Joshua Jortner
Encyclopedia
Joshua Jortner (March 14, 1933) is an Israeli physical chemist. He is a Professor Emeritus at School of Chemistry, The Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University
in Tel Aviv, Israel.
, Poland. He was born in a Jewish family. He immigrated with his parents as refugees to Palestine under the British Mandate during the Second World War in 1940. He received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
in 1960.
from 1961 to 1963. From 1962 to 1964, he was a Research Associate at the University of Chicago
. In 1964 he was appointed to a Professorship in the Department of Chemistry at Tel Aviv University
and served as its first Chairman. From 1966 to 1972, he served as Deputy Rector, Acting Rector and Vice President of Tel Aviv University. Since 1973, he has held the position of the Heinemann Professor of Chemistry at the School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences of Tel Aviv University. He also held a Professorship at the University of Chicago
from 1964 to 1971 as a part time appointment. He was a Visiting professor at the University of Copenhagen
in 1974 and 1978. He was also a Visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley
in 1975.
He also held honorary fellowships, lectureships and chairs at the California Institute of Technology
in 1997, St. Catherine's College, Oxford in 1995, and the École Normale Supérieure
, Paris from 1998 to 2000. Since 1973 he is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
and served as its President from 1986 to 1995. He is an Honorary Foreign Member of 13 Academies of Sciences in the United States, Europe and Asia.
and theoretical chemistry
, involving dynamical phenomena in chemical systems. His research focuses on the relations between structure, spectroscopy, dynamics and function in microscopic and macroscopic systems. He made some central contributions to the elucidation of the mechanisms of energy acquisition, storage and disposal in large molecules, clusters, condensed phase and biophysical systems, as explored from the microscopic point of view.
He is known for the recognition and elucidation of the intramolecular nature of radiationless dissipation of energy in molecules of large and medium size. Based on a simple theoretical model, proposed in 1968 in collaboration with Mordechai Bixon, the basic notions specifying the energy acquisition process, the interstate coupling modes, and the mechanisms of energy disposal, were laid open. Subsequently he developed the theory of molecular wavepacket dynamics and quantum beats.
His contributions became seminal to the study of laser chemistry, multiphoton processes in molecules, relaxation phenomena in condensed phases and the dynamics of biophysical systems, and had an indelible impact on the modern development of chemical physics and theoretical chemistry
.
His research covers a vast range of fields, such as the theory of solvated electron
s, properties of excited electronic states of molecules, coherent multiphoton processes, charge transfer in polar solvents and in biophysical systems, and the dynamics of supercooled large molecules and of molecular clusters.
and his daughter Iris is a cellist.
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Birth and education
Joshua Jortner was born on March 14, 1933 in TarnówTarnów
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection...
, Poland. He was born in a Jewish family. He immigrated with his parents as refugees to Palestine under the British Mandate during the Second World War in 1940. He received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
in 1960.
Academic career
After completing his Ph. D, Joshua Jortner became a lecturer in the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
from 1961 to 1963. From 1962 to 1964, he was a Research Associate at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. In 1964 he was appointed to a Professorship in the Department of Chemistry at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
and served as its first Chairman. From 1966 to 1972, he served as Deputy Rector, Acting Rector and Vice President of Tel Aviv University. Since 1973, he has held the position of the Heinemann Professor of Chemistry at the School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences of Tel Aviv University. He also held a Professorship at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
from 1964 to 1971 as a part time appointment. He was a Visiting professor at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
in 1974 and 1978. He was also a Visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1975.
He also held honorary fellowships, lectureships and chairs at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
in 1997, St. Catherine's College, Oxford in 1995, and the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
, Paris from 1998 to 2000. Since 1973 he is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, based in Jerusalem, was set up in 1961 by the State of Israel to foster contact between scholars from the sciences and humanities in Israel, to advise the government on research projects of national importance, and to promote excellence. It comprises...
and served as its President from 1986 to 1995. He is an Honorary Foreign Member of 13 Academies of Sciences in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Research
Joshua Jortner has done research on broad range of areas in both physicalPhysical chemistry
Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic, atomic, subatomic, and particulate phenomena in chemical systems in terms of physical laws and concepts...
and theoretical chemistry
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...
, involving dynamical phenomena in chemical systems. His research focuses on the relations between structure, spectroscopy, dynamics and function in microscopic and macroscopic systems. He made some central contributions to the elucidation of the mechanisms of energy acquisition, storage and disposal in large molecules, clusters, condensed phase and biophysical systems, as explored from the microscopic point of view.
He is known for the recognition and elucidation of the intramolecular nature of radiationless dissipation of energy in molecules of large and medium size. Based on a simple theoretical model, proposed in 1968 in collaboration with Mordechai Bixon, the basic notions specifying the energy acquisition process, the interstate coupling modes, and the mechanisms of energy disposal, were laid open. Subsequently he developed the theory of molecular wavepacket dynamics and quantum beats.
His contributions became seminal to the study of laser chemistry, multiphoton processes in molecules, relaxation phenomena in condensed phases and the dynamics of biophysical systems, and had an indelible impact on the modern development of chemical physics and theoretical chemistry
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...
.
His research covers a vast range of fields, such as the theory of solvated electron
Solvated electron
A solvated electron is a free electron in a solution. Solvated electrons occur widely although they are often not observed directly. The deep colour of solutions of alkali metals in ammonia arises form the presence of solvated electrons: blue when dilute and copper-colored when more concentrated...
s, properties of excited electronic states of molecules, coherent multiphoton processes, charge transfer in polar solvents and in biophysical systems, and the dynamics of supercooled large molecules and of molecular clusters.
Awards
- In 1982, Jortner received the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, in chemistry.
- In 1988, Jortner was awarded the Wolf Prize in ChemistryWolf Prize in ChemistryThe Wolf Prize in Chemistry is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Agriculture, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics and Arts.-Laureates:...
along with Raphael David LevineRaphael David LevineRaphael David Levine is an Israeli chemist who is a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles...
of Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
for "their incisive theoretical studies elucidating energy acquisition and disposal in molecular systems and mechanisms for dynamical selectivity and specificity". - in 2008, he received the "Emet" prize.
Personal life
He is married to Ruth T. Jortner, a cardiologist. His son Roni is a biologistBiologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and his daughter Iris is a cellist.
External links
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients