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Dionis Emerik Sunko

Dionis Emerik Sunko, Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Date of birth:

  • 09/26/1922

Place of birth:

  • Zagreb

Date of death:

  • 07/16/2010

Place of death:

  • Zagreb

Academic titles:

  • Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  • Professor doctor of sciences
  • Professor emeritus

Institutions:

  • Professor (retired) - Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
  • Professor emeritus - University of Zagreb

Membership in Academy:

  • Full member - The Department of Mathematical, Physical and Chemical Sciences (01/30/1997 - 07/16/2010)
  • Corresponding member - The Department of Mathematical, Physical and Chemical Sciences (06/18/1992 - 01/30/1997)

Place and Date of Birth: Zagreb, Croatia, September 26, 1922

Marital Status: married to Lia Raffaelli, two sons (Denis 1959, Aleksandar 1960)

Education:

  • 1946 University of Zagreb, Dipl. Ing. Degree in Chemistry
  • 1953 University of Zagreb, Ph. D. in Chemistry
  • 1957-59 University of Illinois, Urbana, ILL, USA (postdoc.)

Professional positions:

  • 1945-51 chemist, Research and Development Division, "Pliva" Chemical Works
  • 1951-59 research assistant, Medical Faculty, University of Zagreb
  • 1959-74 research associate to scientific advisor, head Laboratory of physical-organic chemistry, Institute Ruder Bošković, Zagreb
  • 1963-65 Chairman, department of Organic chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 1969-72 Institute Ruder Bošković
  • 1959-65 assistant professor to associate professor, Faculty of Technology, U. of Zagreb
  • 1971-92 full profesor, head, Laboratory of organic chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty of Science, U. of Zagreb
  • 1992 retired
  • 1997 professor emeritus U. of Zagreb

Visiting professorships

  • 1966 University of California, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1967 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1973 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
  • 1977 University of Southern Illinois, Carbondale, ILL
  • 1978/79 College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
  • 1983 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
  • 1987 Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY

Honors and Awards:

  • 1967 Ruđer Bošković award for scientific achievement (jointly with S. Borčić)
  • 1992 Republic of Croatia award for lifetime achievement
  • 1999 "Božo Težak" medal of the Croatian Chemical Society
  • 1998- Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts

Publications and lectures:

More than 100 scientific papers published in professional journals. Invited speaker at scientific congresses and other universities. Speaker at scientific meetings and universities at home and abroad.

Research Interests:

Synthetic and physical organic chemistry; reaction mechanisms, isotope effects in solvolytic reactions, structure and reactivity of carbocations.

Memberships in Professional Societies and Committees

  • 1946-  member, Croatian Chemical Society
  • 1957-66 member of the Editorial Board of Croatica Chemica Acta
  • 1968-70 president Croatian Chemical Society
  • 1974-78 president, Union of Yugoslav Chemical Societies
  • 1966-  member, American Chemical Society
  • 1982-  Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry, London
  • 1988-92 president, Croatian Society of Natural Sciences
  • 1990-97 member editorial board, Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry
  • 1991-92 member, Republic of Croatia Council for Education
  • 1992-   member, International Advisory Board, Perkin Transactions 2
  • 1979-93 member, International board of Europeaan Symposia on Organic Chemistry (ESOC)
  • 1991- member, International Advisory Committee, European Symposia on Organic Reactivity (ESOR).
  • 1992-97 corresponding member of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts (HAZU)
  • 1992-   member. Organizing Committee of the Winter School on Organic Reactivity (WISOR)
  • 1997-  Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts (HAZU)