Hubert Schmidbauer: From Chemical Craftsmanship to the Art of Gilding Atoms

Lives in Chemistry—Lebenswerke in der Chemie

A momentous decision was made by Hubert Schmidbaur, born in 1934 in Landsberg, Bavaria, when he applied for a top-notch scholarship in 1953 choosing “Chemistry”—and thus starting his 70-year journey in science. He began his studies in the post-war ruins of Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University chemistry buildings, and embarked also on industry internships abroad to finally choose the sulfur labs of Max Schmidt for his PhD in 1960. He then left sulfur and Munich and went off to take care of silicon and many other elements, first in Marburg and Würzburg and finally in Munich’s Technical University in 1973. He loved the chances offered by the periodic table as an unlimited playground, collaborating with chemists all over the world. His charismatic lectures and his innovative approach to new research areas captivated students and fellow scientists alike. His career culminated in his gold era that stimulated so many till the very day.

Table of Contents

(E-book available)
Hardcover 17 × 24 cm, 282 p., 266 fig., 39.80 €
ISBN 978-3-86225-134-6
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This series of autobiographies provides insights into the lives and thoughts of outstanding research scientists in the context of the times they lived in. What role does the continuous sequence of hypothesis, experiment, and interpretation play in top chemical research? What is the role of impulses from mentors, students, colleagues, and competitors? Successful scientists describe authentically and in a very personal way how innovation is created.