Millard H. Alexander

Millard H. Alexander
Born	Millard Henry Alexander February 17, 1943[1] Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Fields	Theoretical Chemistry
Institutions	Harvard University (1967–71) University of Maryland (1971–present)
Alma mater	Harvard College (B.S., 1964) University of Paris-Sud (D.Sc., 1967)
Thesis	Electron Correlation and Molecular Structure (1967)
Doctoral advisor	Lionel Salem
Known for	Quantum treatment of inelastic and reactive molecular collisions, as well as the structure of weakly-bound complexes, most notably involving systems with unpaired electrons.
Notable awards	Fellow, American Physical Society Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Member, International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science Fellow, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Website www2.chem.umd.edu/groups/alexander/

Millard Henry Alexander (born February 17, 1943, Boston, Massachusetts) is a Distinguished University Professor^[2] at the University of Maryland, with appointments in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry^[3] and the Institute for Physical Science and Technology.^[4] He is the author of over 300 publications and an active researcher in the fields of molecular collision dynamics and theoretical chemistry.

Alexander's research focus is the quantum-mechanical aspects of molecular collisions, in particular those involving open-shell species. More specifically, Alexander's work has focused on understanding chemical reactions where the Born-Oppenheimer approximation can be violated, by means of nonadiabatic coupling, spin-orbit interactions and conical intersections.^[1] Alexander's work is particularly important in understanding the F+H₂→FH+H and Cl+H₂→HCl+H reactions.^{[5] [6]}

Alexander is a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science. In 2015 he received the Herschbach Medal for contributions to the theoretical study of the dynamics of molecular collisions.^[7]

Since 2012 Alexander has served as the President of the Telluride Science Research Center.^[8]

Selected publications

• Kohguchi, H.; Susuki, T.; Alexander, M. H. (2001), "Fully state-resolved differential cross sections for the inelastic scattering of the open-shell NO molecule by Ar", Science, 294 (5543): 832–834, doi:10.1126/science.1063774.
• Capecchi, G.; Werner, H.-J.; Alexander, M. H. (2002), "Theoretical study of the validity of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation in the Cl+H₂ → HCl+H reaction", Science, 296 (5568): 715–718, doi:10.1126/science.1070472.
• Che, L.; Ren, Z. F.; Wang, X. G.; Dong, W. R.; et al. (2007), "Breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation in the F+oD₂ → DF+D reaction", Science, 317 (5841): 1061–1064, doi:10.1126/science.1144984.
• Garrand, E.; Zhou, J.; Manolopoulos, D. E.; Alexander, M. H.; Neumark, D. M. (2008), "Nonadiabatic interactions in the Cl+H₂ reaction probed by ClH₂^– and ClD₂^– photoelectron imaging", Science, 319 (5859): 72–75, doi:10.1126/science.1150602.
• Wang, X. G.; Dong, W. R.; Xiao, C. L.; Che, L.; et al. (2008), "The extent of non-Born-Oppenheimer coupling in the reaction of Cl(²P) with para-H₂", Science, 317 (5901): 573–576, doi:10.1126/science.1163195.
• Alexander, M. H. (2011), "Chemical Kinetics Under Test (An Invited 'Perspective')", Science, 331 (6016): 411–412, doi:10.1126/science.1201509.
• Casavecchia, P.; Alexander, M. H. (2013), "Uncloaking the Quantum Nature of Inelastic Molecular Collisions (An Invited 'Perspective')", Science, 341 (6150): 1076–1077, doi:10.1126/science.1244109
• Kim, J. B.; Wechman, M. L.; Sjolander, T. F.; et al. (2015), "Spectroscopic observation of resonances in the F + H₂ reaction", Science, 349 (6247): 510, doi:10.1126/science.aac6939

References

1. "International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science biography of Millard Henry Alexander".
2. "List of Distinguished University Professors, University of Maryland".
3. "University of Maryland, Chemistry Faculty Profile for Millard Henry Alexander".
4. "Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park".
5. Althorpe, S. C.; Clary, D. C. (2003), "Quantum scattering calculations on chemical reactions", Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem., 54: 493–529, doi:10.1146/annrev.physchem.54.011002.103750, ISSN 0066-426X
6. Liu, K. P. (2006), "Recent advances in crossed-beam studies of bimolecular reactions", J. Chem. Phys., 125 (13): 132307, doi:10.1063/1.2216706, ISSN 0021-9606
7. "Dynamics of Molecular Collisions, Herschbach Medal, 2015".
8. "Telluride Science Research Center, Board of Directors".

External links

• Millard Alexander's home page at the University of Maryland
• Hibridon program suite for inelastic scattering, photodissociation, and weakly-bound clusters