Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, 1900-1977: A Biographical Memoir

Abstract

Arie Jan Haagen-Smit was born December 22, 1900, in Utrecht, a city in west central Holland. His father was the chief chemist of the Netherlands Royal Mint. The mint made gold and silver coins, and Arie's first chemistry lesson consisted of playing hide-and-seek with his sisters among piles of gold and silver bricks at the mint. He also had the opportunity to watch his father dissolve gold and silver coins to analyze them for their gold, silver, and copper content. But Arie's interest in chemistry was not aroused; he found the chemistry of gold and silver quite dull.

Files

Additional details