International Congress of Quantum Chemistry
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| International Congress of Quantum Chemistry | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Congress of Quantum Chemistry |
| Established | 1967 |
| Type | Conference series |
| Discipline | Quantum chemistry |
| Headquarters | Rotating host institutions |
International Congress of Quantum Chemistry is a recurring global conference series bringing together researchers from Quantum chemistry, Theoretical chemistry, Physical chemistry, Computational chemistry, and related fields such as Molecular physics, Solid-state physics, Materials science and Chemical engineering. Founded in the late 1960s, the congress has served as a forum for exchange among scientists affiliated with institutions like the University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Princeton University, University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, Max Planck Society, and national laboratories including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The meeting emphasizes developments in methods associated with names like Linus Pauling, John Pople, Walter Kohn, Martin Karplus, Roald Hoffmann, and Michael Levitt.
History
The congress traces roots to early gatherings of researchers in Molecular Orbital Theory, Valence Bond Theory, and perturbation methods in the 1950s and 1960s, parallel to milestones such as the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awards to figures like Linus Pauling and Robert Mulliken. Early organizers included scientists from Royal Society, American Chemical Society, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and universities such as University of Chicago and University of California, Berkeley. The series formalized amid parallel international meetings like the International Congress of Pure and Applied Chemistry and symposia sponsored by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Over decades the congress has reflected advances tied to milestones such as the development of Hartree–Fock method, Density Functional Theory, and the emergence of high-performance computing infrastructures at centers like Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Objectives and Scope
The congress aims to foster collaboration across communities centered on techniques including Configuration interaction, Coupled cluster theory, Quantum Monte Carlo, and Density functional theory while linking to applications in Spectroscopy, Reaction dynamics, Photochemistry, Catalysis, and Biomolecular modeling. It seeks to bridge work from groups at University of Tokyo, Peking University, Indian Institute of Science, Université Paris-Saclay, University of Toronto, McGill University, Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, and Australian National University. Objectives include dissemination of computational benchmarks, validation against experiments from facilities like European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and coordination with initiatives at CERN and national funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation and European Research Council.
Conferences and Locations
Congresses have convened in cities and venues spanning continents: early sessions were held at locations tied to institutions such as Cambridge, London, New York City, Berkeley, Zurich, Paris, Rome, Munich, Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, São Paulo, Cape Town, and Moscow. Host organizations have included Imperial College London, Columbia University, Sorbonne University, Sapienza University of Rome, Technical University of Munich, University of Melbourne, and national academies like the French Academy of Sciences and Royal Society of Canada.
Key Themes and Scientific Impact
Recurring themes include method development in Electronic structure theory, algorithmic advances tied to High-performance computing, and applications to problems in Materials Genome Initiative, Drug discovery, Nanotechnology, and Renewable energy. The congress has showcased breakthroughs associated with laureates such as John Pople for computational methods, Walter Kohn for density functional theory, and Ahmed Zewail for ultrafast dynamics, and has influenced programs at agencies like DARPA and consortia including PRACE. Sessions often spotlight interplay with experimental platforms such as NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, Electron microscopy, and facilities like Diamond Light Source.
Organization and Governance
The congress is organized by an international committee drawing representatives from national societies such as the American Chemical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaft, and regional bodies including the Asia-Pacific Chemical Union. Steering committees include eminent scientists from institutes like Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Riken, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Governance addresses program selection, award adjudication, and partnerships with publishers such as Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley.
Notable Participants and Laureates
Prominent participants and prizewinners who've lectured at the congress include Linus Pauling, John Pople, Walter Kohn, Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt, Roald Hoffmann, Ahmed Zewail, Kenichi Fukui, Robert Mulliken, Herbert Kroemer, Frances Arnold, Ada Yonath, Ryōji Noyori, Rudolf Mössbauer, Isidor Rabi, Erwin Schrödinger (historical influences), and contemporary leaders from institutions like University of California, Los Angeles, Yale University, Columbia University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Publications and Proceedings
Proceedings, special issues, and thematic volumes have been published in venues associated with academic publishers such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Elsevier, and Springer. Peer-reviewed collections report advances in Computational Materials Science, Journal of Chemical Physics, and edited volumes emerging from plenary sessions, tutorials, and satellite symposia linked to organizations including the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the European Chemical Society.