Division of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry – New Chair

Prof. Péter Szalay is the new Chair of the Division of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry

Péter Szalay graduated in chemistry from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Hungary in 1986, and received his PhD at the University of Vienna, Austria in 1989. Between 1991 and 2011 he performed research work at the University of Florida, Universität Mainz, University of Texas and University of Reims. His research focuses on quantum chemistry, especially methods of electronic structure theory, molecular properties and potential energy surfaces. Prof. Szalay published more than 100 papers and he is the co-author and co-editor of several books. Currently, he is professor of chemistry at ELTE and carried several positions, e.g. Director of the Institute of Chemistry, Head of Department for Inorganic Chemistry and that of the Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry, as well as Director of Bolyai College. Since summer 2015 he has been Vice-Rector for Research of ELTE.

As a long-time member of Hungarian Chemical Society, he served at several roles, currently holds the position of vice secretary for the second term. As a representative of his society he has been active in Working Party (later Division) of Computational Chemistry of EuChemS where he served both as secretary (1995-2006) and vice chair (2010-2016). Resently he was elected as chair of the Division of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry and took office by January 2017.

Prof. Szalay was awarded “For the Hungarian Higher Education” Medal by the Department of Education in 2010 and the Polanyi medal of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2015. In 2017 together with G. Fogarasi and A. Császár he has been awarded the Széchenyi Prize, the most prestigious scholarly award in Hungary.