Kerstin Andersson

My reasearch right now concerns the question: Why do organic solar cells work so well? I am performing quantum chemical calculations, using the MOLCAS software, on a model system in order to find possible explanations.

My teaching ranges from the foundations of computer science discussing the theoretical possibilities and limitations of computers; the inner workings of computers applying assembly languages; the art of problem solving in various programming languages; to the critical reflection upon the use of computers in society.

I was born in Lund and I grew up on Lundaslätten (the plains around Lund). During high school (at Katedralskolan in Lund) I was fortunate to be able to attend the classes of the very inspiring teacher Örjan Paulin in mathematics and physics. Then followed undergraduate studies in engineering physics and graduate studies in theoretical chemistry (with supervision by Björn Roos) in Lund. The years before arriving in Karlstad and the department of computer science I was postdoc at IBM in California, assistant professor in theoretical chemistry in Lund and visiting professor in computational physics in Linköping.

My first two publications, dealing with the quantum chemical method CASPT2, ideal for electronic spectra.

• K. Andersson, P.-Å. Malmqvist, B. O. Roos, A. J. Sadlej, and K. Wolinski. Second-order perturbation theory with a CASSCF reference function. J. Phys. Chem., 94:5483, 1990.
• K. Andersson, P.-Å. Malmqvist, and B. O. Roos. Second-order perturbation theory with a complete active space self-consistent field reference function. J. Chem. Phys., 96:1218, 1992.

Two publications dealing with the Cr2 molecule, the bête noire of quantum chemistry.

• K. Andersson. The electronic spectrum of Cr2. Chem. Phys. Letters, 237:212, 1995.
• B. O. Roos and K. Andersson. Multiconfigurational perturbation theory with level shift - the Cr2 potential revisited. Chem. Phys. Letters, 245:215, 1995.

Two publications reflecting upon knowledge (only in Swedish).

• K. Andersson. Vad är det för kunskap som värderas? Universitetsläraren, 7:15, 2000.
• K. Andersson. Vad är kunskap? Kapet 1:47-60, Karlstads universitet, 2006.

A recent publication, with connections to computer science.

• K. Andersson. Exact Probability Distribution versus Entropy. Entropy, 16(10): 5198-5210, 2014.