A West Virginia University chemist whose research bridges the disciplines of chemistry, physics and mathematics has joined an elite group of scientists.
Charles Jaffé has been elected a fellow of the American Physical Society an honor reserved for less than 1 percent of the organizations 40,000 members and awarded after a rigorous peer-review process.
Its an honor to be in the company of so many fine physicists,said Jaffé, a professor in the C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry .
Jaffé was nominated and subsequently elected as a fellow for his fundamental discoveries in the theory of transport in atomic, molecular and celestial mechanical systems.
Eric Heller, professor of physics at Harvard University, describes Jaffés research asbeautiful and mathematically elegant work.
Jaffés work synthesizes concepts originating in the theory of nuclear reactions and chemical reactions and couples them with the complex mathematics of chaos theory. His research provides unique insights into understanding the stability of the solar system.
Professor Jaffés body of work and this recognition by the American Physical Society really underscore the importance of mathematics as a foundation for chemistry and physics,said Mary Ellen Mazey , dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences .Students considering a career in those fields should take note of his unique interdisciplinary approach to research.
Jaffé specializes in transition-state theory as applied to celestial mechanics, atomic physics and chemistry. He has taught chemistry at all levels; given lectures in many countries, including France and Japan; and has numerous publications.
He joined the faculty at WVU as an assistant professor in chemistry after receiving his doctorate in chemical physics from the University of Colorado in 1979. He earned his bachelors degree in physics from Antioch College in 1973.
Jaffés other honors include the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences 2008 Outstanding Researcher Award, American Society of Engineering Education/NASA summer faculty fellow at California Institute of Technology and a visiting associate professorship at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Madrid, Spain.
The American Physical Society, founded in 1899, is a professional group whose mission is to advance the knowledge of physics. The APS Fellowship Program was created to recognize members who have made advances in knowledge through original research and publication or made significant innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology. Recipients may also have made significant contributions to the teaching of physics or service and participation in the activities of the society.