AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion

Biography

Mark Ratner is Morrison Professor in the Department of Chemistry and a member of the Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University where he also earned his Ph.D. His research involves both the development of theoretical methods and their application to chemical systems of interest. Electron transfer processes, especially intramolecular electron transfer and through-bond transfer processes, are a major focus of current research. In addition, the theoretical chemistry of biological systems is becoming a major focus. He is a recipient of the 2001 Feynman Prize for major advances in molecular nanotechnology. He is the co-author of Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea (Prentice Hall, 2002) and of Nanotechnology and Homeland Defense (forthcoming Prentice Hall, 2004).