Join us on 25 November as we explore the legacy of Walter Kohn, the 1998 joint winner of the Nobel prize in chemistry

Event details and registration

Register now

Join us for a compelling exploration of the life and discoveries of Walter Kohn, the Nobel prize-winning chemist and physicist whose groundbreaking invention of density functional theory (DFT) transformed quantum chemistry and materials science. This webinar will centre around a newly published biography that delves into Kohn’s extraordinary journey – from a childhood disrupted by Nazi persecution to his pivotal role in shaping modern theoretical physics.

Sir David Clary is the author of the biography Walter Kohn: from kindertransport and internment to DFT and the Nobel prize and he’ll be joining us live to discuss Kohn’s scientific contributions, the historical context of his work and the continuing impact of DFT across multiple disciplines.

There will also be a live Q&A session where attendees can ask questions about Kohn’s life and legacy. Whether you’re a scientist, student or simply curious about the human stories behind scientific revolutions, this hour-long, interactive session offers a rare glimpse into the mind and motivations of one of the 20th century’s most influential thinkers. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to reflect on the achievements of a physicist whose ideas continue to power some of today’s most cutting-edge technologies.

David Clary

Portrait of David Clary, an Emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford

Professor sir David Clary FRS, FRSC is an emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford, UK. Clary was president of Magdalen College, Oxford from 2005-2020 and was the first chief scientific advisor to the foreign office from 2009-2013. In addition, he was president of the Faraday division of the Royal Society of Chemistry from 2006-2009. Clary has held academic positions in Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester and has won numerous prizes – he has also been elected to many scientific academies for his research on the quantum theory of chemical reactions. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2016 for his contributions to international science and has recently published a trilogy of books on the theme of science and World War II: Schrödinger in Oxford, The Lost Scientists of World War II, and Walter Kohn: From Kindertransport and Internment to DFT and the Nobel Prize.

 

About the book

Book cover for Walter Kohn: From Kindertransport and Internment to DFT and the Nobel Prize

Walter Kohn invented density functional theory (DFT) – the modern method of choice for computer simulations of molecules and materials. This was achieved after a dramatic life story in which Kohn escaped from the Nazis on almost the last kindertransport train out of Vienna in August 1939, and was then interned in the UK as an ‘enemy alien’ and sent to a camp in a distant forest in Canada. Despite these huge hurdles he managed to have an outstanding academic career in North America which culminated in his discovery of DFT and his Nobel prize for chemistry in 1998. David Clary’s new biography of Walter Kohn is a fascinating chronicle of one of the great scientists of the 20th century who changed the way contemporary science is done and who has had a huge influence on the chemical sciences.

The book is available to order here. Use code WALTER25 at checkout to get 25% off. This code is valid until 30th November 2025. 

Event details and registration

Register now

To aid accessibility, automatically generated closed captions – which can be turned on and off at your leisure – will be available to all those attending live. Please note, a certificate of attendance will be provided soon after the event. You do not need to request this – only those who attend the webinar live will be eligible.

Topics