- John Cornforth
Infobox_Scientist
name = John Conforth
imagesize = 180px
caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1917|9|7
birth_place =Sydney ,Australia
nationality =Australia
field =Chemistry
work_institution =University of Sussex
alma_mater =University of Sydney
St Catherine's College, Oxford
doctoral_advisor =
doctoral_students=
known_for =Stereochemistry ofenzyme -catalyzed reactions
prizes =Corday-Morgan medal (1949)
Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1975)
Royal Medal (1976)
Copley Medal (1982)Sir John Warcup 'Kappa' Cornforth AC, CBE, FRS (born
7 September 1917 ), is anAustralia n scientist who won theNobel Prize in Chemistry in 1975 for his work on thestereochemistry ofenzyme -catalyzed reactions. He has been profoundlydeaf since his teens.Cornforth was born in
Sydney , and educated atSydney Boys High School andSydney University (from 16 years of age) where he met his wife Rita Harradence. He studiedorganic chemistry and graduated with first-class honours and a University medal in 1937. He won a scholarship to study atSt Catherine's College, Oxford , and moved there with Rita.Cornforth had a profound influence on the work on
penicillin during the war. He helped to write "The Chemistry of Penicillin" (Princeton University Press, 1949), He received hisNobel Prize withVladimir Prelog in 1975 and wasknight ed in 1977. He was awarded theCorday-Morgan medal in 1953,Royal Medal in 1976 and theCopley Medal in 1982.He is a member of the
Royal Society and is still very active in chemistry research at theUniversity of Sussex . This section from longer archive recordings shows his warmth and personality, and gives an insight into an amazing man who has overcome deafness to pursue a brilliant career in science. He was named theAustralian of the Year in 1975.External links
* [http://nobelprize.org/chemistry/laureates/1975/cornforth-autobio.html Bio from nobelprize.org]
* [http://vegaserver1.hpc.susx.ac.uk:8080/ramgen/face2face/cornforth.rm Face To Face Interview With John Cornfoth by The Vega Science Trust] (audio)
* [http://www.vega.org.uk/series/vrs/vrs4/index.php How to be right and wrong with John Cornforth by The Vega Science Trust]
* [http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/630 "Master of the Molecules" - Profile by Julian Cribb in "Cosmos Magazine", 6 September 2006]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.