Peter Schwerdtfeger

Peter A. Schwerdtfeger (born 1 September 1955) is a German theoretical chemist based in New Zealand. He holds a chair in theoretical chemistry at Massey University (Albany, Auckland), is director of Massey's Centre for Theoretical Chemistry and Physics, and is head of the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study (NZIAS). He was elected to the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science in 2012 and received New Zealand's Rutherford Medal in 2014.

Early life and education Schwerdtfeger gained a qualification as a chemical-technical assistant at the Chemisches Institut Dr. Flad, Stuttgart, in 1973, and a chemical engineering degree from Aalen University of Applied Sciences in 1976. He studied chemistry, physics and mathematics at the University of Stuttgart, completing the Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) in theoretical chemistry in 1986. He received the Habilitation and venia legendi from the Philipps University of Marburg in 1995. He held a research fellowship at the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University (1989–1991), then returned to Auckland as lecturer (1991) and later personal chair (1999). In 2004 he was appointed to the chair in theoretical chemistry at Massey University (Albany) and founded the Centre for Theoretical Chemistry and Physics.

From 2017 to 2018 he was associated with the Centre for Advanced Study (CAS) in Oslo through the project "Molecules in Extreme Environments," hosted by Trygve Helgaker.

Schwerdtfeger has authored hundreds of research papers in electronic-structure theory and heavy-element chemistry; his CV lists more than 380 publications. 2010 Humboldt Research Prize by the Humboldt Foundation 2011 Fukui Medal 2012 Fellow of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science. 2019 Dan Walls Medal 2022 Foreign member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters 2026 Special issue of Molecular Physics published in his honour on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Selected publications