Lauri Vaska

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LAURI VASKA

Born: May 7, 1925, in Rakvere, Estonia

Education

Baltic University (Hamburg, Germany), 1946

Universität Göttingen, 1946-1949, B.S. (equivalent)

The University of Texas (Austin), 1952-1956, PhD, inorganic chemistry

Northwestern University, 1956-1957, Postdoctoral Fellow, agnetochemistry

Professional Career

Fellow, Independent Research, Mellon Institute (Pittsburgh), 1957-1964 Associate Professor, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, 1964-1967 Professor, Clarkson University 1967-1990 Professor Emeritus, 1990-

Professional Activitivies

Lecturer at national and international meetings; Editorial Boards at various international journals

Ca. 80 publications in coordination chemistry of transition metals; catalysis; organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry

Highlights of research recognition

With J.W. Di Luzio in 1962, first described the iridium compound, which has now become known as Vaska's complex.

Boris Pregel Award for Research in Chemical Physics, New York Academy of Sciences, 1971

Centennial - American Chemical Societey, 1876-1976: citations for pioneering work in homogeneous catalysis and bioinorganic chemistry, 1976

National Science Foundation's Annual Report: research highlighted, 1978 Fellow, American Association for Advancement of Science: "For pioneering work in transiton metal organometallic chemistry and synthetic oxygen carriers", 1981

[edit] References

Vaska, L., DiLuzio, J.W., J.Am.Chem.Soc., 1962, 84, 679

I lived in the same room with Lauri in Hamburg, Germany after the second WWII 1946). We were both students .He studied chem and I medicine. The living conditions were most primitive in the Baltic University Campus, called Zoo Lager, where we lived. He tried to quit smoking and made numerous signs, large and small, and hanged and plasted those everywhere in the corner o his room, so he woudn't forget: desk, all walls, even ceiling. The task took him hours. When he was finally finished, he opened his desk drawer, and lit a cigarett, a custom he had after completion of any streneous task. Then he happened to look up and saw all the signs about quitting. He said : "Well, as i am already smoking, the signs hhave become superflous. Next he removed the signs, after he had finished smoling his cigarett. Arved Ojamaa M.D. (1922-)