Humboldt honours research achievements

Humboldt honours research achievements

Queen鈥檚 professor Tucker Carrington earns prestigious international award for contributions to chemistry.

By Anne Craig

January 20, 2017

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Queen鈥檚 University professor Tucker Carrington (Chemistry), Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in
Computational Quantum Dynamics, is one of only 100 recipients worldwide across all disciplines to receive a prestigious Humboldt Research Award. The honour recognizes his fundamental contributions to chemistry, and in particular to advancing our understanding of the movement of atoms in molecules. 

Awarded to those whose research discoveries have had a significant impact on their own discipline, winners are invited to spend up to one year in Germany to build or strengthen research collaborations. Dr. Carrington will travel to the University of Bielefeld for six months starting in September. 

鈥淒r. Carrington has made seminal and important contributions to his field of research,鈥 says Dr. Daniel Woolf, Queen鈥檚 Principal and Vice-Chancellor. 鈥淭his international award is another testament to the level of research excellence at Queen鈥檚 and in Canada.鈥

Carrington is the second Queen鈥檚 faculty member to receive a Humboldt in the past three years; Dr. Nikolaus Troje (Psychology) garnered the award in 2014.

Nominated by Dr. Uwe Manthe, a professor at the University of Bielefeld, the two will use mathematics and computers to understand better the motion of atoms in molecules and during reactions. The research may provide a better understanding of reactions that occur in the atmosphere and in combustion.  

鈥淒r. Manthe is an extremely bright man and I鈥檓 looking forward to our collaboration鈥, says Dr. Carrington.  鈥淭his award will make it possible for us to extend and generalize computational methods we have both developed.  An academic sabbatical is a privilege we enjoy as professors. My sabbatical will give me the opportunity to focus on research.鈥

Although, it鈥檚 Dr. Carrington鈥檚 research that is being recognized, he鈥檚 quick to point out that earning a lifetime research achievement award isn鈥檛 a solo endeavor. 鈥淚鈥檝e learnt a great deal from students and postdoctoral fellows during my entire career. I would not have won this award without the contributions of talented students and postdocs.   My research isn鈥檛 possible without them.鈥

For more information on the award, visit the .

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