We can predict new materials or propose new experiments as the next step.

People

Akihiro MORITA

1.What kind of the research are you doing?

I am interested in elucidating atomic and molecular dynamics on liquid interfaces. Liquid interfaces are ubiquitous around us, such as water surface, extraction and separation at oil-water interfaces, sensors, electrochemical reactions at electrode-solution interfaces, etc. However, it is often challenging to investigate those phenomena at a molecular level, since microscopic probe methods with good sensitivity and selectivity to liquid interfaces are very scarce. I’m trying to understand those phenomena with the help of molecular simulation.

2.What is the reason for starting your study?

I was a student oriented to mathematics and physics more than chemistry. However, I wanted to study chemistry since I would like to thoroughly understand the mystery of chemical reactions. I started my research career with experimental physical chemistry, but soon I changed my expertise to theory and computation. When I had a chance to study atmospheric chemistry at Boulder, USA, I got interested in heterogeneous phenomena.

3.Message for prospective students

People tend to think that chemistry is an empirical science, which implies that it is often hard to find underlying mechanisms of various chemical phenomena. However, advancement of theory and computation helps us with elucidating chemistry from first principles in the present days. Theoretical and computational chemistry can provide a valuable insight into chemistry. Once we elucidate chemical phenomena, we can predict new materials or propose new experiments as the next step.

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