Former U of S professor won Nobel Prize in 1971
Nobel Prize winner Dr. Gerhard Herzberg was widely considered to be the world’s top molecular spectroscopist due to his vast knowledge of electronic structure and geometry of molecules, specifically free radicals.
Born in Hamburg, Germany, on Christmas Day 1904, Herzberg began studying physics in his hometown before moving to the Darmstadt Institute of Technology, where he received his bachelor’s degree and PhD in engineering.
In 1935, he immigrated to Saskatoon with his wife to escape Nazi rule in Germany, accepting a position with the U of S as a guest professor. A few months later, he was named research professor of physics, a position he held for 10 years.
While in Saskatchewan, Herzberg was named to the Royal Society of Canada and made major steps in his field of study, publishing 40 research papers and three books.
Years later, the City of Saskatoon honoured his accomplishments with the naming of the Dr. Gerhard Herzberg Park. The U of S also honoured him and Dr. Henry Taube with the aptly named Nobel Plaza in front of the administration building.
Herzberg left Saskatchewan to teach in Chicago in 1945, but returned to Canada in 1948 to accept a prominent position with the National Research Council in Ottawa, where he remained until his retirement in 1994.
Herzberg received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1971. He also received numerous awards and fellowships, including being named a companion of the Order of Canada. Herzberg also became a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and was a founding member of the World Cultural Council before his death on March 3, 1999, at the age of 94.
As we celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, the Star Phoenix and Leader-Post are telling the stories of 150 Saskatchewan people who helped shape the nation. Send your suggestions or feedback to sask150@postmedia.com.