معرفی
David M. Leitner is the Reynold C. Fuson Endowed Professor of Chemistry and Regents Research Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and B.A. in Chemistry from Cornell University (1985) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the University of Chicago (1989). His research focuses on theoretical and computational studies of energy flow in molecules, particularly in biological systems, with emphasis on chemical reaction kinetics, thermal transport, and terahertz spectroscopy. He has explored energy dynamics in proteins, nanoporous materials, and molecular junctions, as well as protein-solvent interactions. Key honors include Fellowships from the American Physical Society (2012) and AAAS (2017), and the Nevada Board of Regents Distinguished Researcher Award (2023).
Education:
- B.S. Chemical Engineering, Cornell University (1985)
- B.A. Chemistry, Cornell University (1985)
- Ph.D. Chemical Physics, University of Chicago (1989)
Research Interests:
His work investigates how energy flows within molecules influence reaction rates and thermal transport. Current projects include:
- Quantum mechanical energy flow in biomolecules
- Thermal conduction in nanoscale systems
- Terahertz spectroscopy of solvated proteins
- Protein-water dynamics and hydration effects
Awards: Over 15 major awards, including the AAAS and APS Fellowships, and multiple university-level research excellence awards.
Advising & Grants: Mentored numerous graduate students and postdocs (e.g., Humanath Poudel, Korey Reid). Funded by agencies like NSF and private foundations. Current research leverages molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanical frameworks.
Labs/Teams: Leads the Leitner Research Group at UNR, focusing on interdisciplinary computational biophysics and chemical physics.
