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Jens Nørskov
open-in-new
<h2 id="education">Education</h2> <p>Nørskov earned his MSc in Physics and Chemistry in 1976 and his PhD in <a href="/facts/Theoretical_Physics/Cs2Y12rQ">Theoretical Physics</a> in 1979 from the <a href="/facts/University_of_Aarhus/HV9RTWYH">University of Aarhus</a> Denmark under B. I. Lundqvist.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="academic-career">Academic career</h2> <p>Nørskov is known for his theoretical work on description of surfaces, catalysis, materials, nanostructures, and biomolecules. His work on computer-based heterogeneous catalysis has in several instances led to the development of new ideas for catalysts for e.g. ammonia synthesis and fuel-cells.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> He holds honorary doctorates from the <a href="/facts/Eindhoven_University_of_Technology/rQJCLsVy">Eindhoven University of Technology</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> the <a href="/facts/Norwegian_University_of_Science_and_Technology/coNgx3qv">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a> (NTNU), and from the Technical University of Munich (TUM).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> He is a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> the Danish Academy of Engineering,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> Academia Europaea<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> and a foreign member of the US National Academy of Engineering.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>Following his PhD, he served as a research fellow, postdoctoral associate and staff scientist at various institutions – including <a href="/facts/IBM_T.J._Watson_Research_Center/XfGnAzRW">IBM T.J. Watson Research Center</a>, and <a href="/facts/Haldor_Tops%25C3%25B8e_(company)/rcS78knx">Haldor Topsoe</a>. In 1987, Norskov began serving as a research professor at <a href="/facts/Technical_University_of_Denmark/vLv1zoBQ">Technical University of Denmark</a> and was named professor of theoretical physics in 1992. In June 2010, he moved to Stanford University to become the Leland T. Edwards Professor of Chemical Engineering and the Founding Director of the SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis. In July 2018, he moved back to the Technical University of Denmark to hold the Villum Kann Rasmussen Chair.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> Nørskov is currently the chair of the Danish National Research Foundation. </p> <h2 id="personal-life">Personal life</h2> <p>Jens Nørskov is married to Bodil. </p> <h2 id="books">Books</h2> <ul><li><i>Fundamental Concepts in Heterogeneous Catalysis</i>, Jens Nørskov, Felix Studt, Frank Abild-Pedersen, Thomas Bligaard.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></li> <li><i>Chemical Bonding at Surfaces and Interfaces</i>, edited by <a href="/facts/Anders_Nilsson_(scientist)/fT2T0SHM">Anders Nilsson</a>, Lars G.M. Pettersson, Jens Nørskov.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></li> <li><i>Fuel Cell Science: Theory, Fundamentals, and Biocatalysis</i>, edited by Andrzej Wieckowski, Jens Nørskov.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="honours-and-awards">Honours and awards</h2> <ul><li>2022: <a href="/facts/ENI_award/WxJSuPNn">ENI award</a> Energy Frontiers prize<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a></li> <li>2018: <a href="/facts/Niels_Bohr_International_Gold_Medal/deob00Ja">Niels Bohr International Gold Medal</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a></li> <li>2018: ETH Zurich Chemical Engineering Medal <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a></li> <li>2016: <a href="/facts/European_Inventor_Award/wLYF5hDW">European Inventor Award</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a></li> <li>2016: Murray Ramsey Award <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a></li> <li>2015: The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prize <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a></li> <li>2015: Rigmor and Carl Holst-Knudsen's Science Prize <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a></li> <li>2015: <a href="/facts/Irving_Langmuir_Prize_in_Chemical_Physics/h2PqBwl3">Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a></li> <li>2014: Michel Boudart Award for the Advancement of Catalysis <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a></li> <li>2013: Hagemann Medal</li> <li>2011: Giuseppe Parravano Memorial Award for Excellence in Catalysis Research <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a></li> <li>2009: Alwin Mittasch Award (jointly)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a></li> <li>2009: Gerhard Ertl Lecture Award <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28"><sup>28</sup></a></li> <li>2009: Gabor A. Somorjai Award for Creative Research in Catalysis <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29"><sup>29</sup></a></li> <li>2009: Science of Hydrogen and Energy Award</li> <li>2007: Grundfos Prize</li> <li>2007: Mulliken medal</li> <li>2007: Innovation Prize</li> <li>2003: Elected <a href="/facts/Fellow_of_the_American_Physical_Society/DCkkU6dD">Fellow of the American Physical Society</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30"><sup>30</sup></a></li> <li>2003: Richard A. Glenn Award</li> <li>1991: Villum Kann Rasmussen's Award</li> <li>1990: Danish Physical Society's Prize</li> <li>1989: Samuel Friedman (Rescue) Award</li> <li>1987: Reinholdt W. Jorch's Award</li> <li>1979: ECOSS prize</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"DTU Department of Physics: Jens Nørskov". <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/service/phonebook/person?id=1875&tab=1" target="_blank">https://www.dtu.dk/english/service/phonebook/person?id=1875&tab=1</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Jens's CV" <a href="http://www.staff.dtu.dk/-/media/Centre/CTC/Curriculum-Vitae/Jens-K-Noerskov-CV.ashx?la=da&hash=DFC0E17DC86D7AF9863D14C6D8BB1DD5C0B49C9D" target="_blank">http://www.staff.dtu.dk/-/media/Centre/CTC/Curriculum-Vitae/Jens-K-Noerskov-CV.ashx?la=da&hash=DFC0E17DC86D7AF9863D14C6D8BB1DD5C0B49C9D</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Nørskov, Jens K. (16 January 2025). "Short Autobiography of Jens K. Nørskov". The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 129 (2): 1027–1028. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c08365. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Nørskov receives the Somorjai Award". Archived from the original on 2012-01-29. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120129152812/http://www.dtu.dk/English/About_DTU/News.aspx?guid=%7B78F8B735-7CE6-4744-A882-C279E65BD60E%7D" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120129152812/http://www.dtu.dk/English/About_DTU/News.aspx?guid=%7B78F8B735-7CE6-4744-A882-C279E65BD60E%7D</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Cheaper catalysts designed by Computer". <a href="http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/June/05060802.asp" target="_blank">http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/June/05060802.asp</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Hydrogen production". MSNBC. <a href="http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/05/02/6571207-fill-er-up-with-hydrogen" target="_blank">http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/05/02/6571207-fill-er-up-with-hydrogen</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"TU/e honorary doctorate". Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120330143004/http://www.camd.dtu.dk/English/Events/Latest_news.aspx?guid=%7B5DBBF795-DC59-4879-9CD5-B08836FEE91A%7D" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120330143004/http://www.camd.dtu.dk/English/Events/Latest_news.aspx?guid=%7B5DBBF795-DC59-4879-9CD5-B08836FEE91A%7D</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"NTNU's overview of honorary doctorates" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140102200919/http://www.ntnu.no/forskning/aeresdoktorer" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140102200919/http://www.ntnu.no/forskning/aeresdoktorer</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters". <a href="http://www.royalacademy.dk/en/Members/Noerskov-Jens-Kehlet" target="_blank">http://www.royalacademy.dk/en/Members/Noerskov-Jens-Kehlet</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Akademiet for de Tekniske Videnskaber" (PDF). <a href="https://atv.dk/sites/atv.dk/files/media/document/Medlemsliste_ATV_oktober_2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://atv.dk/sites/atv.dk/files/media/document/Medlemsliste_ATV_oktober_2018.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Academia Europaea". <a href="https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Acad_Main/List_of_Members" target="_blank">https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Acad_Main/List_of_Members</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"US National Academy of Engineering". <a href="https://www.nae.edu/MemberDirectory.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/MemberDirectory.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"DTU professorship for top researcher from Stanford University". <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/news/2018/01/dtu-professorship-for-top-researcher-from-stanford-university?id=21ed8a03-2f5c-4254-bf29-1061b0c1c43e" target="_blank">https://www.dtu.dk/english/news/2018/01/dtu-professorship-for-top-researcher-from-stanford-university?id=21ed8a03-2f5c-4254-bf29-1061b0c1c43e</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Nørskov, Jens K.; Studt, Felix; Abild-Pedersen, Frank; Bligaard, Thomas (25 August 2014). Fundamental Concepts in Heterogeneous Catalysis. ISBN 978-1-118-89202-2. <a href="978-1-118-89202-2" target="_blank">978-1-118-89202-2</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Nilsson, Anders; Pettersson, Lars G. M.; Norskov, Jens (11 August 2011). Chemical Bonding. ISBN 978-0-08-055191-3. <a href="978-0-08-055191-3" target="_blank">978-0-08-055191-3</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Wieckowski, Andrzej; Norskov, Jens (14 February 2011). Fuel Cell Science. ISBN 978-1-118-06311-8. <a href="978-1-118-06311-8" target="_blank">978-1-118-06311-8</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Eni award 2022". Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved 2021-05-17. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210517120458/https://www.eni.com/en-IT/scientific-research/eni-award.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20210517120458/https://www.eni.com/en-IT/scientific-research/eni-award.html</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"Niels Bohr International Gold Medal 2018". Copenhagen University. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190415115842/https://bohrmedal.com/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20190415115842/https://bohrmedal.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"Winners of the ETH Zurich Chemical Engineering Medal". ETH Zurich. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://chab.ethz.ch/en/research/institutes/ICB/eth-zurich-chemical-engineering-medal.html" target="_blank">https://chab.ethz.ch/en/research/institutes/ICB/eth-zurich-chemical-engineering-medal.html</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Exceptional inventors receive European Inventor Award 2016 at ceremony in Lisbon". EPO. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://www.epo.org/news-events/news/2016/20160609.html" target="_blank">https://www.epo.org/news-events/news/2016/20160609.html</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"The 26th Biennial Organic Reactions Catalysis Society Conference". North American Catalysis Society. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="http://nacatsoc.org/news/the-26th-biennial-organic-reactions-catalysis-society-conference/" target="_blank">http://nacatsoc.org/news/the-26th-biennial-organic-reactions-catalysis-society-conference/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"The Carlsberg Foundation's Research Prizes 2015". Carlsberg Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190618123935/https://www.carlsbergfondet.dk/en/Forskningsaktiviteter/Carlsbergfondets-Forskningspris/Forskningsprisen-2015" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20190618123935/https://www.carlsbergfondet.dk/en/Forskningsaktiviteter/Carlsbergfondets-Forskningspris/Forskningsprisen-2015</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>"Videnskabsprisens modtagere 2015". Aarhus University. Retrieved 14 September 2020.[permanent dead link] <a href="https://medarbejdere.au.dk/strategi/tilbagevendende-events/prisoverraekkelser/videnskabsprisens-modtagere-2015/" target="_blank">https://medarbejdere.au.dk/strategi/tilbagevendende-events/prisoverraekkelser/videnskabsprisens-modtagere-2015/</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics". American Physical Society. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/prizes/langmuir.cfm" target="_blank">https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/prizes/langmuir.cfm</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>"Michel Boudart Award for the Advancement of Catalysis". Michel Boudart Award for the Advancement of Catalysis. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="http://nacatsoc.org/awards/boudart/" target="_blank">http://nacatsoc.org/awards/boudart/</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>"Awards". The Michigan Chapter of the North American Catalysis Society. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://www.mcnacs.org/awards" target="_blank">https://www.mcnacs.org/awards</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>"Alwin Mittasch Prize 2009 for Jens Weitkamp and Jens Nørskov". DECHEMA. Retrieved 14 September 2020.[permanent dead link] <a href="https://dechema.de/en/About+DECHEMA/Press/Press+Releases/Archive/2010/03_2010+Alwin+Mittasch-p-123573.html?highlight=n%C3%B8rskov" target="_blank">https://dechema.de/en/About+DECHEMA/Press/Press+Releases/Archive/2010/03_2010+Alwin+Mittasch-p-123573.html?highlight=n%C3%B8rskov</a> <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:28"><p>"Gerhard Ertl Lecture & Award". Fritz Haber Institute. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://www.fhi.mpg.de/gerhard-ertl-lecture-award" target="_blank">https://www.fhi.mpg.de/gerhard-ertl-lecture-award</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:29"><p>"Gabor A. Somorjai Award for Creative Research in Catalysis". American Chemical Society. Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140903041049/http://webapps.acs.org/findawards/detail.jsp?ContentId=CTP_004525" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140903041049/http://webapps.acs.org/findawards/detail.jsp?ContentId=CTP_004525</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:30"><p>"APS Fellow Archive". APS. Retrieved 14 September 2020. <a href="https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=&year=2003&unit_id=&institution=" target="_blank">https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=&year=2003&unit_id=&institution=</a> <a href="#fnref:30" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>