This book offers a panoramic view of science through the perspective of Istvan Hargittai, an internationally renowned Hungarian researcher and educator in physical chemistry. He has had worldwide collaboration in molecular science, symmetry studies, and science history bridging East and West during these experiences. He has talked with hundreds of luminaries of science and mathematics, in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, pharmacology, and materials science, among them one hundred Nobel laureates, but here, Hargittai himself was the interviewee in 23 conversations. They have appeared in the print media, radio, and television in diverse international forums. These conversations cut across political systems and geographical areas and reflect his scientific experience in European countries, the United States, and Russia spanning over 4 decades, and his life experiences over 8 decades. His scientific and writing output has included numerous books in structural chemistry, symmetry, the American and Soviet nuclear projects, James D Watson, Edward Teller, emigration, candid conversations with famous scientists, 4 great cities of science, the culture, art, and nature of scientific discovery, the traits of scientific discoverers, and the Nobel Prize. Some of the greatest scientists of our time wrote forewords to his books and commented on his writings and other achievements. Reviews of his books have appeared in Nature, Scientific American, Physics Today, Chemistry and Industry, Lancet, The Mathematical Intelligencer, and elsewhere. This volume dips into all these aspects of a scientific life and career and offers education through entertainment for a broadest possible readership interested in what science is and what and how it does.
Contents:
- About Microphone in Hand
- About the Author
- Also by the Author
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Part One: Selection of Interviews:
- Zsuzsa Regős, 'Researching Molecules,' Conversation with Professor Istvan Hargittai
- B T, 'Prize from America' (Excerpts) Ölet (Former Hungarian Magazine of Innovations) 1987, September, p. 30
- Interview by Lou Massa, City University New York (CUNY) Television, Manhattan, 1997
- Andrea Ferenczi, 'Stockholm Before and After' (Excerpts) Élet és Tudomány, 2002/50, 1577–1579 (Popular Science Weekly)
- Andrea Ferenczi, 'Encounters, Lives, Trains ...' (Excerpts) Hetek, 2003, June 13, p. 14 (Cultural Weekly)
- István Palugyai, 'The Hobby of an Academician: Doing Interviews' (Excerpts) Népszabadság, (Former Daily Newspaper), 2003
- Szilvia Krizsó, Interpress Magazin, June 2004, 48–51 (Excerpts)
- V V Blagutina, 'Deep Drills and Scrapers.' Khimiya i Zhizn, 2006, No. 7, 20–21 (Russian Popular Chemistry Magazine)
- Technion Television, Haifa, 2011, January 12 (Interview with Prof. Istvan Hargittai (Youtube.com), Excerpts)
- József Hubert, 'Deterrence is the Key to Peace' (Excerpts) Hetek, 2011, June 24, 20–21 (Cultural Weekly)
- Vera Silberer, 'Dissemination of Knowledge and Culture' (Excerpts) Magyar Kémikusok Lapja (Hungarian Chemists' Magazine), 2012, July–August 67(7–8), 229–232
- Tamás Ungvári, ATV Television, 2012, June 9. Published in Tamás Ungvári, Szokatlan Beszélgetések (Unusual Conversations), Budapest: Scolar, 2013, 124–132
- Krisztina Pécsi, Catholic Radio Budapest, 2014, May 13, 'Conversation with Istvan Hargittai about His New Book, Buried Glory: Portraits of Soviet Scientists.'
- Jeremy N A Matthews, 'Questions and Answers with Istvan Hargittai.' Physics Today 2014, August 28.
- Csaba Molnár, 'Cracks in the Pavement' (Excerpts). Magyar Nemzet, August 27, 2016 (Daily Newspaper)
- Zsuzsa Kun, Klub Radio Budapest, July 11, 2020, Following the Publication of Mosaic of a Scientific Life. Excerpts from the Conversation
- Krisztina Pécsi, Catholic Radio, Budapest, October 30, 2020, Conversation with Istvan Hargittai about the New Book in Hungarian, Edited by His Son, Balazs Hargittai, Presenting a Selection of Istvan Hargittai's Non-Technical Writings
- Júlia Váradi, Klub Radio. June 16, 2021 Csaba Károlyi, 'Something about the Art of Interviewing.' Élet és Irodalom, June 25, 2021 (Literary Weekly)
- Conversation with László Nyulászi at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, November 28, 2021, Celebrating Istvan Hargittai's (b. August 11, 1941) 80th Birthday, in Front of a Live Audience
- Marjorie Senechal, 'Turning the Table: A Conversation with István Hargittai'
- Interview of Academia Europaea (AE) with Istvan Hargittai in Spring 2023 on the Publication of Istvan Hargittai and Balazs Hargittai, Brilliance in Exile: The Diaspora of Hungarian Scientists from John von Neumann to Katalin Karikó
- Conversation with Michael L Miller, Central European University, Budapest, September 21, 2023, in Front of a Live Audience (Excerpts)
- Part Two: Selection of Forewords and Reviews:
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, Symmetry Through the Eyes of a Chemist, 3 Editions, 1986 (VCH), 1995 (Plenum), 2009 (Springer)
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, Symmetry: A Unifying Concept (Bolinas, California: Shelter, 1994)
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, In Our Own Image: Personal Symmetry in Discovery, New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum 2000
- Istvan Hargittai, Candid Science: Conversations with Famous Chemists. Edited by Magdolna Hargittai, London: Imperial College Press, 2000
- Istvan Hargittai, Candid Science II: Conversations with Famous Biomedical Scientists. Edited by Magdolna Hargittai, London: Imperial College Press, 2002
- Istvan Hargittai, Candid Science III: More Conversations with Famous Chemists. Edited by Magdolna Hargittai, London: Imperial College Press, 2003
- Magdolna Hargittai, Istvan Hargittai, Candid Science IV: Conversations with Famous Physicists. London: Imperial College Press, 2004
- Balazs Hargittai, Istvan Hargittai, Candid Science V: Conversations with Famous Scientists. London: Imperial College Press, 2004
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, Candid Science VI: More Conversations with Famous Scientists. London: Imperial College Press, 2006
- Istvan Hargittai, The Road to Stockholm: Nobel Prizes, Science, and Scientists. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002
- Istvan Hargittai, Our Lives: Encounters of a Scientist. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2004
- Istvan Hargittai, The Martians of Science: Five Physicists Who Changed the Twentieth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006
- Istvan Hargittai, The DNA Doctor: Candid Conversations with James D Watson. Singapore, etc., World Scientific, 2007
- Istvan Hargittai, Judging Edward Teller: A Closer Look at One of the Most Influential Scientists of the Twentieth Century. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2010
- Istvan Hargittai, Drive and Curiosity: What Fuels the Passion for Science. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2011
- Istvan Hargittai, Buried Glory: Portraits of Soviet Scientists. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013
- Balazs Hargittai, Istvan Hargittai, Wisdom of the Martians of Science: In Their Own Words with Commentaries. Singapore, etc., World Scientific, 2016
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, New York Scientific: A Culture of Inquiry, Knowledge, and Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, Moscow Scientific: Memorials of a Research Empire. Singapore: World Scientific, 2019
- Istvan Hargittai, Mosaic of a Scientific Life. Springer Nature, 2020
- Istvan Hargittai, Magdolna Hargittai, Science in London: A Guide to Memorials. Springer Nature, 2021
- Istvan Hargittai, Balazs Hargittai, Brilliance in Exile: The Diaspora of Hungarian Scientists from John von Neumann to Katalin Karikó. Budapest: Central European University Press, 2023
- Name Index
Readership: This book will be of interest to professionals and students in STEM fields and individuals seeking inspiration and insights into scientific careers.
