Academics

Dr. Barbara Murray

My main research area is computational chemistry of biologically active molecules.

Using sophisticated computer software, computational chemists look at the three-dimensional shape of a molecule. The shape and the electrostatic potential of its outer boundary determine how that molecule works in a living system.

One can study a series of drugs such as NSAIDs and make predictions about which one should work best. This allows a pharmaceutical chemist to make better drugs in less time and for lower cost.

I am also quite involved in chemical education research in an attempt to find better ways to help students learn.

Quiet the Mind
meditation room

The University’s Meditation Room opened in 2007 and is one of the first “contemplative classroom” spaces in the country.

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