Tripti Joshi (Editor)

Nicholas C Handy

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Fields
  
Quantum chemistry

Died
  
October 2, 2012


Role
  
Chemist

Name
  
Nicholas Handy

Doctoral advisor
  
S. Francis Boys

Nicholas C. Handy wwwchcamacukfilesnewsNickHandyPortraitjpg

Born
  
Nicholas Charles Handy 17 June 1941 (
1941-06-17
)

Institutions
  
University of Cambridge Johns Hopkins University

Books
  
Molecular Quantum Mechanics

Notable awards
  
Royal Society, Leverhulme Medal

Institution
  
University of Cambridge, Johns Hopkins University

Doctoral students
  
Robert J. Harrison

Nicholas Charles Handy, FRS (17 June 1941 – 2 October 2012) was a British theoretical chemist. He retired as Professor of quantum chemistry at the University of Cambridge in September 2004.

Contents

Education and early life

Handy was born in Wiltshire, England and educated at Clayesmore School. He studied the Mathematical Tripos at the University of Cambridge and completed his PhD on theoretical chemistry supervised by Samuel Francis Boys.

Research

Handy wrote 320 scientific papers published in physical and theoretical chemistry journals. Handy developed several methods in quantum chemistry and theoretical spectroscopy. His contributions have helped greatly to the understanding of:

  • the transcorrelated method
  • the long range behaviour of Hartree–Fock orbitals
  • semiclassical methods for vibrational energies
  • the variational method for rovibrational wave-functions (in normal mode and internal coordinates)
  • Full configuration interaction with Slater determinants (benchmark studies)
  • convergence of the Møller–Plesset series
  • the reaction path Hamiltonian
  • Anharmonic spectroscopic and thermodynamic properties using higher derivative methods
  • Brueckner-doubles theory
  • Open shell Møller–Plesset theory
  • frequency-dependent properties
  • Density functional theory : quadrature, new functionals and molecular properties.
  • Awards and honours

    Handy was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1990. He was awarded the Leverhulme Medal in 2002 and was a member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science.

    Death

    On 2 October 2012 Nicholas died after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

    References

    Nicholas C. Handy Wikipedia