Joachim Sauer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joachim Sauer
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Joachim Sauer at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
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| Born | 19 April 1949 Hosena, Saxony, Germany
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| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Foreign Member of the Royal Society (2018) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Quantum chemistry |
| Institutions | Humboldt University of Berlin |
Joachim Sauer, born on April 19, 1949, is a famous German scientist. He is a professor of chemistry at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He studies something called quantum chemistry, which looks at how tiny particles like atoms and molecules behave. He is also well-known as the husband of Angela Merkel, who used to be the leader of Germany, called the Chancellor.
Contents
Growing Up and Learning
Joachim Sauer was born in a small German town called Hosena. This town is in a countryside area between the cities of Dresden and Cottbus. He grew up with his twin sister and an older brother. His father, Richard Sauer, used to make sweets, but he worked as an insurance seller. Joachim Sauer was a very good student in school.
His Work as a Scientist
Studying Chemistry
Joachim Sauer studied chemistry at the Humboldt University of Berlin from 1967 to 1972. He then earned his special chemistry degree, called a doctorate, in 1974. He kept doing research at the university until 1977. After that, he joined a top science center in East Germany, the Academy of Sciences, Central Institute of Physical Chemistry in Berlin.
Working After German Reunification
For a short time, around 1990 and 1991, he worked for a company in California, USA. He was a deputy technical director there, focusing on how chemicals react (catalysis). He continued to advise this company until 2002.
In 1992, he joined the Max Planck Society in Berlin. He became the head of their Quantum Chemistry Group. Then, in 1993, he became a full professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He stopped teaching full-time in 2017. However, he still works with the university as a senior research fellow, continuing his important studies.
What He Researches
Professor Sauer is an active scientist in quantum chemistry and computational chemistry. This means he uses computers to understand how chemicals work. His research has helped scientists better understand special materials called catalysts. These catalysts help chemical reactions happen faster. He has especially studied materials called zeolites. His work also helps explain what scientists see when they use a special technique called NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) to study solid materials.
Awards and Special Honours
Joachim Sauer has received many awards for his scientific work:
- 1991: Chemistry Prize from the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities
- 1995: Became a member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
- 2006: Became an external scientific member of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society
- 2007: Became a member of the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
- 2009: Became a member of the Academia Europaea
- 2010: Received the Liebig Medal
- 2013: Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from University College London
- 2018: Became a Foreign Member of the Royal Society
- 2019: Received the Schrödinger Medal
His Family Life
Joachim Sauer has two sons, Daniel and Adrian, from an earlier marriage to another chemist. On December 30, 1998, he married Angela Merkel. She is also a scientist with a degree in physics. Later, Angela Merkel became the leader of a major political party in Germany.
A Chancellor's Husband
On November 22, 2005, Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany. This is like being the prime minister or president of a country. Because of this, Joachim Sauer also took on a special role in official events. He became the third-highest ranking spouse in Germany's official order.
Because his wife became a famous politician, Professor Sauer received a lot of attention from the media. This is much more attention than most scientists get. He has said many times that he does not enjoy being in the public eye.
During the 2005 election, when his wife was running for Chancellor, Joachim Sauer stayed out of the spotlight. He did not give any interviews unless they were about his scientific research. He did attend the Bayreuth Festival with his wife. This is a famous opera festival in Germany. Professor Sauer is known for loving the music of Richard Wagner.
Even when his wife was officially elected and took her oath to become Chancellor, Professor Sauer was not there in person. He reportedly watched the event briefly on TV from his chemistry lab at the university.
See also
In Spanish: Joachim Sauer para niños
