Karl Schlögl
Encyclopedia
Karl Schlögl was professor
of organic chemistry
at the University of Vienna
and secretary as well as vice-president of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
.
. Schlögl's first contact with organic chemistry
happened during his middle-school education, when his father - the principal and teacher for natural sciences - took young Karl to school after hours to do experiments together.
Schlögl graduated from high-school in 1943 and was declared unservicable by the Wehrmacht
due to his asthma
.
He started studying chemistry
at the University of Vienna
under Ernst Späth
, where he completed his dissertation in 1950.
From 1954 to 1955 Schlögl began working on ferrocene
s at the University of Manchester
during a British council scholarship
.
After his return to the University of Vienna
he achieved the habilitation
for organic chemistry
in 1959.
In 1970 Schlögl was promoted to associate professor and in 1971 to full professor for organic chemistry
.
Since 1974 he was director, and since 1978 chairman of the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the University of Vienna
. From 1977 through 1979 he was the first elected Dean
of the Faculty
of Formal and Natural Sciences at the University of Vienna
.
The Austrian Academy of Sciences
elected Schlögl as a corresponding member in 1978 and as a full member in 1982. From 1991 to 1995 Schlögl was general secretary of the academy, and from 1997 to 2000 he was vice-president of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
. Furthermore, Schlögl was a corresponding member of the Nordrhein-Westfälische Akademie der Wissenschaften as well as the New York Academy of Sciences
.
Schlögl authored and co-authored over 200 scientific publications and was an inventor on four patents. He supervised 51 dissertations of his doctoral students.
Schlögl's main field of research since about 1963 was stereochemistry
, and in 1970 he began to shift his focus specifically on the chirality
of organic compounds.
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
in 1985
, the prize for natural sciences of the city of Vienna
in 1989, and the Wilhelm Exner Medal of the Austrian Economic Association in 1991.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of organic chemistry
Organic 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...
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
and secretary as well as vice-president of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
.
Biography
Karl Schlögl was born October 5, 1924 in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Schlögl's first contact with organic chemistry
Organic 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...
happened during his middle-school education, when his father - the principal and teacher for natural sciences - took young Karl to school after hours to do experiments together.
Schlögl graduated from high-school in 1943 and was declared unservicable by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
due to his asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
.
He started studying chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
under Ernst Späth
Ernst Späth
Ernst Späth was an Austrian chemist.He was the first to synthesise Mescaline and was one of the first to synthesize cuscohygrine on a small scale with Hans Tuppy....
, where he completed his dissertation in 1950.
From 1954 to 1955 Schlögl began working on ferrocene
Ferrocene
Ferrocene is an organometallic compound with the formula Fe2. It is the prototypical metallocene, a type of organometallic chemical compound consisting of two cyclopentadienyl rings bound on opposite sides of a central metal atom. Such organometallic compounds are also known as sandwich compounds...
s at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
during a British council scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
.
After his return to the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
he achieved the habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
for organic chemistry
Organic 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...
in 1959.
In 1970 Schlögl was promoted to associate professor and in 1971 to full professor for organic chemistry
Organic 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...
.
Since 1974 he was director, and since 1978 chairman of the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
. From 1977 through 1979 he was the first elected Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Faculty
Faculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
of Formal and Natural Sciences at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
.
The Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
elected Schlögl as a corresponding member in 1978 and as a full member in 1982. From 1991 to 1995 Schlögl was general secretary of the academy, and from 1997 to 2000 he was vice-president of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
. Furthermore, Schlögl was a corresponding member of the Nordrhein-Westfälische Akademie der Wissenschaften as well as the New York Academy of Sciences
New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology...
.
Published works
Karl Schlögl was one of the pioneers of the research into the geometric structure of organic compounds and the resulting mechanisms of their chemical reactions. He has been very successful with his work on new pharmaceutical substances.Schlögl authored and co-authored over 200 scientific publications and was an inventor on four patents. He supervised 51 dissertations of his doctoral students.
Schlögl's main field of research since about 1963 was stereochemistry
Stereochemistry
Stereochemistry, a subdiscipline of chemistry, involves the study of the relative spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules. An important branch of stereochemistry is the study of chiral molecules....
, and in 1970 he began to shift his focus specifically on the chirality
Chirality (chemistry)
A chiral molecule is a type of molecule that lacks an internal plane of symmetry and thus has a non-superimposable mirror image. The feature that is most often the cause of chirality in molecules is the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom....
of organic compounds.
Awards
Schlögl received numerous scientific awards for his work, including the Erwin Schrödinger PrizeErwin Schrödinger Prize
The Erwin Schrödinger Prize is an annual award presented by the Austrian Academy of Sciences for lifetime achievement by Austrians in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences...
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
in 1985
, the prize for natural sciences of the city of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1989, and the Wilhelm Exner Medal of the Austrian Economic Association in 1991.