Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The combination of advanced experiment with advanced computational tools has allowed Helmut Schwarz to elucidate the functioning of chemical reactions atom by atom, with an unprecedented level of detail. He has run experiments in the gas phase, isolating the atoms one at a time and controlling the reaction environment in such a way that each result could be traced to a single atom rather than the collective effort of thousands. The means to isolate atoms to observe their individual behavior was provided by the mass spectrometer, a tool invented over 100 years ago but never before used for this purpose.
00:04 Professor Schwarz, could you explain what your fundamental contributions have been to the field of catalysis and how they have helped to control and accelerate chemical reactions in a more efficient manner?
01:02 What industrial applications have already been developed as a result of your research?
02:15 In what ways do you think your work reflects the fundamental importance of basic research in chemistry to expand knowledge and benefit society?
Everything about his contribution: frontiersofknowledgeawards-fbbva.es/galardonados/helmut-schwarz-2
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The combination of advanced experiment with advanced computational tools has allowed Helmut Schwarz to elucidate the functioning of chemical reactions atom by atom, with an unprecedented level of detail. He has run experiments in the gas phase, isolating the atoms one at a time and controlling the reaction environment in such a way that each result could be traced to a single atom rather than the collective effort of thousands. The means to isolate atoms to observe their individual behavior was provided by the mass spectrometer, a tool invented over 100 years ago but never before used for this purpose.
00:04 Professor Schwarz, could you explain what your fundamental contributions have been to the field of catalysis and how they have helped to control and accelerate chemical reactions in a more efficient manner?
01:02 What industrial applications have already been developed as a result of your research?
02:15 In what ways do you think your work reflects the fundamental importance of basic research in chemistry to expand knowledge and benefit society?
Everything about his contribution: frontiersofknowledgeawards-fbbva.es/galardonados/helmut-schwarz-2
Follow us and learn about all our initiatives:
Twitter: twitter.com/FundacionBBVA
Facebook: facebook.com/FundacionBBVA
LinkedIn: es.linkedin.com/company/fundacion-bbva
