The Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences is one of twelve faculties at the

University of Heidelberg } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

. It comprises the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Geography, Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Institute of Mineralogy, and the Institute of Environmental Geochemistry. Chemistry was established as a separate discipline at the University of Heidelberg in 1817 with

Leopold Gmelin Leopold Gmelin (2 August 1788 – 13 April 1853) was a German chemist. Gmelin was a professor at the University of Heidelberg He worked on the red prussiate and created Gmelin's test, and wrote his ''Handbook of Chemistry'', which over successi ...

being appointed ordinary professor of chemistry and medicine. 1895 is considered to be the date of foundation of

Geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...

at the University of Heidelberg as it was from this year on that lectures in physical and mathematical geography were held on a regular basis. In 1899 the first professorship in geography was established, filled by

Alfred Hettner Alfred Hettner (August 6, 1859 in Dresden – August 31, 1941 in Heidelberg) was a German geographer. He is known for his concept of chorology, the study of places and regions, a concept that influenced both Carl O. Sauer and Richard Hartsh ...

Institute of Inorganic Chemistry

Institute of Organic Chemistry

Institute of Physical Chemistry

The main research areas of the Institute of Physical Chemistry are: * laser-induced chemical processes and laser diagnostics of technical combustion and catalytical processes * single molecule spectroscopy of biological samples * dynamic regulation of adhesive contacts and of the cytoskeleton architecture of biological cells using novel micro- and nanostructured materials * design and advanced characterization of functional surfaces and interfaces * biocompatible coatings for biotechnology and medical applications * nanolithography and -technology * chemical and biochemical sensors * x-ray microscopy and holography * theoretical studies of the electronic structure and dynamics of molecules * theoretical investigations to reveal new phenomena in prototype neutral and charged molecular species

Institute of Geography

The first professorship in geography was established in 1899, filled by

. The earth scientist Bernhard Eitel is currently the rector of the University of Heidelberg.

Institute of Geology and Paleontology

Paleontology Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

was established in 1823 with lectures by Heinrich Georg Bronn.

Institute of Mineralogy

The first chair for mineralogy was established in 1817 with Karl Cesar von Leonhard.

Institute of Environmental Geochemistry

Prof. German Müller established the Institute of Environmental Geochemistry in 1993. The main research areas of the institute are: *the rates and mechanisms of chemical weathering of rock-forming minerals, including surface studies of reactions at the mineral-water interface *chemical and isotopic evolution of atmospheric aerosols derived from rock-weathering, and their variation with Holocene climate change *geochemical studies of lake sediments and peat bog archives of these records, including chemical weathering and early diagenesis *physical and chemical processes at mineral-water interfaces such as adsorption, desorption, and redox transformations *the chemical and isotopic evolution of natural waters, including diffusion chamber studies of early diagenetic reactions in sediments *transformation of element species in soils and sediments and natural waters intensity and rates of humification of natural organic matter *natural halogenation and de-halogenation of organic molecules development of hyphenated instrumental techniques (HPLC-AAS, HPLC-ICP-AES, GC-MS) and pyrolytic methods for species analysis

Noted chemists and earth scientists

* Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz *

Robert Bunsen Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen (; 30 March 1811 – 16 August 1899) was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium (in 1860) and rubidium (in 1861) with the physicist Gustav Kirchhoff. The Bu ...

Victor Meyer Viktor Meyer (8 September 18488 August 1897) was a German chemist and significant contributor to both organic and inorganic chemistry. He is best known for inventing an apparatus for determining vapour densities, the Viktor Meyer apparatus, and f ...

* Theodor Curtius *

Gustav Kirchhoff Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (; 12 March 1824 – 17 October 1887) was a German physicist who contributed to the fundamental understanding of electrical circuits, spectroscopy, and the emission of black-body radiation by heated objects. He ...

Hermann von Helmholtz Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (31 August 1821 – 8 September 1894) was a German physicist and physician who made significant contributions in several scientific fields, particularly hydrodynamic stability. The Helmholtz Associatio ...

Emil Erlenmeyer Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer (28 June 182522 January 1909), known simply as Emil Erlenmeyer, was a German chemist known for contributing to the early development of the theory of structure, formulating the Erlenmeyer rule, and designing ...

* Dmitri Mendeleev *

Carl Bosch Carl Bosch (; 27 August 1874 – 26 April 1940) was a German chemist and engineer and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. He was a pioneer in the field of high-pressure industrial chemistry and founder of IG Farben, at one point the world's largest ...

Harry Rosenbusch (Karl) Heinrich/Harry (Ferdinand) Rosenbusch (24 June 1836 – 20 January 1914) was a German petrographer. Harry Rosenbusch was born in Einbeck. He taught at Heidelberg University (1877–1908), where he founded the ''Mineralogisches-geologische ...

* Victor Mordechai Goldschmidt *

Paul Ramdohr Paul A. Ramdohr (1 January 1890 in Überlingen – 8 March 1985 in Hohensachsen/ Weinheim), was a German mineralogist, ore deposit-researcher and a pioneer of ore microscopy. Life After attending school at the "Alten Gymnasium" of Darmstadt ...

* Julia Lermotova

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heidelberg University Faculty Of Chemistry And Earth Sciences Heidelberg University