William A. Goddard

William A. Goddard is the Charles and Mary Ferkel Professor of Chemistry, Materials Science, and Applied Physics at the California Institute of Technology. With a career spanning over six decades at Caltech, his academic journey includes roles from Noyes Research Fellow (1964-66) to full Professor since 1974. He holds dual affiliations with the Division of Engineering and Applied Science and the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

Education

• B.S. in Chemistry, University of California (Los Angeles), 1960
• Ph.D. in Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 1965

Research Focus

Professor Goddard's research develops multi-scale simulation methods from quantum mechanics (QM) through molecular dynamics (MD), mesoscale, and macroscopic dynamics to predict material properties without empirical data. His work spans:

• Quantum chemistry applications in catalysis, protein structure prediction, and nanotechnology
• Multiscale modeling of biological systems, polymers, and inorganic materials
• Design of advanced materials for energy applications and chemical reactions

Recent Trends

His 2025 publications demonstrate expertise in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), solid-state electrolytes, and AI-driven alloy design through computational approaches like molecular dynamics and density functional theory.

Teaching Contributions

He teaches courses on atomic-level simulations (Ch 121 ab) and chemical bonding (Ch 120 ab), emphasizing practical computational approaches using software like Jaguar, VASP, and LAMMPS.

Research Infrastructure

He leads the Material and Process Simulation Center (MSC) at Caltech, developing software for multi-scale simulations and mentoring graduate researchers.