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Harold KrotoBritish chemist
Date of Birth: 07.10.1939
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Scientific Career
- Discovery of Fullerenes
- Later Accomplishments
- Personal Life and Activism
- Honors and Awards
- International Prize for New Materials (1992)
Early Life and Education
Sir Harold Walter Kroto was born in Wisbech, England, on October 7, 1939, to Edith and Heinz Krotoschiner. His father's family originated from Bojanowo, Poland, while his mother's hailed from Berlin, Germany. Despite being born in Germany, his parents fled to the United Kingdom in the 1930s due to his father's Jewish heritage.
Growing up in Bolton, Kroto attended Bolton School, where he developed a fascination for science, particularly chemistry, physics, and mathematics. His interest in chemistry was sparked by his high school chemistry teacher, who convinced him to pursue chemical studies at the University of Sheffield.
Scientific Career
In 1961, Kroto earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1964. His research focused on high-resolution electronic spectroscopy of transient free radicals produced by flash photolysis.
After completing his PhD, Kroto spent time as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Research Council of Canada and Bell Labs in the United States. In 1967, he joined the University of Sussex in England as a lecturer and researcher. He became a full professor in 1975 and was elected a Royal Society Professor from 1991 to 2007.
Discovery of Fullerenes
Throughout the 1980s, Kroto's research program at the University of Sussex focused on carbon chains in interstellar environments. In 1985, he collaborated with Robert Curl and Richard Smalley of Rice University in Texas, using laser spectroscopy techniques to investigate the formation of carbon chains in simulated interstellar conditions.
The experiment led to the groundbreaking discovery of C60, a new form of carbon molecule composed of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a soccer ball-shaped structure. This discovery earned Kroto, Curl, and Smalley the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their "discovery of fullerenes."
Later Accomplishments
In 1995, Kroto co-founded the Vega Science Trust, a UK educational charity that produces science outreach films and resources. He was also President of the Royal Society of Chemistry from 2002 to 2004.
From 2004 onwards, Kroto held the Francis Eppes Professorship in Chemistry at Florida State University, where he continued his research in nanoscience and nanotechnology. He also held positions as a visiting fellow at several academic institutions, including Auburn University, Rice University, the Indian Institute of Technology, and Mahatma Gandhi University.
Personal Life and Activism
Kroto was an outspoken atheist and supporter of the British Humanist Association. In 2010, he signed an open letter opposing the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.
Kroto married Margaret Henrietta Hunter, a fellow University of Sheffield student, in 1963. They had two children together.
Honors and Awards
Throughout his career, Kroto received numerous awards and honors, including:
International Prize for New Materials (1992)
Hewlett-Packard Europhysics Prize (1994)Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1996)
Kelvin Medal and Lecture (1998)
Michael Faraday Prize (2001)
Copley Medal (2004)
Schrödinger Lecture (2006)
He was knighted in 1996 for his scientific contributions.
Legacy
Sir Harry Kroto's legacy lives on through his groundbreaking discovery of fullerenes and his passionate advocacy for science education. The University of Sheffield's Northern Campus houses two buildings named after him: the Kroto Innovation Centre and the Kroto Research Institute.
