Bernard Pullman
Encyclopedia
Bernard Pullman was a French
theoretical
quantum chemist
and quantum biochemist
.
Pullman studied at the Sorbonne
, then spent the Second World War as a French Army officer in Africa and the Middle East. Returning to Paris in 1946, he completed the Licence-es-Sciences in 1946 and the Docteur-es-Science in 1948. From 1946 to 1954, he worked at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
(CNRS). In 1954 he was appointed Professor at the Sorbonne. In 1959, he became Director of the Department of Quantum Biochemistry at the Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique. In 1963, he was promoted to Director of the Institute. He was a founding member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
.
Over the course of his career, Pullman published about 400 scientific papers and 5 books, three with his wife Alberte Pullman
, his lifelong collaborator. In joint work published in the 1950s and 1960s, they founded the new field of quantum biochemistry. They also pioneered the application of quantum chemistry to predicting the carcinogenic properties of aromatic hydrocarbons.
After his 1989 retirement, he wrote The Atom in the History of Human Thought (Paris: Fayard, 1995), a work approachable by general readers.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
theoretical
Theoretical chemistry
Theoretical chemistry seeks to provide theories that explain chemical observations. Often, it uses mathematical and computational methods that, at times, require advanced knowledge. Quantum chemistry, the application of quantum mechanics to the understanding of valency, is a major component of...
quantum chemist
Quantum chemistry
Quantum chemistry is a branch of chemistry whose primary focus is the application of quantum mechanics in physical models and experiments of chemical systems...
and quantum biochemist
Quantum chemistry
Quantum chemistry is a branch of chemistry whose primary focus is the application of quantum mechanics in physical models and experiments of chemical systems...
.
Pullman studied at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, then spent the Second World War as a French Army officer in Africa and the Middle East. Returning to Paris in 1946, he completed the Licence-es-Sciences in 1946 and the Docteur-es-Science in 1948. From 1946 to 1954, he worked at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The National Center of Scientific Research is the largest governmental research organization in France and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe....
(CNRS). In 1954 he was appointed Professor at the Sorbonne. In 1959, he became Director of the Department of Quantum Biochemistry at the Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique. In 1963, he was promoted to Director of the Institute. He was a founding member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
The International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science is an international scientific learned society covering all applications of quantum theory to chemistry and chemical physics. It was created in Menton in 1967. The founding members were Raymond Daudel, Per-Olov Löwdin, Robert G. Parr, John...
.
Over the course of his career, Pullman published about 400 scientific papers and 5 books, three with his wife Alberte Pullman
Alberte Pullman
Alberte Pullman was born in France in 1920. She is a theoretical and quantum chemist. She studied at the Sorbonne starting in 1938. During her studies she worked on calculations at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique . From 1943 she worked with Raymond Daudel. She completed her doctorate...
, his lifelong collaborator. In joint work published in the 1950s and 1960s, they founded the new field of quantum biochemistry. They also pioneered the application of quantum chemistry to predicting the carcinogenic properties of aromatic hydrocarbons.
After his 1989 retirement, he wrote The Atom in the History of Human Thought (Paris: Fayard, 1995), a work approachable by general readers.
Books by Pullman
- 1963 (with Alberte PullmanAlberte PullmanAlberte Pullman was born in France in 1920. She is a theoretical and quantum chemist. She studied at the Sorbonne starting in 1938. During her studies she worked on calculations at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique . From 1943 she worked with Raymond Daudel. She completed her doctorate...
). Quantum Biochemistry. New York: John Wiley Interscience. ISBN 9780470702314 ; ISBN 0470702311. - 1965 (with M. Weissbluth). Molecular Biophysics. New York: Academic Press, New York.
- 1998. The Atom in the History of Human Thought, trans. by Axel Reisinger. Oxford Univ. Press.