Affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Keywords: Photochemistry, radical chemistry; computational chemistry, reaction
mechanism elucidation, molecular orbital theory, research-inspired teaching.
Full profile: Trevor A. Hamlin, born in Fountain Valley, California (USA) in 1988, is a theoretical chemist whose research integrates photochemistry, physical organic chemistry,
and computational modeling to reveal the fundamental principles that control chemical
reactivity. He holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Albright College (2010) and a Ph.D. in
Chemistry from the University of Connecticut (2015), where he developed innovative
continuous-flow methodologies for incorporating fluorine into organic molecules. From
2015 to 2019, Hamlin was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), working with Prof. F. M. Bickelhaupt on quantum chemical models for reaction mechanisms. He joined the Theoretical Chemistry Department at VU in 2019 and is now a tenured Assistant Professor.
Hamlin’s research is driven by a desire to unify theoretical insight and experimental
design into a coherent framework for chemical discovery. His group applies energy
decomposition and activation strain analyses to decode how electronic structure dictates
reactivity in radical, pericyclic, and catalytic systems. A major focus is on photoinduced
electron transfer and electron-donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes as mechanistic gateways for light-driven bond activation. By combining high-level computational methods with experimental collaborations, Hamlin aims to develop quantitative design principles for
controlling selectivity and reactivity in organic and organic photochemical transformations.
His approach to “theory-driven experimentation” has helped rationally design novel
metallylene catalysts for small molecule activation. He has provided intuitive molecularorbital
frameworks for reaction design of radical additions, Diels–Alder reactions, and SN2
reactions.
Beyond his research, Hamlin is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a
member of the Young Academy of Europe. He serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of
Chemistry – A European Journal and ChemPhysChem and has performed over 285 peer
reviews for leading journals including Science, Nature, JACS, and Angewandte Chemie. He
has authored more than 125 publications and delivered over 60 invited lectures across
Europe, Asia, and North America. His contributions to the understanding of chemical bonding and reactivity continue to influence both fundamental theory and applied
chemistry.
In teaching, Hamlin is known for his conceptually intuitive and highly interactive
courses in physical organic chemistry, nuclear magnetic resonances, and molecular
modeling at VU and UvA. He believes that intellectual challenge is the engine of confidence
and enjoys watching students push through tough times to discover something new —
moments he calls “invincible breakthroughs.” He has supervised over 90 BSc, MSc, and PhD
students, has served as Track Coordinator for the MSc Chemistry program at VU/UvA, and is
now a member of the Examination Board for the BSc and MSc Chemistry program at VU/UvA.
I am the proud husband of Mary Kate and father of Emerson. Our active lifestyle
keeps me energized and inspired. We are often found cycling on the amazing Dutch
infrastructure, walking the trails in the nearby park, tending to our back garden, or jumping
into the local plas (swimming lake).