Piotr Piecuch, Michigan State University Distinguished Professor of chemistry and adjunct professor of physics and astronomy in the College of Natural Science, was named the 2019 Xingda Lecturer by Peking University, China.
Piecuch’s Xingda Lecture, which he presented at the Peking University College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering on Nov. 15, was titled “Approaching exact quantum chemistry by stochastic wave function sampling and deterministic coupled-cluster computations.”
“I am truly honored by this very special recognition and grateful to the Peking University College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering for providing me with a wonderful forum to talk about my group’s recent work in electronic structure theory,” Piecuch said. “The Xingda Lectureship allowed me to interact with Peking University’s faculty and students and offer an informal and yet well-attended mini-course on quantum many-body theory, making my one-week visit to China’s premier academic institution the most memorable and inspiring experience.”
“I am especially grateful to Professor Kai Wu and the Committee for Academic Exchanges for the invitation, Professor Jian Liu, who served as my host and who nominated me for the Xingda Lectureship award and Professor Yiqin Gao for his wonderful introductory remarks prior to my lecture,” Piecuch said.
Piecuch’s research focuses on electronic and nuclear structure theories, theory of intermolecular forces and applications of computational approaches to chemical reactivity, catalysis, bioinorganic chemistry and photochemistry.
“Piotr has long been among our faculty of international renown,” said Rob Maleczka, professor and chair of the MSU Department of Chemistry. “So, while not surprising, it is nonetheless terrific to see Piotr join a list of distinguished scholars to hold the prestigious Xingda Lecturer title at Peking University."