Eric Heller

Eric Heller is the Abbott and James Lawrence Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Physics at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He holds dual appointments in the Departments of Chemistry and Physics. His research spans quantum mechanics, semiclassical physics, and condensed matter systems, with notable contributions to quantum scars, graphene physics, and acoustics. Heller also teaches a GenEd course on acoustics for non-scientists and authored the textbook Why You Hear What You Hear. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. His work explores wave phenomena in diverse contexts, including superwires in high Brillouin zones, Planckian diffusion, and relativistic quantum scars in graphene quantum dots.

Education: PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard University.

Research Interests: Time-dependent quantum mechanics, semiclassical methods, tunneling in complex systems, dynamical systems, and applications of quantum mechanics to acoustics and astrophysics. His lab investigates phenomena such as branched flow, Anderson localization, and chaos-assisted tunneling in flat band systems.

Recent Research Trends: Recent work focuses on relativistic quantum scars (e.g., in graphene quantum dots), Planckian diffusion in dynamic disordered systems, and superwires in periodic lattices. His publications bridge theoretical quantum physics with experimental observations in materials science and astrophysics.

• Awards:
  • Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Grants & Advising: While specific grants are not detailed, his research group actively publishes in top journals and collaborates internationally. He advises students through Harvard’s physics and chemistry programs.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Heller Research Group, focusing on interdisciplinary quantum studies with experimental and theoretical collaborations.