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.