Angela Wilson
  • Vice President for Research
  • VPR University Research Chair and Professor
Research Areas
  • Chemical Biology
  • Inorganic
  • Materials
  • Nuclear
  • Physical
  • Theoretical & Computational

Biography

Angela K. Wilson is Vice President for Research, VPR Research Chair, and Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University (TAMU), joining TAMU from Michigan State University (MSU). At MSU, Wilson was a John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor and University Distinguished Professor, as well as the Director of the MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science, and Engineering. She also served as Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives in the College of Natural Sciences and Chair of the MSU Faculty Senate. Based on the interdisciplinary nature of her research, she also held adjunct appointments in the Department of Medicine (College of Human Medicine), the Department of Physics, and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (College of Engineering).

Wilson served as President of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2022, leading the world’s largest scientific society (>200,000 members). From 2016 to 2018, she was the Director of the Division of Chemistry at the U.S. National Science Foundation. Presently, she is Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Physical Society. and on the board of QuSTEAM, a nonprofit that she and others founded dedicated to quantum workforce development. She is also on the advisory board of EeroQ, a quantum computing company.

Research Interests

Our research program aims to advance theoretical and computational chemistry to address fundamental scientific questions and challenges across chemistry, physics, materials science, medicine, and environmental science. A central focus of our research is the development, benchmarking, and validation of electronic structure methods. Our group works to improve the accuracy, robustness, and transferability of quantum chemical approaches, with particular attention to basis sets, electron correlation, relativistic effects, and methodological approximations. By establishing best practices and high-quality reference data, we strengthen the foundations of computational chemistry and use theory to reliably guide experiment, materials design, and molecular discovery.

We have a strong emphasis on transition metal and heavy-element chemistry, where accurate treatment of electronic structure, correlation, and relativistic effects is essential. These studies provide insight into bonding, spectroscopy, and reactivity in systems relevant to catalysis, materials, and energy science, often addressing problems inaccessible to experiment.

Another component of the research is the development of methods in quantum electron dynamics to describe time-dependent electronic processes. In this work, we study how electrons respond to ultrafast excitation, external fields, and nonequilibrium conditions, providing insight into electronic motion and chemical change on ultrafast time scales. Closely related work develops theoretical frameworks for polaritonic chemistry in optical and plasmonic cavities, where strong light–matter coupling can modify electronic structure, dynamics, and chemical reactivity.

As well, we also apply advanced computational methods to biomedical and environmental challenges. In drug discovery and biomedical chemistry, our group studies molecular recognition, energetics, and binding processes relevant to drug discovery in areas including tuberculosis and pediatric blastoma. In environmental chemistry, we examine the behavior of contaminants—including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—to understand their stability, reactivity, transport, and interactions in the environment. We investigate protein–contaminant interactions across plants, animals, and humans, providing molecular-level insight into bioaccumulation, toxicity, and biological response. Machine learning/AI approaches are utilized in some of this work. Additional research addresses geochemical processes such as mineral–molecule interactions, speciation, and chemical transformations in complex natural environments.

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., 1995, University of Minnesota
  • B.S., 1990, Eastern Washington University

Awards & Honors

  • Zenith Award, American Women in Science (2023)

  • Iota Sigma Pi (Triennial) National Honorary Award, Iota Sigma Pi (2023)

  • William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award, Michigan State University (2023)

  • Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award, University of Minnesota (2021)

  • Michigan Women's Hall of Fame, Michigan Women Forward (2018)

  • Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal, American Chemical Society (2015)

  • Wilfred T. Doherty Award, Dallas-Ft. Worth Section of the American Chemical Society (2014)

  • Distinguished Woman in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, IUPAC (2013)

  • Fellow, American Physical Society (2013)

  • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2012)

  • Fellow, American Chemical Society (2010)

  • Quantum Systems in Chemistry and Physics Promising Scientist Award, Centre de Mécanique Ondulatoire Appliquée (2010)

  • National Associate, National Academies (2007)

  • CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2003)

  • Young Investigator Award, Wiley International Journal of Quantum Chemistry (2003)

Selected Publications

  • “Cavity-modified Molecular Dipole Switching Dynamics”, Jared D. Weidman, Mohammadhossein (Shahriyar) Dadgar, Zachary J. Stewart, Benjamin G. Peyton, Inga S. Ulusoy, Angela K. Wilson, J. Chem. Phys. 160, 094111 (2024).

    “Unraveling the electronic structure of LuH, LuN, and LuNH: Building blocks of potential new superconductor materials”, Nuno M. S. Almeida, Bradley K. Welch, Sasha C. North, Angela K. Wilson, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 26, 10427-10438 (2024).

    “Light-Induced Electron Dynamics of Molecules in Cavities: Comparison of Model Hamiltonians”, Benjamin Peyton, Jared Weidman, Angela K. Wilson, J. Optical Society of America B 41(8), C74-C81 (2024).

    “Ground and Excited States of 3d and 4d Transition Metals: Computational Insight into Atomic Properties”, Ebtisam M. Z. Telb, Nuno M. S. Almeida, Bradley K. Welch, Angela K. Wilson, Journal of Physical Chemistry A 129(39), 9027-9040 (2025).

    “Super-correlation consistent Composite Approach (s-ccCA) for the Late 3d and 4d Transition Metals: Impact of Higher-order Excitations on Thermochemical Prediction”, Bradley K. Welch, Angela K. Wilson, Chem. Phys. Lett. 849, 141423 (2024).

    “Thermochemical properties of small rhenium molecules: ReC, ReN, ReO, ReS, and ReC2”, Kimberly H. Tomchak, Erick Tieu, Thomas T. Kawagoe, Jordan Derbidge, Keith T. Clark, Bradley Welch, Angela K. Wilson, Michael D. Morse, Journal of Chemical Physics 163, 194306 (2025).

    “Quantum Computing and Chemistry”, Jared Weidman, Zachary J. Stewart, Camille Mikolas, Manas Sajjan, Johannes Pollanen, Sabre Kais, Angela K. Wilson, Cell Reports Physical Science 5(9) 102105 (2024).

    “Coulomb Interaction Driven Entanglement of Electrons on Helium”, Niyaz R. Beysengulov, Johannes Pollanen, Øyvind S. Schoyen, Stian D. Bilek, Jonas B. Flaten, Oskar Leinonen, Håkon Emil Kritiansen, Zachary J. Stewart, Jared D. Weidman, Angela K. Wilson, Morten Hjorth-Jensen, PRX Quantum 5, 030324 (2024).

    “Gas Phase Thermochemistry for Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids”, Bradley Welch, Narasimhan Loganathan, Angela K. Wilson, Journal of Physical Chemistry A 129(38) 8772-8782 (2025).

    “Adsorption and Dynamic Characteristics of PFAS Mixtures with Kaolinite: Molecular Insights into the Impact of Chain Length and Functional Group”, Narasimhan Loganathan, Christina E. Schumm, Mary K. O’ Reilly, Angela K. Wilson, Environmental Science & Technology 59(28), 14637-14648 (2025).

    “Bioaccumulation of PFOS Isomers in Transporter Proteins”, Deepak James, Jenise Paddayuman, Judith Cristobal, Narasimhan Loganathan, Ekin Attila-Godcumen, Diana Aga, Angela K. Wilson, Chemical Research in Toxicology 39(1), 168-177 (2026).

    “Molecular Screening and Toxicity Estimation of 260,000 Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) through Machine Learning”, Thanh Lai, David Kuntz, Angela K. Wilson, Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling 62(19), 4569-4578 (2022).

    “Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activity of Novel Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) Inhibitors”, Chad Schultz, Bilal Aleiwi, X. Edward Zhou, Kelly Suino Powell, Karsten Melcher, Nuno Almeida, Angela K. Wilson, Edmund Ellsworth, Andre Bachmann, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 68(5) 5760-5773 (2025).

    “Defining the Mechanism of Action and Resistance of Novel Mycobacterium abscessus MmpL3 Inhibitors”, Bassel J. Abdalla, Matt B. Giletto, Nazli Goksel Carpa, Allison F. Carey, Angela K. Wilson, Edmund Ellsworth, Robert B. Abramovitch, ACS Chemical Biology 21, 284-301 (2026).