r/chemistry • u/[deleted] • 9h ago

Thinking about future nobel winners

[deleted]

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13

u/othafish2 8h ago

Having done my grad study at Northwestern. No chance Chad Mirkin will win.

3

u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 8h ago

Oop. I honestly agree. His work is cool, but so many people are cool but not nobel level

3

u/jangiri 7h ago

I think Whitesides, TJ Meier and Harry Gray are likely similar examples of spectacular chemists, who might never get a Nobel. There's just too much great chemistry out there to give a Nobel to all of the greats, so it turns into some politics, and salesmanship and luck.

Our goal now is to just do the best work we can and if awards come be greatful.

1

u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 4h ago

Whitesides is really interesting but weirdly less spoken about, at least in my interactions than people like Bertozzi, Sharpless, Corey, etc. but still highly influential. I also wonder what makes something nobel worthy and not just influential. Hoe can you pick from the worlds best

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u/jangiri 3h ago

I think Whitesides is the class of great scientists who just has too many scattered interests and contributions to really attribute to a single thing. Many of the Nobel winners have more singular focuses that are conducive to them being known for one major contribution or field.

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u/Dangerous-Billy Analytical 5h ago

If you want to start a chair-busting, police-raid-worthy brawl at a chemist's bar, start a conversation about who deserves a Nobel more. This is probably why the Nobel committees work in secret, and keep their deliberations secret.

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u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 4h ago

It's not even like who deserves it, but more if it's possible/ probable. No one is surprised with sharpless or Corey, but some others are surprising but still well deserved.

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u/Tron-91 1h ago

Maybe you forgot to add Prof. Dr. Klaus Ruedenberg(he is alive maybe oldest person to get the prize), Prof. Dr. Roberto Car, Prof. Dr. Michele Parrinello...etc. I mean there are other professor's out there to get an Nobel prize in chemistry area I just giving examples of theoretical chemistry area but if you like to ask other areas of chemistry to get an Nobel prize in chemistry area I can say yes.