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Faculty Profile

Joseph F. Capitani

Joseph F. Capitani

Joseph F. Capitani

Professor of Chemistry and Biochemstry

Chairperson of the Department

 

Education:

  • B.S., Manhattan College, 1978 (Phi Beta Kappa)
  • Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Teaching:

I usually teach General Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, and the advanced Physical Chemistry electives. One new course we introduced last year is called Computational Chemistry. In this course, we use the computer to model molecular shapes and then solve the Schrodinger equation to calculate all kinds of interesting and useful chemical properties.

Research:

My research at Manhattan College centers around trying to understand the behavior of organic molecules that have lots of triple bonds. These compounds have very practical uses: (1) they can be polymerized to strengthen materials, (2) when they exist in rings, they have powerful anti-cancer activity! How do they do what they do?

If you like math and physics and chemistry AND computers, maybe you'd like to be a part of my research group at Manhattan College. We are equipped with PC's (running Windows and LINUX), RS-6000 workstations, and I have access to a BIG Silicon Graphics Power Series. Sometimes, we need time on the Cray at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.

Recent Publications:

“Symbolic Calculations in Chemistry:Selected Examples” M.P. Barnett, Joseph F. Capitani, Joachim von zur Gathen, Jurgen Gerhard. International Journal of Quantum Chemistry, Vol. 90, 2004.

 

Contact Information: