Professor A. Stephen K. Hashmi is a distinguished leader in organic chemistry and holds the Chair of Organic Chemistry at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, where he has been a faculty member since 2007. Born in Munich in 1963, he completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, earning his diploma and doctorate under Professor G. Szeimies. Following his PhD, he conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University with Professor Barry M. Trost and completed his habilitation at Freie Universität Berlin and Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. His academic career includes professorships at Philipps-Universität Marburg and Universität Stuttgart before his appointment at Heidelberg, where he served as Vice Rector for Research and Transfer from 2013 to 2019 and currently directs the International Science Forum Heidelberg.
Professor Hashmi has achieved worldwide recognition for his pioneering work in homogeneous gold catalysis, establishing himself as a leading authority in this specialized field. His research encompasses the development of innovative gold catalysts, synthesis methodologies, and comprehensive mechanistic studies utilizing techniques such as isotope labeling, in situ spectroscopy from IR to EXAFS, and computational chemistry. His contributions have significantly advanced the understanding of transition-metal catalysis with potential applications in pharmaceutical development and organic electronics. The practical implications of his work extend to creating more efficient synthetic pathways for bioactive compounds and materials with specialized electronic properties.
Beyond his laboratory research, Professor Hashmi serves as Editor of the Springer/Nature journal Gold Bulletin and maintains active memberships in ChemPubSoc Europe, the German Chemical Society, and the American Chemical Society. He has received numerous prestigious honors including the Karl-Ziegler Fellowship, ORCHEM price for young researchers, and Heisenberg Fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. His international recognition is evidenced by distinguished lectureships at institutions including the Czech Academy of Sciences, Xiamen University in China, and the University of Western Ontario. As both an honorary member of the Argentinian Society of Organic Chemistry and an honorary professor at King Abdulaziz University, his influence continues to shape the global chemistry community through collaborative research and academic leadership.
