George M. Sheldrick facts for kids

George Michael Sheldrick (born 1942, died 2025) was a British chemist. He was very good at figuring out the shapes of tiny molecules. Many other scientists used his work. He was one of the most referenced chemists ever! He taught at the University of Göttingen in Germany for many years, from 1978 until he retired in 2011.

Early Life and Education

George Sheldrick was born on 17 November 1942 in Huddersfield, England. He went to Huddersfield New College, which was a school just for boys. He was a very bright student. He passed nine different school exams called O-Levels. He also passed six A-Levels and two S-Levels, which are advanced exams. In his A-Level exams, he got the highest possible grade in chemistry, mathematics, and physics.

George earned a special scholarship to study science at Jesus College, Cambridge. He chose to focus on chemistry in his last year. In 1963, he graduated with a top-level degree. He then continued his studies at the University of Cambridge. In 1966, he earned his PhD, which is a very high research degree. His research was about studying simple chemical compounds called hydrides using a special technique called nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Teaching and Research Career

In 1966, George Sheldrick became a Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge. This meant he was a senior member of the college. He also taught chemistry at the University of Cambridge. He started as a demonstrator (someone who helps students in labs) and later became a lecturer.

In 1978, Sheldrick moved to Germany. He became a professor at the University of Göttingen. First, he was a professor of Inorganic Chemistry, which is the study of chemicals that don't contain carbon. Later, he became a professor of Structural Chemistry. This field focuses on how atoms are arranged in molecules. He retired from full-time teaching in 2011. After retiring, he was given a special title called Niedersachsen Professor.

Important Work: SHELX Programs

George Sheldrick's most famous work was developing a set of computer programs called SHELX. These programs help scientists figure out the exact 3D shape of molecules. They do this by using a method called X-ray diffraction. This method involves shining X-rays through a crystal of a substance. The way the X-rays bounce off helps scientists understand the molecule's structure.

The SHELX programs are very important for chemists and other scientists. They are available for free online, which means many researchers around the world can use them. In 2011, a new program called ShelXle was released. It made it even easier for scientists to use the SHELX programs.

Personal Life

George Sheldrick married Katherine Elizabeth Herford on 13 July 1968. They had four children together. He passed away on 20 February 2025, when he was 82 years old. His younger brother, William S. Sheldrick, was also a chemistry professor in Germany.

Awards and Honours

George Sheldrick received many important awards for his work. Here are some of them:

• 1970 Meldola Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry
• 1978 Corday-Morgan Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry
• 1988 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize
• 1999 Carl-Hermann Medal
• 2001 Became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), a very high honour for scientists in the UK
• 2004 Max Perutz Prize
• 2009 Gregori Aminoff Prize
• 2011 Ewald Prize
• 2024 The European Crystallographic Association created a new award in his honour, called the George M. Sheldrick Prize.