William A. Goddard, III 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 five decades, he has held positions from Noyes Research Fellow (1964–66) to his current professorship since 2001. His educational background includes a B.S. from UCLA (1960) and a Ph.D. from Caltech (1965). Quantum chemistry and first-principles simulations Multiscale modeling (QM→MD→mesoscale) Catalysis and protein structure prediction Nanotechnology and bionanotechnology Energy storage (batteries, supercapacitors) Recent publications emphasize applications in metal-organic frameworks , electrocatalysis , and space manufacturing , reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. His work on G-protein coupled receptors and Li-S batteries demonstrates methodological innovation through quantum mechanics and machine learning . Horizon Prize , Royal Society of Chemistry Over 1548 total publications (1967–2022) As Director of Caltech's Material and Process Simulation Center , he leads development of software like ReaxFF for reactive dynamics. He teaches Ch 120 ab (Nature of the Chemical Bond) and Ch 121 ab (Atomic-Level Simulations), emphasizing hands-on computational applications for experimentalists and theorists.










