Promoting the development of computational chemistry research: Motivations, challenges, options and perspectives

Abstract

Computational chemistry is a fast growing area of modern chemistry, capable of interfacing with the other research areas in chemistry and with other sciences involving consideration of substances and materials, and enjoying increasing industrial relevance. Its presence in Sub-Sahara African tertiary institutions is still scarce, mostly because of scarcity of experts. This chapter analyses the current situation, discusses the importance of developing it and the relevance of such development for research and education, outlines its relevance for sustainable development, offers reflections for possible development pathways and a feasibility assessment based on the concrete experience of its recent development, ex novo, in an underprivileged university in South Africa.