Oral history interview with Haldor F. A. Topsøe
- 1999-Apr-19
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Born in Copenhagen, he grew up in Denmark, and was very involved in his father's Samfundshjælpen, which taught him the importance of collaboration between social classes. Topsøe studied at the Technical University, taking numerous courses in physics, chemistry, and chemical engineering. When he married in 1936, he became involved in his father-in-law's activities in teaching young people to run businesses. As a chemical engineer, and later, a businessman, Topsøe gained an interest in the relationship between economics and science. He discusses his firm's involvement in catalysis, how Haldor Topsøe A/S began, and the scientific research that had previously been done on catalysis. Topsøe further discusses the transfer of technology to India and the Third World, the impact of the Green Revolution on chemical industries, and his company's work in refining. He concludes with comments on the future of innovation.
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About the Interviewers
David C. Brock is a senior research fellow with the Center for Contemporary History and Policy at the Chemical Heritage Foundation. As a historian of science and technology, he specializes in the history of semiconductor science, technology, and industry; the history of instrumentation; and oral history. Brock has studied the philosophy, sociology, and history of science at Brown University, the University of Edinburgh, and Princeton University.In the policy arena Brock recently published Patterning the World: The Rise of Chemically Amplified Photoresists, a white-paper case study for the Center’s Studies in Materials Innovation. With Hyungsub Choi he is preparing an analysis of semiconductor technology roadmapping, having presented preliminary results at the 2009 meeting of the Industry Studies Association.
Leo Slater was the 2001–2002 John C. Haas Fellow and a senior research historian at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, where he also served as Director of Historical Services from 1997 to 2000. A former research chemist at the Schering-Plough Research Institute, he received his doctorate in History from Princeton University in 1997.
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| Oral history number | 0180 |
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Interviewee biographical information
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Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Danish Technical University | MS | Chemical Engineering |
Professional Experience
Aarhus Oliefabrik A/S
- 1936 to 1939
Haldor Topsøe A/S
- 1939 to 2013 Founder
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1944 | G. A. Hagemann Medal |
| 1968 | Honorary Doctor of Philosophy, Aarhus University |
| 1969 | Honorary Doctor of Technology, Danish Technical University |
| 1982 | C. F. Tietgen Medal |
| 1984 | Queen's Medal for Meritorious Services |
| 1985 | Royal Academy of Sciences Gold Medal |
| 1986 | Honorary Doctor of Technology, Chalmers University |
| 1988 | Odre National de la Légion d'Honneur |
| 1989 | Francis New Memorial Medal |
| 1991 | The Hoover Medal |
| 1996 | Order of Intellectual Capacity, Morocco |
| 1997 | Eminent Chemical Engineer Award, Delhi, India |
| 2016 | The Chemists' Club's Winthrop-Sears Medal |
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The published version of the transcript may diverge from the interview audio due to edits to the transcript made by staff of the Center for Oral History, often at the request of the interviewee, during the transcript review process.