Alexander Pines is a chemist whose work has helped to develop nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy — a technique for revealing molecular structure and organisation based on the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei — into a powerful tool for studying solid materials. The methods he has pioneered have found widespread application in fields such as biomedicine, chemistry and materials science.

Amongst his many contributions to the NMR field have been significant developments in multiple-quantum spectroscopy, zero-field NMR and cross-polarisation. Alongside his research, Alexander is highly regarded as an educator and has been presented with the Distinguished Teaching Award of UC Berkeley.

Alexander has also received numerous awards in recognition of his research, including the Wolf Prize for Chemistry and the Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics of the American Chemical Society. He is also an elected Member of both the US National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.