Dr. Rudolph Marcus

Biography

Rudolph (Rudy) Marcus is a prominent chemist known for his contributions to the theories of chemical reactions. He served as the John G. Kirkwood Arthur Noyes Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) from 1978 to 2012 and has been the Kirkwood-Noyes Professor since 2013. His work primarily focuses on formulating theories to explain new and unexpected experimental results, thereby enhancing the understanding of chemical kinetics and related processes. Recent research includes the development of a theoretical model for elastically coupled reactions informed by single-molecule imaging and rotor manipulation experiments on F1-ATPase. He has also investigated temperature-dependent phonon modes in organometallic lead iodide CH3NH3Pbl3 thin films over a range of terahertz frequencies. His innovative studies have explored on-water catalysis of organic reactions in emulsions and the role of hydroxylated metal oxides in catalysis. Additionally, he has worked on fluorescent intermittency in studies of semiconductor nanoparticles, development of theory relating to electron-hole injection in dyes and semiconductors for photovoltaic applications, and the statistical theory analysis of ozone formation in the stratosphere.

Research Interests

Experience