Welcome to the Sterling Lab

Welcome to the website of the Sterling Lab at UT Dallas!

The understanding of chemical reactivity fundamentally underpins advances in chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, and pharmaceutical research. To understand chemical reactivity is to understand the motions and interactions of electrons and nuclei, inviting research efforts at the interface of physical organic chemistry and electronic structure theory. In the Sterling Lab, we develop and use cutting edge computational methods to translate fundamental understanding of chemical reactivity into real-world impact. In a world where sustainability has become a paramount concern, this understanding can not only aid process prediction and optimization, but also improve efficiency, reduce cost, and minimize waste. 

The central goals of our research are as follows: 

1. Uncover the fundamental principles of chemical reactivity. Combine cutting-edge electronic structure analysis with physical organic principles to pioneer fundamental advances in mechanistic chemistry. 
2. Design new catalysts, reactions, and materials by harnessing the power of quantitative models. Leverage concepts and methods at the interface of physical, inorganic and organic chemistry to develop predictive models for the invention of the next generation of molecules and reactions. 
3. Develop new strategies to harness light as a fuel for the future low-carbon economy. Develop principles for the use of photons – a near-limitless source of clean energy – for catalytic processes.
4. Educate and inspire future generations of scientists. Share our knowledge and experiences to inform the public and policymakers about the power of science to ensure a habitable, just, and diverse world for future generations.