Roald Hoffmann
Encyclopedia
Roald Hoffmann is an American theoretical chemist who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
. He currently teaches at Cornell University
in Ithaca, New York
.
(Poland, now Ukraine) to a Jewish family and was named in honor of the Norwegian
explorer, Roald Amundsen
. He and his mother were among the only members of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust
with the help from his Ukrainian neighbors, an experience which strongly influenced his beliefs and work. (A grandmother and several aunts, uncles, and cousins also survived.) They migrated to the United States
in 1949. In 2009, a monument to Holocaust victims was built in Zolochiv on the initiative of Hoffmann.
's Stuyvesant High School
, where he won a Westinghouse science scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree
at Columbia University
(Columbia College) in 1958. He earned his Master of Arts
degree in 1960 from Harvard University
. He went to Cornell in 1965 and has remained there, becoming professor emeritus.
He earned his Doctor of Philosophy
degree from Harvard University
while working
under direction of subsequent 1976 chemistry Nobel Prize
winner William N. Lipscomb, Jr.
Under Lipscomb's direction the Extended Huckel method
was developed by Lawrence Lohr and by Roald Hoffmann. This method was later extended by Hoffman.
and inorganic
substances, developing computational
tools and methods such as the extended Hückel method
, which he proposed in 1963.
He also developed, with Robert Burns Woodward
, rules for elucidating reaction mechanism
s (the Woodward-Hoffmann rules
). He also introduced the isolobal principle
.
published in two collections, "The Metamict State" (1987, ISBN 0-8130-0869-7) and "Gaps and Verges" (1990, ISBN 0-8130-0943-X), and of books explaining chemistry to the general public. Also, he co-authored with Carl Djerassi
a play called "Oxygen" about the discovery
of oxygen
, but also about what it means to be a scientist and the importance of process of discovery in science.
Hoffmann stars in the World of Chemistry
video series with Don Showalter
.
Since the spring of 2001, Hoffmann has been the host of a monthly series at New York City's Cornelia Street Cafe called "Entertaining Science," which explores the juncture between the arts and science.
Hoffmann and Brian Alan produced an English cover of Wei Wei's song “Dedication of Love“. Proceeds from this project were to be contributed to the victims of the Sichuan Earthquake. The nine artists involved in the project are BoA
, Wei Wei
, Phoebe
, Rusiana Gaitana, Sonu
, Ruth Sahanaya
and three others from Paris
, Brazil
and Oman
.
, which he shared with Kenichi Fukui
.
Hoffmann is member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
and is a member of the Board of Sponsors of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
http://www.thebulletin.org.
In August 2007, the American Chemical Society
held a symposium at its biannual national meeting to honor Hoffmann's 70th birthday. He also has served as a consultant with Eli Lilly and Company
, a global pharmaceutical corporation.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
. He currently teaches at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
.
Escape from the Holocaust
Hoffmann was born in ZłoczówZolochiv
Zolochiv is a town located in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zolochiv Raion ....
(Poland, now Ukraine) to a Jewish family and was named in honor of the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
explorer, Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
. He and his mother were among the only members of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
with the help from his Ukrainian neighbors, an experience which strongly influenced his beliefs and work. (A grandmother and several aunts, uncles, and cousins also survived.) They migrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1949. In 2009, a monument to Holocaust victims was built in Zolochiv on the initiative of Hoffmann.
Academic credentials
Hoffmann graduated in 1955 from New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
, where he won a Westinghouse science scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(Columbia College) in 1958. He earned his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1960 from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He went to Cornell in 1965 and has remained there, becoming professor emeritus.
He earned his Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
while working
under direction of subsequent 1976 chemistry Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
winner William N. Lipscomb, Jr.
William Lipscomb
William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr. was a Nobel Prize-winning American inorganic and organic chemist working in nuclear magnetic resonance, theoretical chemistry, boron chemistry, and biochemistry.-Overview:...
Under Lipscomb's direction the Extended Huckel method
Extended Huckel method
The extended Hückel method is a semiempirical quantum chemistry method, developed by Roald Hoffmann since 1963. It is based on the Hückel method but, while the original Hückel method only considers pi orbitals, the extended method also includes the sigma orbitals.The extended Hückel method can be...
was developed by Lawrence Lohr and by Roald Hoffmann. This method was later extended by Hoffman.
Chemistry interests
Hoffmann has investigated both organicOrganic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
and inorganic
Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds , which are the subjects of organic chemistry...
substances, developing computational
Computational chemistry
Computational chemistry is a branch of chemistry that uses principles of computer science to assist in solving chemical problems. It uses the results of theoretical chemistry, incorporated into efficient computer programs, to calculate the structures and properties of molecules and solids...
tools and methods such as the extended Hückel method
Extended Huckel method
The extended Hückel method is a semiempirical quantum chemistry method, developed by Roald Hoffmann since 1963. It is based on the Hückel method but, while the original Hückel method only considers pi orbitals, the extended method also includes the sigma orbitals.The extended Hückel method can be...
, which he proposed in 1963.
He also developed, with Robert Burns Woodward
Robert Burns Woodward
Robert Burns Woodward was an American organic chemist, considered by many to be the preeminent organic chemist of the twentieth century...
, rules for elucidating reaction mechanism
Reaction mechanism
In chemistry, a reaction mechanism is the step by step sequence of elementary reactions by which overall chemical change occurs.Although only the net chemical change is directly observable for most chemical reactions, experiments can often be designed that suggest the possible sequence of steps in...
s (the Woodward-Hoffmann rules
Woodward-Hoffmann rules
The Woodward–Hoffmann rules devised by Robert Burns Woodward and Roald Hoffmann are a set of rules in organic chemistry predicting the stereochemistry of pericyclic reactions based on orbital symmetry. These include electrocyclic reactions, cycloadditions , sigmatropic reactions, and group transfer...
). He also introduced the isolobal principle
Isolobal principle
The isolobal principle is a strategy used in organometallic chemistry to relate the structure of organic and inorganic molecular fragments in order to predict bonding properties of organometallic compounds...
.
Artistic interests
Hoffmann is also a writer of poetryPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
published in two collections, "The Metamict State" (1987, ISBN 0-8130-0869-7) and "Gaps and Verges" (1990, ISBN 0-8130-0943-X), and of books explaining chemistry to the general public. Also, he co-authored with Carl Djerassi
Carl Djerassi
Carl Djerassi is an Austrian-American chemist, novelist, and playwright best known for his contribution to the development of the first oral contraceptive pill . Djerassi is emeritus professor of chemistry at Stanford University.He participated in the invention in 1951, together with Mexican Luis E...
a play called "Oxygen" about the discovery
Discovery (observation)
Discovery is the act of detecting something new, or something "old" that had been unknown. With reference to science and academic disciplines, discovery is the observation of new phenomena, new actions, or new events and providing new reasoning to explain the knowledge gathered through such...
of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
, but also about what it means to be a scientist and the importance of process of discovery in science.
Hoffmann stars in the World of Chemistry
The World of Chemistry
The World of Chemistry is a television series on introductory chemistry hosted by Nobel prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann. The series consists of 26 half-hour video programs, along with coordinated books, which explore various topics in chemistry through experiments conducted by Stevens Point...
video series with Don Showalter
Don Showalter
Donald L. Showalter is an emeritus professor and former chairman of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Showalter received his bachelors degree from Eastern Kentucky University in 1964 and his Ph.D. in 1970 from the University of...
.
Since the spring of 2001, Hoffmann has been the host of a monthly series at New York City's Cornelia Street Cafe called "Entertaining Science," which explores the juncture between the arts and science.
Hoffmann and Brian Alan produced an English cover of Wei Wei's song “Dedication of Love“. Proceeds from this project were to be contributed to the victims of the Sichuan Earthquake. The nine artists involved in the project are BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
, Wei Wei
Wei Wei (singer)
Wei Wei is a Mandopop singer and actress. She was born in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia and was raised in Liuzhou, Guangxi.Wei Wei recently performed at the opening ceremony of the , as well as at the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics...
, Phoebe
Phoebe
Phoebe or Phebe is a female given name , meaning "bright and shining" deriving from Greek 'phoibos' .-Mythology:*Phoebe , one of the Titans*Phoebe, one of the Heliades*Phoebe , the daughter of Leucippus...
, Rusiana Gaitana, Sonu
Sonu
Sonu may refer to*Sonu , a Kannada film actress.*Sonu Nigam, a playback singer.*Sonu Sood, an Indian actor.*Sonu Walia, a Bollywood actress.*Sonu Kakkar, a playback singer....
, Ruth Sahanaya
Ruth Sahanaya
Ruth Sahanaya is an Indonesian singer. She rose to fame in the late 1980s and is perhaps best known for her hit song "Kaulah Segalanya". She has toured internationally, been the Indonesian representative at many music festivals, and has received multiple awards...
and three others from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
In 1981, Hoffmann received the Nobel Prize in ChemistryNobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
, which he shared with Kenichi Fukui
Kenichi Fukui
Kenichi Fukui was a Japanese chemist.Kenichi Fukui was co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1981 with Roald Hoffmann, for their independent investigations into the mechanisms of chemical reactions...
.
Other awards
- Priestley MedalPriestley MedalThe Priestley Medal is the highest honor conferred by the American Chemical Society and is awarded for distinguished service in the field of chemistry. Established in 1922, the award is named after Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen who immigrated to the United States of America in 1794...
- Arthur C. Cope AwardArthur C. Cope AwardThe Arthur C. Cope Award is a prize awarded for achievement in the field of organic chemistry research. It is generally considered one of the highest honors in the field. It is sponsored by the Arthur C. Cope Fund, and has been awarded since 1973 by the American Chemical Society.Recipients...
in Organic Chemistry - Organic Chemistry Award (American Chemical Society), 1969
- Inorganic Chemistry Award (American Chemical Society), 1982
- Pimentel Award in Chemical Education (1996)
- Award in Pure Chemistry
- Monsanto Award
- Literaturpreis of the Verband der Chemischen Industrie for his textbook "The Same and Not The Same" (1997)
- National Medal of ScienceNational Medal of ScienceThe National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and...
- National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow
- American Philosophical Society Fellow
- Kolos MedalKolos MedalThe Kołos Medal is a prestigious medal awarded every 2 years by the University of Warsaw and the Polish Chemical Society for distinction in theoretical or experimental physical chemistry. It was established in 1998 to commemorate the life and career of Włodzimierz Kołos, one of the founding fathers...
- Foreign Member, Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
- Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesRoyal Swedish Academy of SciencesThe Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
- Harvard Centennial Medalist
- James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting ChemistryJames T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting ChemistryThe James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public is awarded on a yearly basis by the American Chemical Society. The Award recognizes outstanding reporting on chemistry, chemical engineering, and related chemical fields...
Hoffmann is member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
The International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science is an international scientific learned society covering all applications of quantum theory to chemistry and chemical physics. It was created in Menton in 1967. The founding members were Raymond Daudel, Per-Olov Löwdin, Robert G. Parr, John...
and is a member of the Board of Sponsors of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is a nontechnical online magazine that covers global security and public policy issues, especially related to the dangers posed by nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction...
http://www.thebulletin.org.
In August 2007, the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
held a symposium at its biannual national meeting to honor Hoffmann's 70th birthday. He also has served as a consultant with Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
, a global pharmaceutical corporation.