Eric R. Scerri

Dr. Eric R. Scerri is a lecturer in the Chemistry Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he has taught for over 20 years. He teaches general chemistry to thousands of undergraduate students as well as courses in history and philosophy of science. Scerri is widely recognized as the world's leading expert on the history and philosophy of the periodic table of elements.

Dr. Scerri received his education at prestigious institutions in the UK:

• University of London
• University of Cambridge
• University of Southampton

He earned his PhD in the History & Philosophy of Chemistry from King's College, London, and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the London School of Economics and Caltech.

Dr. Scerri's research focuses on the history and philosophy of chemistry, with special emphasis on the periodic table. His work explores the historical evolution of the periodic system, theoretical explanations for periodicity, the philosophical nature of chemical elements, and the relationship between chemistry and quantum mechanics. He investigates how the periodic table should be presented in chemical education and examines fundamental questions about chemical classification and reductionism.

Dr. Scerri has published extensively on the periodic table and philosophy of chemistry, with numerous articles in leading journals. His publications reveal consistent themes across chemistry, philosophy of science, and chemical education, with particular focus on periodicity, chemical bonding, element classification, and the historical development of chemical concepts. His work bridges the gap between scientific practice and philosophical reflection.

Dr. Scerri has received several prestigious awards for his scholarly contributions:

• UCLA Herbert Newby McCoy faculty award
• Choice Magazine best academic book of the year (2007)
• Choice Magazine academic book of the year (2011)
• New Scientist top 12 science books of the year 2013
• Named the 2nd most influential chemist for the decade 2010-2020

He is the founding editor of the peer-reviewed journal Foundations of Chemistry, which has become a central publication venue for philosophy of chemistry research.

As an educator, Dr. Scerri has taught over 20,000 undergraduate chemistry students at UCLA. He actively promotes the integration of history and philosophy of science into chemistry education. While not leading a traditional research laboratory, he has built a significant intellectual community around the philosophy of chemistry through his editorial work, book publications, and international lectures. His current projects include a new book about the rare earth elements and ongoing research into periodic table classifications.