معرفی
Professor Maciej Gutowski is a faculty member at the Institute of Chemical Sciences within the School of Engineering & Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. His research spans theoretical and computational chemistry with applications in energy storage, catalysis, and biomolecular processes.
Research Interests
Professor Gutowski's research focuses on understanding the interplay between geometric structure of molecules and solids, their electronic structure, and physicochemical properties. His group develops new methods and algorithms for finding global minima on potential energy surfaces of molecules and solids. They design new materials with potential applications as energy storage media, new heterogeneous catalysts, and fundamental elements of semiconductor devices. A significant portion of their work studies elementary chemical processes driven by excess charge.
His research can be categorized into three main areas:
- Electron-Driven Acid-Base Chemistry: Investigating how low energy electrons trigger intermolecular proton transfer in biological systems, particularly in DNA processes.
- Hierarchical Hydrogen Storage: Developing hydrogen clathrates of ammonia borane with dual-level hydrogen storage capabilities (physisorbed and chemically bound).
- Combinatorial-Computational Methods: Creating algorithms for systematic screening of molecular conformers and tautomers to identify stable structures.
Research Trends
Analysis of Professor Gutowski's publication record reveals a consistent focus on computational approaches to understanding molecular interactions, particularly those involving proton transfer and electron attachment. His work bridges fundamental quantum chemistry with practical applications in energy storage and biomolecular processes. A notable trend is the increasing focus on hydrogen storage materials, particularly ammonia borane derivatives, which appears in multiple publications from 2010-2018. His research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with experimental groups studying electron-molecule interactions.
Professional Activities
Professor Gutowski has served in significant professional roles, including as Chair of a peer review panel for the United States Department of Energy in 2012. His research has generated 47 publications with substantial impact in the fields of computational chemistry and materials science.
