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William Lester, Jr. is a prominent scholar in Theoretical Physical Chemistry, with a career spanning several decades in academia and research. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Chicago in 1958 and 1959, respectively, before obtaining his Ph.D. from Catholic University of America in 1964. His research primarily focuses on theoretical studies of electronic structure in molecules and the development of advanced computational methods, particularly the quantum Monte Carlo method, which has been instrumental in studying the properties of molecules across various chemical problems. Throughout his career, Lester has held significant positions at institutions such as the National Bureau of Standards and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he has contributed to numerous editorial boards for prominent scientific journals. His accolades include awards from the American Chemical Society and recognition as a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Currently, he serves as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he continues to advance research in computational chemistry.
University of California, Berkeley • Berkeley, CA
Professor in the Department of Chemistry with a focus on theoretical studies of electronic structure and quantum Monte Carlo methods.
The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.