Kieron Burke

Kieron Burke

Distinguished Professor, UC Irvine

Biography

Kieron Burke is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Irvine. He received his B.A. in Theoretical Physics from Trinity College Dublin in June 1985 and his Ph.D. in Solid-State Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in August 1989, under the guidance of Nobel Laureate Walter Kohn. Burke has held various academic positions, including Professor of Chemistry and Physics at UCI since 2006, and previously served at Rutgers University in different capacities.

Burke's research primarily involves the development of density functional theory (DFT), a crucial tool for electronic structure calculations in physics and chemistry. He has contributed significantly to the understanding and advancement of DFT, authoring over 230 papers with substantial citation impact. His work in machine learning applications to DFT was recognized as a breakthrough by C&EN News in 2018. He has been honored as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society, and is a member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Sciences.

In addition to his research, Burke is actively involved in teaching and mentoring at UCI, offering courses in chemistry and physics while supervising graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. He also participates in professional service, serving as a guest editor and on editorial boards for journals like the Journal of Chemical Physics. Burke has organized and participated in numerous workshops and conferences, fostering collaboration and innovation within the scientific community.

Return to top

Degrees

  • B.A. in Theoretical Physics, Trinity College Dublin, 1985
  • Ph.D. in Solid-State Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1989

Distinctions

  • Distinguished Lecturer, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NUS Singapore, 2019
  • Benjamin Meeker Award, U. Bristol, 2019
  • Machine learning work among Breakthroughs of the Year, C&EN news, 2018
  • Fellow of American Association for Advancement of Science, 2017
  • Elected member of International Academy of Quantum Molecular Sciences, 2017
  • Bourke award of the British Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017
  • Fellow of British Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017
  • PBE paper recognized as most cited Physical Review Letter ever, 2016
  • Baker Symposium Lecturer, Cornell University, 2016
  • PBE paper named 16th most cited ever by Nature, 2015
Return to top

Areas of Expertise

  • Density Functional Theory
  • Quantum Chemistry
  • Electronic Structure
  • Machine Learning in Chemistry
  • Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory
  • Physics of Materials
  • Molecular Electronics
  • Semiclassical Approximations
  • Transport Through Molecules
  • Density-Corrected Density Functional Theory

Recent Publications

Return to top

Most Cited Publications

Return to top

Contact Information

Website: https://www.chem.uci.edu/people/kieron-burke

Email: kieron@uci.edu

Address: Department of Chemistry University of California, Irvine Irvine, California 92697-2025

Return to top

This profile was last updated on 2/16/2025.

This profile was created with the help of AI.