotechnology
- Heterogeneous catalysis

Jonathan Hood
- Ultracold Chemistry
- Quantum Computing
- Optical Tweezers

Libai Huang
- Ultrafast Microscopy
- Energy Transport
- Charge Transport

Alexander Laskin
- Aerosol Multi-Phase Chemistry
- Environmental Transformations
- Chemical Imaging

Julia Laskin
- Fundamentals of ion-surface collisions
- Ion soft-landing
- Nanoclusters

Hanzhe Liu
- Ultrafast Laser and X-ray spectroscopy
- Strong light-matter interaction
- Nonlinear spectroscopy

Lee R. Liu
- High resolution and sensitivity spectroscopy
- Cryogenic cooling
- Quantum coherent control

Mike Reppert
- Optical Spectroscopy
- Photosynthesis
- Protein structure

Adam Wasserman
- Electronic Structure
- Density Functional Theory
- Electron-Electron Interactions

Paul Wenthold
- Physical Organic Chemistry
- Mass Spectrometry
- Ion Reactivity and Spectroscopy