Rate My Professor Ruben Parra

Ruben D. Parra is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at DePaul University in the College of Science and Health. Holding a PhD, he has served as full-time faculty since 2001, following positions at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1994 to 2001. His research centers on computational chemistry, utilizing ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory to explore inter- and intra-molecular interactions. Key areas include non-additive cooperative effects in hydrogen bonding, molecular conformations, binding of metal ions by macromolecules, and noncovalent interactions such as halogen bonding. Parra investigates the computational design of supramolecular structures capable of binding metal ions, employing tools like the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analyses to characterize interaction strengths and natures.

Parra's career encompasses significant administrative contributions at DePaul University, including Director of the University Office for Teaching, Learning and Assessment from 2011 to 2018, Interim Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion from 2019 to 2020, and Interim Chair of the Psychology Department from 2024 to 2025. His prolific scholarship features numerous peer-reviewed publications, with over 1,400 citations. Notable recent works include "Cooperativity and halonium transfer in the ternary NCI···CH3I···−CN halogen-bonded complex: An ab initio gas phase study" (Journal of Molecular Modeling, 2024), "Alkali Metal-Ion Binding by a Model Macrocycle Containing a C-I···N Halogen Bonded Network: A DFT Study of C-I···M+ and N···M+ Binding Interactions" (Inorganics, 2024), "A Model Halogen-Bonded Network as a Potential Tube-like Host for Li+: A DFT Study" (Inorganics, 2024), "Hydrogen-Bond-Driven Peptide Nanotube Formation: A DFT Study" (Molecules, 2023), "Bracelet-like Complexes of Lithium Fluoride with Aromatic Tetraamides, and Their Potential for LiF-Mediated Self-Assembly: A DFT Study" (Molecules, 2023), and "Na+ binding by benzyl halides: A DFT study" (Computational and Theoretical Chemistry, 2023). These contributions advance understanding of noncovalent interactions and their applications in supramolecular chemistry. Parra also engages in the scholarship of teaching and learning, developing instructional materials for redesigned computational chemistry courses.