Ka Un Lao was born in Macau and received a B.S. degree with a major in chemistry and a minor in Physics, and an M.S. degree in chemistry from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan working with Chin-hui Yu. He completed his Ph.D. in physical/theoretical chemistry at The Ohio State University under the guidance of John M. Herbert. This was followed by postdoctoral work with Robert A. DiStasio Jr. at Cornell University. He joined the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University as an Assistant Professor in 2019 and was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2025
Curriculum Vitae [PDF]
Selected Honors and Awards
2025 VCU National/International Recognition Award (NIRA)
2025 VCU Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award
2025 ACS COMP Division OpenEye/Cadence Outstanding Junior Faculty Award
2025 Excellence in Scholarship Award (VCU College of Humanities and Sciences)
2025 Sanibel Symposium Young Investigator Award (UF’s Quantum Theory Project)
2025 The Journal of Chemical Physics Editors’ Choice 2024
2025 NSF CAREER Award
2024 The Journal of Chemical Physics Editors’ Choice 2023
2020 ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award
2019 Macau Excellent Talents Award Scheme (Macau Foundation)
2019 Top 10 Outstanding Chinese America Youth Award
2019 PCTC Postdoctoral Fellow Award (Penn Conference in Theoretical Chemistry)
2018 ACS COMP Division Wiley Computers in Chemistry Outstanding Postdoc Award
2016 1st place oral award at The Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum (OSU)
2015 Phi Tau Phi (PTP) Mid-America Scholarship Award
2015 ACS COMP Division CCG Research Excellence Award for Graduate Students
2015 Presidential Fellowship Award (OSU)
2015 1st place award in Albert L. Henne Research Competition (OSU)
2009 The President’s Scholarship (NTHU)
2007 Dr. I-Chi Mei Memorial Medal (NTHU)
2007 Honorary member of Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society in Taiwan
Ka Un Lao Research Group 