David Ginsburg (chemist)
David Ginsburg was an Israeli research pioneer in the synthetic organic chemistry industry. He was born in New York City. At the age of 13 he immigrated to mandatory Palestine.
Research
Ginsburg’s main topic of research – that caused some international hype and controversy was the structure of natural products and the total synthesis of morphine. He was also involved heavily in the biosynthesis of alkaloids and insulation materials. He contributed to the first studies of Bfronflnim and the application of mass spectroscopy as well as the study of soapy structure.Academia
Ginsburg studied at the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv between 1933 and 1937. From 1948 to 1954, he worked at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Reḥovot. In 1954 he moved to the Haifa Technion to take on the role of professor of chemistry. For a year from 1961, he was acting president. Other roles he held there included: VP for research, dean of students and VP for development.In 1976, Ginsburg was elected to the Israel Academy of Sciences and the Chemical Society of America, Japan, Switzerland and the UK.
He was also a visiting professor at other highly reputable scientific institutions including: Brandies University, Cambridge University, Oxford University, Stanford University, Heidelberg’s Max Planck Institute and the University of Paris. He was president of the Israel Chemical Society and a member of the National Council for Research and Development.