Michael Charles Zerner (January 1, 1940 – February 2, 2000) was an American theoretical chemist, professor at the University of Guelph from 1970 to 1981 and University of Florida from 1981 to 2000. Zerner earned his Ph.D. under Martin Gouterman at Harvard, working with the spectroscopy of porphyrins. He conceived and wrote a quantum chemistry program, known as BIGSPEC or ZINDO, for calculating electronic spectra of big molecules. In 1996 Zerner was diagnosed with liver cancer, and died on February 2, 2000, survived by his wife and two children.

Michael Charles Zerner
Born(1940-01-31)January 31, 1940
DiedFebruary 2, 2000(2000-02-02) (aged 60)
Alma materHarvard University
Known forZINDO
Quantum chemistry
semiempirical theories
Scientific career
FieldsComputational Chemistry
InstitutionsUniversity of Guelph, University of Florida
Doctoral advisorMartin Gouterman
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  • Sabin, J. R. (2000). Obituary: Michael Charles Zerner. Advances in Quantum Chemistry. Vol. 38. pp. viii–ix. doi:10.1016/S0065-3276(00)38001-7. ISBN 9780120348381.
  • Sabin, J. R.; Trinajstic, N. (2000). "Michael Charles Zerner (1940-2000)". Croatica Chemica Acta. 73 (2): A37.