Aurora Clark

Aurora Clark is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Washington State University (2005-2022), with a Ph.D. from Indiana University (2003) and postdoctoral experience at Los Alamos National Laboratory (2003-2005). Her interdisciplinary research bridges computational chemistry, data science, and applied mathematics to understand complex chemical systems across multiple scales.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Indiana University (2003)
• Director's Postdoctoral Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theory Division (2003-2005)

Research Interests: Clark's laboratory employs atomistic simulations (ab-initio and classical molecular dynamics) combined with data science to characterize complex solutions and interfaces. Her work advances graph theory, topological data analysis, and machine learning to develop predictive models linking molecular-scale behavior to macroscopic properties. Key areas include:

• Industrial Processing Chemistry: Structure and reactivity of concentrated electrolytes for materials production, separations, and battery technologies
• Environmental and Health Applications: Interfacial chemistry for drug purification, environmental remediation, and green separations
• Interdisciplinary Mathematics: Novel applications of graph theory and topology in chemistry, including spectral graph theory and persistent homology

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Fellow, American Physical Society (2021)
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2019)
• Fellow, American Chemical Society (2017)
• WSU Young Faculty Performance Award
• WSU Mid-Career Award
• WSU Professional Service Award
• WSU Undergraduate Research Excellence Mentor Award
• Volunteer of the Year, Washington Idaho Border Section of ACS
• ACS HP Junior Faculty Award
• ACS PROGRESS/Dreyfus Lectureship

Leadership and Service: Clark has held numerous leadership positions including Chair of the DOE Council on Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences (2017-2021), Director of the WSU Center for Institutional Research Computing (2016-2022), and Director of the WSU-PNNL Nuclear Science and Technology Institute (2016-2019). She serves on editorial boards of Journal of Physical Chemistry, Journal of Chemical Physics, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, and Computational and Theoretical Chemistry.

Research Impact: Her recent publications (2022-2024) demonstrate cutting-edge work in surface chemistry, nanoparticle interactions, aluminate chemistry, and advanced mathematical methods for chemical analysis, with applications ranging from environmental cleanup to advanced materials design.