Professor Van Voorhis is the Haslam and Dewey Professor in MIT’s Department of Chemistry. His scholarly interests center on developing molecular-scale models for processes relevant to electrochemistry, solar energy conversion, and catalysis.
Department:
Department of Chemistry
Research Laboratory:
Van Voorhis Group
MIT News:
Troy Van Voorhis named head of the Department of Chemistry
Troy Van Voorhis to step down as department head of chemistry
MIT chemist studies how electrons behave
Short Bio:
Professor Van Voorhis is a computational chemist whose primary interest is adapting new algorithms, theoretical tools, and computational hardware to gain insight into a variety of chemical and materials questions at the heart of new technologies. His work is highly collaborative and impacts a wide range of applications — from photovoltaics, to quantum computing, electrochemical energy storage, small molecule catalysis, and organic and quantum dot LEDs.
Professor Van Voorhis is an NSF CAREER Investigator, a fellow of the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, and an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, and he has been recognized with the 2017 IAQMS Young Investigator Award and the 2007 School of Science Prize for Excellence in Graduate Teaching. Before joining the Climate Project, Professor Van Voorhis served as Department Head in MIT’s Department of Chemistry from 2019 until 2026.