Joel Liebman

Joel Liebman is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). He holds a Ph.D. (1970) and M.S. (1968) in Chemistry from Princeton University and a B.S. (1967) in Chemistry from Brooklyn College.

• Research Focus: Interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of computational chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical/inorganic chemistry, emphasizing molecular structure-energetic relationships, chemical bonding theory, quantum chemistry, and calorimetry.
• Key Contributions: Investigation of aromaticity/antiaromaticity, strained ring systems, exotic molecular structures (e.g., fluorine/noble gas compounds), and thermodynamic regularities across the periodic table.
• Scientific Recognition:
  • Presidential Research Professor (2006–2009)
  • ACS–Slovenian Chemical Society International Travel Award (2004)
  • Regents’ Award for Excellence in Research (2002)
  • Maryland Chemist of the Year (1998)
• Teaching: Instructs courses such as CHEM 100, CHEM 101, CHEM 102, and CHEM 410, often leading honors recitations.
• Publications: Extensive work on molecular energetics, chemical bonding, and structural paradoxes, with recent emphasis on resonance energy, gas-phase thermodynamics, and international collaborations.