How Science Runs

Eric J. Mittemeijer was born in 1950 in Haarlem, the Netherlands. He studied “chemical technology,” with specialization in physical chemistry, at the Delft University of Technology and acquired his “ingenieur (= Ir.)” degree (comparable to a M.Sc. degree) in 1972 and his Ph.D. degree in 1978. From 1985 till 1998, he was full Professor of Solid State Chemistry at the Delft University of Technology. From 1998 till 2017, he was Director at the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research (later renamed in Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems) in Stuttgart in conjunction with a full Professorship in Materials Science at the University of Stuttgart. He was Dean of the Study Course Materials Science of the University of Stuttgart and Speaker of the International Max Planck Research School on Advanced Materials. He has (co-)authored about 700 scientific papers in international scientific journals, published a number of books and has received a number of honors for his scientific work.

“This is a fascinating book that should appeal to anyone wanting to have a view of the life of a typical academic scientist. … this book is thought provoking and should be of interest to anyone already working in science, especially those intending to work in science. There are many warnings and, at the same time, delights to be found in the numerous anecdotes and descriptions provided by the author. It is a generally good and entertaining read.” (A. Mike Glazer, Journal of Applied Crystallography, Vol. 56, 2023)“The book is a mixture of family history, the history of science, an insight into the politics of science, impressions of the publishing world … . It is recommended reading for researchers at all levels who are interested in materials-science research, funding and politics.… This book is a gem. A gem in the rough perhaps, but all the more genuine and valuable (to many) for that.” (C. Barry Carter, Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 58, 2023)

• The Parents.- Growing Up.- Touching Science; School Years.- The Notions Science and Physical Law.- The Becoming of a Scientist.