Sharon Hammes-Schiffer

Sharon Hammes-Schiffer (born May 27, 1966) is a physical chemist who has contributed to theoretical and computational chemistry. She is currently the A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University.^[1] She has served as senior editor and deputy editor of the Journal of Physical Chemistry^[2] and advisory editor for Theoretical Chemistry Accounts.^[3] She is the editor-in-chief of Chemical Reviews.^[2][4]

Hammes-Schiffer studies "chemical reactions in solution, in proteins and at electrochemical interfaces, particularly the transfer of charged particles driving many chemical and biological processes."^[5] Her research draws upon the areas of chemistry, physics, biology, and computer science and is significant for the fields of biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry and physical organic chemistry. A theoretician who works with computational models, Hammes-Schiffer blends classical molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics into theories that have direct relevance to a variety of experimental areas. In studying proton, electron and proton coupled electron transfer, Hammes-Schiffer has formulated a general theory of proton-coupled electron transfer reactions that explains the behavior of protons in energy conversion processes.^[2][6][7] Her research has enhanced the understanding of hydrogen tunneling and protein motion in enzyme catalysis.^[3][8] Her research group has also developed a nuclear-electronic orbital approach that allows scientists to incorporate nuclear quantum effects into electronic structure calculations.^[8] Her work has application to a variety of experimental results and has implications for areas such as protein engineering, drug design,^[9] catalyst of solar cells, and enzymatic reactions.^[5] In 2024, she was elected to the American Philosophical Society.^[10]