Dr. David Coker

Biography

David Coker is a Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Boston University, specializing in computational methods in chemistry. His primary research goal is to understand how to control chemical reactions to efficiently produce desired products. The Coker Group develops new theoretical and computational methods that explore the influence of electronic and vibrational excitation of reactant molecules and their environments on chemical reaction outcomes. This includes studying how electronic and vibrational relaxation of excited reactants affects quantum mechanical processes, thereby using various methods to describe energy transfer from quantum systems to classical environments. His work extends to exploring photo-chemistry and reaction dynamics in confined environments such as zeolites, as well as dynamics in micro-reactor environments. Significant research topics include non-adiabatic processes in atmospheric chemistry and ultra-fast excited state phenomena in biological systems, aiming to enhance the understanding of complex, multi-scale chemical phenomena. He has also contributed to various interdisciplinary projects, indicating a strong collaborative approach to research.

Research Interests

Experience