Daniel C. Fredrickson

Daniel C. Fredrickson is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he leads the Fredrickson Group in the Department of Chemistry. His research program integrates solid-state synthesis, advanced crystallography, and quantum-mechanical theory to uncover the chemical principles governing the complex structures of intermetallic compounds and to exploit these principles for the design of energy-relevant materials.

Education

• B.S. 2000, University of Washington
• Ph.D. 2005, Cornell University
• Postdoctoral Associate 2005–2008, Stockholm University

Research Focus

The Fredrickson group explores the intersection of solid-state chemistry, crystallography and chemical bonding theory. Core themes include:
• Chemical Pressure Analysis: quantifying steric and electronic influences on intermetallic structures.
• Structure–Property Engineering: using structural diversity to tune superconductivity, thermoelectricity and catalysis.
• Quasicrystals & Complexity: deciphering long-period superstructures and incommensurate order.
• Data-Driven Discovery: machine-learning approaches to accelerate materials discovery.

Methodologically, the group couples density-functional theory (DFT) and extended Hückel calculations with high-temperature synthesis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and custom open-source software (DFT Chemical Pressure, eHtuner, DFT-raMO).

Selected Scientific Impact

Between 2012 and 2023 the group published more than fifteen high-profile articles that collectively advance (i) theoretical frameworks for chemical pressure, (ii) predictive rules for electron counting in transition-metal intermetallics, and (iii) machine-learning models for navigating structural complexity. Studies range from fundamental analyses of NaCd₂ and YbCd_5.7 to applied investigations of Nb₃Ge superconductors.

Awards & Recognition

No specific external awards are listed in the provided text; emphasis is placed on sustained publication record and leadership in the solid-state chemistry community.

Students & Mentoring

Recent Ph.D. graduates under his supervision include:

• Kyana Sanders (2023)
• Jonathan Van Buskirk (2023)
• Amber Lim (2023)

Undergraduate alumnus Joe Kraus continued to MIT for doctoral studies.

Laboratories & Facilities

The group operates four integrated labs:

• Glove Box Lab: three inert-atmosphere glove boxes with arc-melter, pellet press and optical microscope.
• Furnace Lab: ten high-temperature furnaces (900–1800 °C) for annealing and flux synthesis.
• X-ray Crystallography Lab: dedicated single-crystal diffractometer for rapid structure solution.
• Library and Theory Lab: high-performance computing cluster (dual Xeon workstations + 60 parallel cores) for DFT and Hückel calculations.