13 Facts About Odd Hassel

Odd Hassel was a Norwegian physical chemist and Nobel Laureate.

Odd Hassel's parents were Ernst Hassel, a gynaecologist, and Mathilde Klaveness.

Odd Hassel furthered his research with a Rockefeller Fellowship, obtained with the help of Fritz Haber.

Odd Hassel's work was interrupted in October, 1943 when he and other university staff members were arrested by the Nasjonal Samling and handed over to the occupation authorities.

Odd Hassel spent time in several detention camps, until he was released in November, 1944.

Odd Hassel originally focused on inorganic chemistry, but beginning in 1930 his work concentrated on problems connected with molecular structure, particularly the structure of cyclohexane and its derivatives.

Odd Hassel introduced the Norwegian scientific community to the concepts of the electric dipole moments and electron diffraction.

Odd Hassel focused his research on ring-shaped carbon molecules, which he suspected filled three dimensions instead of two, the common belief of the time.

Odd Hassel was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1969, shared with English chemist Derek Barton.

Odd Hassel received the Guldberg-Waage Medal from the Norwegian Chemical Society and the Gunnerus Medal from the Royal Norwegian Society of Science and Letters, both in 1964.

Odd Hassel held honorary degrees from the University of Copenhagen and Stockholm University.

Odd Hassel was an honorary Fellow of the Norwegian Chemical Society, Chemical Society of London, Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters and Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Odd Hassel was made a Knight of the Order of St Olav in 1960.