Christopher Collison
Professor
Christopher Collison
Professor
Education
BS, Ph.D., Imperial College London (United Kingdom)
Bio
My research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence, particularly large language models and autonomous agents, to challenges in chemistry and chemistry education. My most recent project delves into using voxel-based representations within fine-tuned convolutional neural networks. This approach aims to accurately predict the free energy of solvation, a critical factor dependent on the 3D conformations of molecules. This work is instrumental in advancing drug development, particularly in predicting ligand-protein docking, a key process in pharmaceutical research.
My foundational training as a physical and materials chemist, with specialized expertise in photoactive materials, has provided me with a deep understanding of molecular behavior and interactions. In the last decade I concentrated on organic photovoltaics, where I explored the impact of small molecule packing and the role of aggregation in charge transport and photoinduced charge generation at donor-acceptor interfaces. Additionally, my work with photoactive self-healing polymers further reinforced my ability to analyze and manipulate complex materials.
This extensive background in chemistry and materials science now informs and enhances my application of AI-driven methodologies, allowing for more sophisticated models and predictions in molecular chemistry and materials research.
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Currently Teaching
In the News
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November 1, 2024
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Upcoming cluster hires in artificial intelligence solidify RIT as a leader in the field
As RIT continues its drive to become a leader in the higher education artificial intelligence space, more than 40 positions spanning multiple disciplines are expected to be filled as part of the university’s commitment to expand its AI expertise.
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November 29, 2023
![two college students who are twins who are not identical standing outside on a college campus.]()
Transformative Campaign propels university to new heights
More than $200 million has been given to Transforming RIT to support scholarships and the student experience to ensure the best and brightest minds can attend RIT regardless of their financial circumstances. The campaign, launched publicly in 2018, is bringing RIT’s strategic plan to life by investing in student success, creating world-class facilities, advancing research and discovery, and innovating careers of the future.
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September 8, 2023
![two college professors standing next to each other, both wearing R I T medallions around their necks.]()
Two faculty members installed as Harris Endowed Professors in RIT’s College of Science
Christopher Collison was appointed to the Jane King Harris Endowed Professorship and Emmett Ientilucci was selected for the Gerald W. Harris Endowed Professorship by College of Science Dean Andre Hudson. RIT alumnus Jeffrey Harris ’75 (photographic science and instrumentation) and his partner, Joyce Pratt, established the professorships in 2022 with a generous gift in honor of Harris’s parents, the namesakes of the positions.
