The European Academy of Sciences (EurASc) announces with deep sorrow the passing of Prof. David A. Dixon, Fellow of EurASc and Robert Ramsay Chair in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Alabama (USA), who passed away on 2 January 2026, at the age of 76.
Born on 3 December 1949 in Houston, Texas, Prof. Dixon was a world-leading scientist in computational chemistry, internationally recognised for his pioneering contributions to fluorine chemistry, catalysis, environmental chemistry, and large-scale molecular simulations. He earned his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. from Harvard University, where he worked under Nobel Laureates William Lipscomb and Dudley Herschbach.
Throughout his distinguished career, Prof. Dixon held senior academic and leadership positions at the University of Minnesota, DuPont Central Research, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and later at the University of Alabama, where he served from 2004 onwards. His work played a decisive role in the development of computational chemistry as a strategic tool in industry and environmental protection, notably contributing to the replacement of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons and helping to protect the stratospheric ozone layer.
Prof. Dixon was a central figure in the development of major scientific software infrastructures, including NWChem and the Molecular Sciences Software Suite, which received both R&D 100 and Federal Laboratory Consortium Technology Transfer Awards. He authored more than 900 scientific publications, held multiple patents, delivered hundreds of invited lectures worldwide, and mentored generations of students and young researchers.
A Fellow of several leading scientific societies, including the European Academy of Sciences, Prof. Dixon will be remembered not only for his exceptional scientific legacy but also for his generosity as a mentor, collaborator, and colleague.
The EurASc community extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues worldwide.