Norwegian version of this page

Vebjørn Bakken

Director UiO:Energy and Environment
Image of Vebjørn  Bakken
Mobile phone +47 45 45 81 07
Room H2
Username
Visiting address Oslo Science Park Gaustadalléen 21 0349 Oslo
Postal address Gaustadalleen 21 N-0349 Oslo

Employment history

Since 2018 I have been leading UiO:Energy and from 2023 UiO:Energy and Environment, one of three strategic priority areas at the University of Oslo. Prior to that, from 2011-2018 I headed the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN). I have also had several research and teaching positions, and amongst other contributed to establishing a research school in solar cell technology as part of the The Norwegian Research Centre for Solar Cell Technology.

Academic background

I'm a theoretical chemist from UiO. In my master thesis I worked on methods for optimizing the structure of molecules, i.e. finding their most stable geometry. During my Ph.D. the focus was on implementing and applying methods for molecular dynamics.

Tags: Energy, Sustainability, Solar Energy

Publications

  • Aidas, Kestutis; Angeli, Celestino; Bak, Keld L.; Bakken, Vebjørn; Bast, Radovan & Boman, Linus [Show all 84 contributors for this article] (2014). The Dalton quantum chemistry program system. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Computational Molecular Science. ISSN 1759-0876. 4(3). doi: 10.1002/wcms.1172. Full text in Research Archive
  • Rybkin, Vladimir; Simakov, Anton; Bakken, Vebjørn; Reine, Simen Sommerfelt; Kjærgaard, Thomas & Helgaker, Trygve [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2013). Insights into the dynamics of evaporation and proton migration in protonated water clusters from large-scale bornoppenheimer direct dynamics. Journal of Computational Chemistry. ISSN 0192-8651. 34(7), p. 533–544. doi: 10.1002/jcc.23162. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Rytter, Erling & Swang, Ole (2011). Chemisorption on cobalt surfaces: The effect of subsurface rhenium atoms from quantum chemical cluster model calculations. Surface Science. ISSN 0039-6028. 605(5-6), p. 513–519. doi: 10.1016/j.susc.2010.12.008. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Bergene, Edvard; Rytter, Erling & Swang, Ole (2010). Bimetallic Cobalt/Rhenium Systems: Preferred Position of Rhenium Through an Interdisciplinary Approach. Catalysis Letters. ISSN 1011-372X. 135(1-2), p. 21–25. doi: 10.1007/s10562-009-0089-6. Full text in Research Archive
  • Reine, Simen Sommerfelt; Krapp, Andreas; Iozzi, Maria Francesca; Bakken, Vebjørn; Helgaker, Trygve & Pawlowski, Filip [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2010). An efficient density-functional-theory force evaluation for large molecular systems. Journal of Chemical Physics. ISSN 0021-9606. 133(4). doi: 10.1063/1.3459061. Full text in Research Archive
  • Brændvang, Morten; Bakken, Vebjørn & Gundersen, Lise-Lotte (2009). Synthesis, structure and antimycobacterial activity of 6-[1(3H)-isobenzofuranylidenemethyl]purines and analogs. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. ISSN 0968-0896. 17, p. 6512–6516. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2009.08.012. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn & Swang, Ole (2008). Atomistic and electronic structure of bimetallic cobalt/rhenium clusters from density functional theory calculations. Journal of Chemical Physics. ISSN 0021-9606. 128. doi: 10.1063/1.2837829. Full text in Research Archive
  • Berg, Tom Christian Sung; Bakken, Vebjørn; Gundersen, Lise-Lotte & Petersen, Dirk (2006). Cyclization and Rearrangement Products from Coupling Reactions between Terminal o-Alkynylphenols or o-ethynyl(hydroxymethyl)benzene and 6-Halopurines. Tetrahedron. ISSN 0040-4020. 62, p. 6121–6131. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Helgaker, Trygve & Uggerud, Einar (2004). Models of fragmentations induced by electron attachment to protonated peptides. European Journal of Mass Spectrometry. ISSN 1469-0667. 102, p. 625–638. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn & Helgaker, Trygve (2004). The expansion of hydrogen states in Gaussian orbitals. Theoretical Chemistry Accounts. ISSN 1432-881X. 112, p. 124–134. Full text in Research Archive
  • Soncini, Alessandro; Lazzeretti, Paolo; Bakken, Vebjørn & Helgaker, Trygve (2004). Calculation of electric dipole hypershieldings at the nuclei in the Hellmann-Feynman approximation. Journal of Chemical Physics. ISSN 0021-9606. 120, p. 3142–3151. Full text in Research Archive
  • Sekiguchi, Osamu; Bakken, Vebjørn & Uggerud, Einar (2004). Decomposition of protonated formic acid: One transition state - Two product channels. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. ISSN 1044-0305. 15, p. 982–988. Full text in Research Archive
  • D'anna, Barbara; Bakken, Vebjørn; Beukes, Jon Are; Nielsen, Claus Jørgen; Brudnik, K & Jodkovski, J. T. (2003). Experimental and theoretical studies of gas phase NO3 and OH radical reactions with formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and their isotopomers. Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. ISSN 1463-9076. 5(9), p. 1790–1805. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn & Helgaker, Trygve Ulf (2002). The efficient optimization of molecular geometries using redundant internal coordinates. Journal of Chemical Physics. ISSN 0021-9606. 117, p. 9160–9174. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Danovich, David; Shaik, Sason & Schlegel, H. Bernhard (2001). A Single Transition State Serves Two Mechanisms: An ab Initio Classical Trajectory Study of the Electron Transfer and Substitution Mechanisms in Reactions of Ketyl Radical Anions with Alkyl Halides. Journal of the American Chemical Society. ISSN 0002-7863. 123, p. 130–134. Full text in Research Archive
  • Beukes, Jon Are; D'anna, Barbara; Bakken, Vebjørn & Nielsen, Claus Jørgen (2000). Experimental and theoretical study of the F, Cl and Br reactions with formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. ISSN 1463-9076. 2(18), p. 4049–4060. Full text in Research Archive
  • Beukes, Jon Are; Bakken, Vebjørn & Nielsen, Claus Jørgen (2000). Experimental and theoretical study of the F, Cl and Br reactions with formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. ISSN 1463-9076. 2, p. 4049–4060. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Millam, John M. & Schlegel, H. Bernhard (1999). Ab initio classical trajectories on the Born-Oppenheimer surface: Updating methods for Hessian-based integrators. Journal of Chemical Physics. ISSN 0021-9606. 111(19), p. 8773–8777. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Helgaker, Trygve Ulf; Klopper, Willem Maarten & Ruud, Kenneth (1999). The calculation of molecular geometrical properties in the Hellmann-Feynman approximation. Molecular Physics. ISSN 0026-8976. 96(4), p. 653–671. Full text in Research Archive
  • Millam, John M.; Bakken, Vebjørn; Chen, Wei; Hase, William L. & Schlegel, H. Bernhard (1999). Ab initio classical trajectories on the Born-Oppenheimer surface: Hessian-based integrators using fifth-order polynomial and rational function fits. Journal of Chemical Physics. ISSN 0021-9606. 111(9), p. 3800–3805. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

  • Vandvik, Vigdis; Rosendahl, Knut Einar; Bakken, Vebjørn; Hermansen, Erlend Andre T.; Korpås, Magnus & Skard, Siv E. Rosendahl [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Klimaråd i urolige tider. doi: https:/www.dn.no/innlegg/klima/klimapolitikk/co2-avgift/klimarad-i-urolige-tider/2-1-1957569.
  • Vandvik, Vigdis; Rosendahl, Knut Einar; Korpås, Magnus; Hanssen, Gro Sandkjær; Kleiven, Helga Flesche & Bakken, Vebjørn [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). Klimaråd 2025 – Vurderinger og anbefalinger for en bedre klimapolitikk i Norge. doi: https:/api.klimastiftelsen.no/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Klimarad-2025.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Winther, Tanja & Inderberg, Tor Håkon Jackson (2024). Rettferdig energiomstilling – er det mulig? [podcast]. [Internet]. https://www.uio.no/forskning/satsinger/uio-energi-og-miljo/a. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn (2018). Short presentation of the FME MoZEES. Full text in Research Archive
  • Geirbo, Hanne Cecilie; Bakken, Vebjørn & Selj, Josefine Helene (2013). Mobil kraft. Dagens næringsliv. ISSN 0803-9372. Full text in Research Archive
  • Geirbo, Hanne Cecilie; Bakken, Vebjørn & Braa, Kristin (2012). Leveraging mobile network infrastructure for rural electrification - experiences from an ongoing pilot project in Bangladesh. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Geirbo, Hanne Cecilie & Braa, Kristin (2012). Community power project in Bangladesh. Full text in Research Archive
  • Wilhite, Harold Langford; Elverhøi, Anders; Bakken, Vebjørn; Winther, Tanja; Braa, Kristin & Geirbo, Hanne Cecilie (2012). Social impacts of electricity in rural areas. Full text in Research Archive
  • Ryding, Mauritz; Andersson, Patrik; Krapp, Andreas; Frenking, Gernot; Sekiguchi, Osamu & Bakken, Vebjørn [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2008). Elementary chemical reactions of water clusters. Full text in Research Archive
  • Berg, Tom Christian; Bakken, Vebjørn; Gundersen, Lise-Lotte & Petersen, Dirk (2006). Cyclisation and Rearrangement Products from Coupling Reactions between terminal o-Alkynylphenols or o-ethynyl(hydroxymethyl)benzene and 6-Halopurines. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Sekiguchi, Osamu & Uggerud, Einar (2004). Decomposition of protonated formic acid: One transition state serving two product channels. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Helgaker, Trygve Ulf & Uggerud, Einar (2003). Ions - then radicals. Dynamics and mechanisms of electron capture dissociation of proteins and peptides. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn & Fægri, Knut (2003). A New Parallel Direct Relativistic MP2 Algorithm. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Helgaker, Trygve Ulf & Uggerud, Einar (2003). Mechanism of Electron Capture Dissociation of Protonated Peptides. Full text in Research Archive
  • Sekiguchi, O; Bakken, Vebjørn & Uggerud, Einar (2003). The unimolecular decomposition of protonated formic acid. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Helgaker, Trygve Ulf & Uggerud, Einar (2003). Dynamics of Electron Capture Dissociation of Protonated Peptides. Full text in Research Archive
  • Beukes, Jon Are; Bakken, Vebjørn & Nielsen, Claus Jørgen (2000). Experimental and theoretical study of the F, Cl and Br reactions with formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Full text in Research Archive
  • Andresen, Øyvind; Bakken, Vebjørn; Beukes, Jon Are & Nielsen, Claus Jørgen (2000). Study of OH and NO3 Reactions with Aldehydes. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn; Uggerud, Einar & Schlegel, H. Bernhard (2000). Using ab initio molecular dynamics to study fragmentation by electron capture. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn (1999). The calculation of molecular geometrical properties in the Hellmann-Feynman approximation. Full text in Research Archive
  • Bakken, Vebjørn (1999). Using ab initio direct dynamics to investigate branching reaction pathways. Full text in Research Archive
  • Larsen, Kjersti Beate; Fjellvåg, Helmer; Bakken, Vebjørn; Ponniah, Ravindran & Helgaker, Trygve (2011). DFT-modellering av elektroniske og optiske egenskaper i CPO-27-Zn. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

Published Jan. 20, 2026 9:02 AM - Last modified June 15, 2026 1:01 PM

Projects

No ongoing projects