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Lecturing in America
Norman Greenwood Scientist
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Let me say something now about chemistry in other countries that I’ve been involved in. I’ve indicated of course that I’ve had from time to time visiting professorships which have enabled me to visit various places, and I want first of all to tell you a bit about my involvement in America. I’ve indicated that many of the firms and institutions in America were funding some of our research, but I want to say that on one occasion and this is between 1967-‘68, that era, I held a visiting professorship for a six-month period where I was lecturing and teaching at Michigan State University, which is in the Midwest of America. And the set up within the university there enabled me not only to take part in their courses and learn about their education system but gave me an opportunity to go to conferences and visit other parts of America and indeed for the last three months of that, the children had school vacation so Kirsten came with the school... with the children and joined me there.

In Michigan State my main sponsor was Alex Popov, who was an ebullient inorganic chemist and the other person who was in charge of the laboratories was Andy Timnick. They were both originally from Russia, but had lived most of their life in America.

Norman Greenwood (1925-2012) was born in Australia and graduated from Melbourne University before going to Cambridge. His wide-ranging research in inorganic and structural chemistry made major advances in the chemistry of boron hydrides and other main-group element compounds. He also pioneered the application of Mössbauer spectroscopy to problems in chemistry. He was a prolific writer and inspirational lecturer on chemical and educational themes, and held numerous visiting professorships throughout the world.

Listeners: Brian Johnson

Professor Brian FG Johnson FRS, FRSE, FRS Chem, FAcad Eu, FAS. Professor of Inorganic Chemistry University of Edinburgh 1991-1995, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry University of Cambridge 1995-2005, Master Fitzwilliam College Cambridge 1999-2005. Research interests include studies of transition metal carbonyls, organometallic chemistry, nano- particles and homogeneous catalysis. Professor Johnson is the author of over 1000 research articles and papers.

Tags: USA: 1967, 1968, Michigan State University, USSR, Alexander I Popov, Andrew Timnick

Duration: 1 minute, 50 seconds

Date story recorded: May 2011

Date story went live: 25 November 2011