Sherwin Singer

Sherwin Singer is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at The Ohio State University. He specializes in theoretical and computational studies of water and ice structures, electrokinetics, and biomolecular dynamics. His research focuses on hydrogen bond topology in ice phases, silica-water interfaces, and the repair mechanisms of DNA damage. Singer has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Education:

• B.A. 1976, University of Chicago
• Ph.D. 1984, University of Chicago (NSF Predoctoral Fellow)
• Postdoctoral studies: University of Pennsylvania (David Chandler) and AT&T Bell Labs (John Weeks)

Research Interests:

His work explores phase transitions in ice, the dynamics of biomolecules in aqueous environments, and the role of hydrogen bonding. Recent studies include the repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) in DNA and the electrokinetic phenomena in nanochannels. Key contributions include predicting proton-ordering phase transitions in ice and developing models for the amorphous silica-water interface.

Publications and Awards:

Singer has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles. Notable awards include the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Distinguished New Faculty Award (1986) and the Dozor Fellowship (1998). His work has advanced understanding of ice physics, electroosmotic flow, and protein hydration dynamics.

Advising and Grants:

He has mentored numerous students and postdocs, many of whom hold academic or industry positions. Current and past research is funded by NSF and NIH grants focusing on ice phase behavior, biomolecular interfaces, and nanoscale electrokinetics.

Labs/Teams:

His research group is part of the Chemistry Department at OSU, collaborating with experimentalists in biomedicine and materials science. The group develops computational tools for enumerating hydrogen bond configurations in ice and simulating complex fluid systems.