Prize Recipient

Michael L. Klein
University of Pennsylvania

Citation:

"For ground breaking contributions to computational physics by developing methods to carry out atomistic simulations of molecular systems thereby generating novel insights into the structural and dynamical behavior of complex materials."

Background:

Prof. Klein attended Bristol University where he received a B.Sc. in 1961 and a Ph.D. in 1964. He was a CIBA-GEIGY Fellow at the Instituto di Fisica, University of Genoa, Italy in 1964 - 1965 and an ICI Fellow in the Department of Theoretical Chemistry, at Bristol University, 1965 - 1967. In 1967 he moved to the United States to accept a position as a Research Associate in the Department of Physics at Rutgers University.

In 1968 he moved to the Chemistry Division of the NRCC in Ottawa, Canada, where he remained for 19 years, rising from Associate Research Officer to Principal Research Officer. During this period he was also Adjunct Professor at the University of Waterloo (1977 - 1983) and Professor of Chemistry (part-time), at McMaster University (1977-1988).

In 1987 he returned to the United States to accept his current position as Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was appointed William Smith Professor of Chemistry from 1991-1993. Since 1993 he has been Hepburn Professor of Physical Science. In addition, Prof. Klein has been the Director of the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter since 1993 and Director of the Penn Center for Molecular Modeling since 1994.

Prof. Klein is the author of over 400 scientific publications and editor of three books. His current research involves the structure and dynamics of disordered molecular systems using computer simulation techniques; systems of interest include molecular solids, conducting fluids, molecular overlayers, model membranes, micelles and membrane-bound proteins. His research has impacted broadly on topical problems ranging from condensed matter physics and materials science to chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biophysics.

Selection Committee:

Gary D Doolen (Chair), Malvin H. Kalos, Donald H. Weingarten ('97 Recipient), Ralph Roskies (Vice Chair), Henry Krakauer