​Chris Cramer earned his A.B. from Washington University in St. Louis and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. His professional career began with four years of service as an officer in the United States Army, including combat duty in Operation Desert Storm. In 1992, Cramer began his academic career at the University of Minnesota, where he is currently a Distinguished McKnight and University Teaching Professor and also Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Science & Engineering. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of Theoretical Chemistry Accounts for 15 years and continues to serve as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry. He has been recognized as a fellow by the American Chemical Society, as well as by the Alfred P. Sloan and John Simon Guggenheim foundations. Cramer is author of the textbook Essentials of Computational Chemistry, Theories and Models and a popular massive open online course, Statistical Molecular Thermodynamics. His research interests encompass the development and application of models that include condensedphase effects on structure and reactivity, as well as the application of computational methods for both catalyst and materials design, with special interest in fuel liquefaction, water splitting, oxygen activation, and sustainable polymers.