Prof. Dr. Helmut Schwarz receives this year's Wolf Prize in Chemistry for “quantifying reactive species in the gas phase to solve fundamental problems in catalysis”. The Wolf Foundation thus honors his outstanding research in the field of gas-phase mass spectrometry to elucidate reaction mechanisms and catalytic processes. As the Wolf Foundation writes, “Schwarz's research helps us understand how chemical reactions work at the most fundamental level, especially those involving metals and gases.” We are delighted that Helmut Schwarz has been honored with this year's Wolf Prize and that catalysis research has received such recognition! Congratulations from UniSysCat!
The mass spectrometry experiments developed by Helmut Schwarz and his group helped to observe how atoms and molecules behave during chemical processes, almost as if you were recording a slow-motion video of the reaction. "His work explains how seemingly unreactive molecules, like methane and carbon dioxide, can participate in chemical reactions. His fundamental discoveries are significant because they can lead to better ways to make fuels, reduce pollution, and even combat climate change.", according to the Wolf Foundation. Schwarz' research has contributed to a detailed understanding of how catalysts work at the molecular level. This fundamental understanding has paved the way for the development of more efficient catalysts that are used in the chemical industry to produce clean energy and chemicals. Helmut Schwarz's work has shown how we can use chemistry to tackle the big issues of our time, such as creating sustainable energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions - while at the same time better understanding nature at the molecular level.
Helmut Schwarz (1943, Germany) studied chemistry at the Technische Universität Berlin (TUB), earning his Ph.D. in 1972 under Ferdinand Bohlmann and completing his habilitation in 1974. After postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge, he was appointed professor at TUB in 1978. Schwarz served as Vice President of the German Research Foundation (2001–2007), as a President of the German Academy of Researchers Leopoldina (2010- 2015) and as President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2008–2017). As an outstanding catalysis researcher, Helmut Schwarz was a very committed member of the UniCat Cluster of Excellence, the predecessor project of UniSysCat.
The Wolf Prize is an international award that has been presented annually since 1978. With the prize, the Wolf Foundation honors exceptional scientists and artists worldwide for their outstanding achievements in advancing science and the arts for the betterment of humanity. In the field of science, the prizes are awarded in the fields of medicine, agriculture, mathematics, chemistry and physics. In the arts, outstanding achievements in the fields of painting and sculpture, music and architecture are honored. The prize in each field consists of a certificate and a monetary award of $100,000. So far, 382 scientists and artists from all over the world have been honored.