Christopher Jarzynski

Christopher Jarzynski is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland, holding appointments in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST), and the Department of Physics. He previously served as Director of IPST from 2014 to 2019. His research focuses on non-equilibrium statistical physics and thermodynamics, with applications to biophysical systems, quantum thermodynamics, and information processing. Jarzynski earned his A.B. in Physics from Princeton University (1987) and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley (1994). He has held postdoctoral positions at the Institute for Nuclear Theory and Los Alamos National Laboratory before joining the University of Maryland in 1999 as Technical Staff Member, advancing to Professor in 2010.

His research explores far-from-equilibrium phenomena in molecular systems, including molecular machines, thermodynamic frameworks for nanoscale systems, and the interplay between information processing and thermodynamics. Notable contributions include theoretical work on shortcuts to adiabaticity in quantum and classical systems, and experimental collaborations testing thermodynamic principles at the nanoscale.

Jarzynski has received prestigious awards such as the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize (2005), the Lars Onsager Prize (2019), and election to the National Academy of Sciences (2020). He has mentored 16 graduate students, 4 undergraduates, and 8 postdocs since 2006. His editorial roles include serving on the boards of journals like the Journal of Statistical Mechanics and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Current research emphasizes thermodynamics of small systems, quantum control strategies, and the thermodynamic implications of information processing. His lab develops theoretical tools for nonequilibrium dynamics and collaborates on experimental validations of theoretical predictions in biophysical and quantum systems.