Robert Grubbs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert H. Grubbs
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| Born |
Robert Howard Grubbs
February 27, 1942 |
| Died | December 19, 2021 (aged 79) Duarte, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Florida Columbia University |
| Known for | the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2005) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Organic chemistry |
| Institutions | California Institute of Technology |
Robert Howard Grubbs (February 27, 1942 – December 19, 2021) was an American chemist. He was a very important scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2005. He received this top award for his amazing work on a chemical process called "olefin metathesis." This discovery helps scientists create new materials and medicines.
Contents
Robert Grubbs' Life Story
His Early Life and School
Robert Grubbs was born in Kentucky, USA, in 1942. He grew up in a place called Marshall County. He went to public schools in Paducah, Kentucky, for his elementary and high school years.
He loved chemistry and studied it at the University of Florida. There, he earned his first two degrees. Later, he went to Columbia University to get his Ph.D. in 1968. A Ph.D. is the highest degree you can get in a specific subject.
His Amazing Science Work
After finishing his studies, Robert Grubbs worked at Michigan State University. Then, in 1978, he moved to the California Institute of Technology. He became a professor there and continued his important research.
His main interest was in organic chemistry. This is the study of chemicals that contain carbon. He focused on making special chemicals called catalysts. Catalysts are like helpers in chemical reactions. They make reactions happen faster or more easily.
One of his biggest achievements was developing something called Grubbs' catalyst. This catalyst is used in a process called olefin metathesis. Imagine you have two sets of building blocks. Olefin metathesis is like swapping some of these blocks between the two sets to make new, different blocks. This process is super useful for making new plastics and medicines. He also did important work on "living polymerization," which is a way to build long chains of molecules very precisely.
Robert Grubbs passed away on December 19, 2021, at the age of 79.
Awards and Special Honors
Robert Grubbs received many awards for his scientific work. Here are some of them:
- Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (1974-76)
- Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1975-78)
- Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (1975)
- ACS Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry (2000)
- ACS Herman F. Mark Polymer Chemistry Award (2000)
- ACS Herbert C. Brown Award for Creative Research in Synthetic Methods (2001)
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2005)
In 1989, he became a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists in the U.S. He also became a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1994.
The biggest award he received was the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He shared this prize with two other scientists, Richard R. Schrock and Yves Chauvin. They all won for their groundbreaking work on olefin metathesis.
Images for kids
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AIC Gold Medal recipient, 2010
See also
In Spanish: Robert Howard Grubbs para niños
