David Logan

David Logan is the Coulson Professor of Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Oxford, a position he has held since 2005 after joining the faculty in 1986. He co-founded and directed the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Theory and Modelling in Chemical Sciences (TMCS) and maintains strong collaborative ties with Oxford's Condensed Matter Theory Group. Internationally, he holds an Infosys Visiting Chair at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and is a Foreign Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India.

Logan's research centers on quantum many-body theory and statistical mechanics, specifically addressing strongly correlated electron systems and disordered interacting systems. His work explores metal-insulator transitions, quantum magnetism, high-temperature superconductivity, and many-body localization—where disorder and interactions drive quantum systems into non-ergodic phases. He develops minimal theoretical models to uncover fundamental mechanisms in condensed matter, spanning crystalline/amorphous solids and nanoscale devices like quantum dots and molecular electronics. This inherently interdisciplinary approach bridges chemistry and physics to explain emergent phenomena in complex quantum systems.

His recent publications reveal a dominant focus on many-body localization using Fock-space methodologies, analyzing quantum transport, multifractality, and phase transitions in disordered chains and graphs. This work connects condensed matter physics with quantum information science, emphasizing non-equilibrium dynamics and the breakdown of statistical mechanics in isolated quantum systems.

Logan's scientific contributions have earned significant recognition:

• Marlow Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Corday-Morgan Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Tilden Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Foreign Fellowship in the National Academy of Sciences, India

As an educator, Logan actively recruits graduate students from chemistry and physics backgrounds into the Oxford Theoretical Chemistry Group, fostering cross-disciplinary training in quantum many-body methods. His leadership in the TMCS Centre for Doctoral Training demonstrates commitment to large-scale research education, while his Infosys Visiting Chair reflects deep engagement with Indian scientific institutions. Collaborative projects with Oxford's Physics Department and international partners drive innovation in theoretical frameworks for condensed matter.

The Oxford Theoretical Chemistry Group operates as a dynamic hub for quantum theory, closely integrated with the Condensed Matter Theory group in Physics. This synergy enables comprehensive studies of electronic and magnetic phenomena across scales—from bulk materials to nanodevices—using advanced computational and analytical techniques developed within Logan's team.