Daniel P. Harrison is a professor of chemistry whose work spans inorganic synthesis, photophysical materials, and molecular electrocatalysis. His research group focuses on developing new iridium-based chromophores and designing electrocatalysts capable of converting carbon dioxide into solar fuels and other high-value chemicals. These efforts integrate synthetic chemistry, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and computational modeling, and they frequently involve undergraduate cadets as co-authors and collaborators.

Since joining the VMI faculty in 2013, Dr. Harrison has taught across the chemistry curriculum, including general chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, instrumental analysis, and computational chemistry. He has developed multiple new courses—such as Computational Chemistry, Modern Electrochemistry, and X-Ray Crystal Structure Determination—that expand cadet access to modern chemical methods and research-aligned learning. His teaching record reflects more than a decade of sustained engagement across foundational and advanced courses, including CH301/302 Physical Chemistry I & II, CH246 Inorganic Chemistry, and CH336/338 Instrumental Analysis.

Dr. Harrison maintains an active and externally supported research program, with funding from the DEVCOM Army Research Lab and USDA APHIS. His work has earned numerous awards, including the Jackson-Hope Prize for Excellence in Published Scholarly Work (2022, 2024) and the Dr. D. Rae Carpenter Award for Best Grant Proposal (2021, 2023). He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed papers, many with cadet co-authors, and regularly presents at national and international conferences in inorganic chemistry, catalysis, and photochemical materials.

Dr. Harrison earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Virginia under W. Dean Harman and completed postdoctoral research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with Thomas J. Meyer. He is a 2005 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute.