David Tománek studied physics in Switzerland and received his PhD from the Free University in Berlin. While holding a position as Assistant Professor of Physics in Berlin, he engaged in theoretical research in nanostructures at the AT&T Bell Laboratories and the University of California at Berkeley. He established the ¿eld of computational nanotechnology at Michigan State University, where he holds a position as Full Professor of Physics. His scienti¿c expertise lies in the development and application of numerical techniques for structural, electronic and optical properties of surfaces, low-dimensional systems and nanostructures. Since working on his PhD thesis, he has promoted the use of computer simulations to understand atomic-level processes at surfaces and in atomic clusters.