(b. 1943) A.B. 1964, Ph.D. 1968, Harvard University; Assistant-Full Professor, Louisiana State University, 1968-1980; Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, 1975-1977; Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, 1972-1977; LSU Distinguished Research Master, 1978; Professor, University of Pittsburgh, 1980-1985; Alexander von Humboldt Senior U.S. Scientist Award, 1982; Akron Section, American Chemical Society Award, 1983; Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, 1988; Director, Chemistry Division, National Science Foundation, 1988-1990; James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry, 1991; Schroedinger Medal, World Association of Theoretically Oriented Chemists, 1998; Tolman Medal, Southern California Section, American Chemical Society, 1999; Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2002; Director, UCLA Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Program, 2002-present; American Chemical Society Award for Computers in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 2003; International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science, 2003; Chair, AAAS Chemistry Section, 2005; Saul Winstein Chair in Organic Chemistry, 2009; Member, UCLA Molecular Biology Institute, 2010; Member, National Academy of Sciences, 2010; Robert Robinson Award, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2012.

Professor Houk's research is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.