Canadian scientist: Gerhard Herzberg

 Canadian scientist: Gerhard Herzberg 

Although this famous scientist was not originally born in Canada, he became a Canadian in his adult life. Born in Hamburg, Germany on the fifth of December, 1904. The support that Herzberg was provided with came solely from his mother, who became a widow when Herzberg was 10 years of age. His mother eventually emigrated to Wyoming to claim a housekeeping position, but would often send money back to both of her sons living in Germany. As a young teenager, Herzberg immersed himself in chemistry, mathematics and physics. In high school, Herzberg had a teacher by the name of Herr Hillers, who taught him about Niels Bohr and many theories that were driving physics at the time. In 1928, Herzberg (age 24) completed his Doctor of Engineering Physics degree and also published 12 papers in atomic and molecular physics. He was a flourishing scientist. 

In August of 1935, Herzberg was forced to leave Germany and became a Canadian refugee. His wife was Jewish and with the Nazi’s on the rise in Germany, they needed to flee. He resided in Saskatoon, Canada. Freshly planted in Canada, Herzberg took up a guest professorship at the University of Saskatchewan. Unable to pay the school fees, he was able to use funds from the Carnegie Foundation to support his career on the rise. 

Months later, Herzberg was appointed as the professor of physics, a job in which he claimed until 1945. He then travelled to Chicago, IL to attend the University of Chicago to study astronomy, a subject that he had loved since his childhood, but never had the credentials to make a living from it. While in Chicago, Herzberg established a laboratory for investigating the planetary spectra, creating methods that became the standard worldwide. Herzberg made his return to Canada in 1948, as his family had missed Saskatoon, to take on the position of a Principal Research Officer in the physics department. Herzberg held that position until 1969. 

As for contributions, Herzberg reclaimed quite a few. Him and his team determined the structure of a lot of diatomic and polyatomic molecules. He also determined certain molecules in the planetary atmosphere and comets. Spectroscopy was Herzberg’s focus and he became the active President of many international organizations. He was also claimed the President of the Canadian Association of Physicists for the year 1956-1957. 

Herzberg brought many new discoveries to Canadian researchers who relished in his many findings. His contributions to the electronic structure and geometry of molecules (with regards to physics). Herzberg died at the age of ninety five in March of 1999.

Citations

“Gerhard Herzberg: McGill-Queen's University Press.” Gerhard Herzberg | McGill-Queen's University Press, www.mqup.ca/gerhard-herzberg-products-9780660187570.php. 

Government of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. “NSERC - Gerhard Herzberg - About the Scientist.” Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), 23 July 2020, www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Prizes-Prix/Herzberg-Herzberg/Scientist-Scientifique_eng.asp. 

“The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1971.” NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1971/herzberg/biographical/.