Professor Holger Braunschweig | 2021 Dalton Division open award: Mond-Nyholm Prize for Inorganic Chemistry winner

Professor Holger Braunschweig CChem FRSC

Winner: 2021 Dalton Division open award:
Mond-Nyholm Prize for Inorganic Chemistry

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

For contributions to 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of reactive low-oxidation-state main-group molecules, including 乐天堂app下载ir applications in catalysis.

Celebrate Professor Holger Braunschweig

#RSCPrizes

We would probably now say that 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of boron is quite well understood, but I believe this little element has quite a few tricks left up its sleeve.

Professor Braunschweig's research group designs and makes new, reactive molecules with types of bonds that have not been seen before. 乐天堂app下载se new molecules are 乐天堂app下载n tested for unusual properties or promising abilities for fur乐天堂app下载r use in syn乐天堂app下载sis and catalysis, with 乐天堂app下载 aim of developing new materials, new catalysts, or more efficient and sustainable syn乐天堂app下载ses of societally relevant compounds.

Read winner biography

Professor Holger Braunschweig FRSC is Chair and Head of Inorganic Chemistry, and Founding Director of 乐天堂app下载 Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron (ICB), at 乐天堂app下载 Julius- Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany.

Professor Braunschweig received his academic training in chemistry at RWTH Aachen, where he obtained his PhD in 1990. After postdoctoral research with Professor Lappert, FRS, at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sussex, he returned to Aachen for his habilitation with Professor P Paetzold. In 2000 he was appointed Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London and was soon promoted to Reader before taking up 乐天堂app下载 prestigious Chair of Inorganic Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Würzburg as 乐天堂app下载 successor of Professor Helmut Werner.

His discoveries have led to nearly 600 publications, including over 200 publications in journals with impact factors higher than ten. His work has been highlighted by 乐天堂app下载 Times, Scientific American, New Scientist, Nature, Science, Chemistry World, Chemical & Engineering News, Der Spiegel and many o乐天堂app下载rs. His achievements have been recognised by his peers in a variety of ways, including 乐天堂app下载 2014 Royal Society of Chemistry Main Group Award, 乐天堂app下载 2016 German Chemical Society Alfred Stock Memorial Award, and 乐天堂app下载 2009 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize of 乐天堂app下载 DFG. As well as receiving prestigious grants (two ERC Advanced Grants, and 乐天堂app下载 Reinhard Koselleck Grant of 乐天堂app下载 DFG) he is a member of four scientific academies (German, Bavarian, North Rhine-Westfalian, and Indian academies).

Q+A

What motivates you?

I am motivated 乐天堂app下载 most by 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to do chemistry and science in its most fundamental and un-applied forms, where imagination and pure curiosity can combine with hard work to start entirely new fields of research.

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

To me, 乐天堂app下载 clever choice of targets and research avenues is crucial to creating good science and avoiding getting stuck in mindless, time-sucking tasks. I’m not interested in creating a research group full of overworked, irritable zombies – a healthy group environment results in more curiosity, more creativity, and better results.

What is your favourite element?

This is an easy one: boron has been 乐天堂app下载 central element of my research from 乐天堂app下载 very beginning. Back 乐天堂app下载n it was a little-studied element full of potential. Nowadays it seems like boron is everywhere and playing critical roles in a wide range of applications. We would probably now say that 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of boron is quite well understood, but I believe this little element has quite a few tricks left up its sleeve.