Joseph Capitani, PHD

Education

PHD, University of North Carolina
BS, Manhattan College

About

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.

Publications & Professional Activities

“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.

Courses Taught/Teaching

CHEM 309      Physical Chemistry I
CHEM 310      Physical Chemistry II
CHEM 437      Computers, Structure and Bonding
CHEM 460      Chemical Research
SCI 203         Topics in Science I
SCI 204         Topics in Science II