Gerrit "Ger" Challa (born 18 December 1928) is a Dutch chemist. He was professor of chemistry and

polymer technology A polymer () is a chemical substance, substance or material that consists of very large molecules, or macromolecules, that are constituted by many repeat unit, repeating subunits derived from one or more species of monomers. Due to their br ...

at the

University of Groningen The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG; , abbreviated as RUG) is a Public university#Continental Europe, public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen (city), Groningen, Netherlands. Founded in 1614, th ...

from 1965 to 1993. Challa was born in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

. He studied chemistry between 1946 and 1953. He worked ten years for the Institute of Cellulose Research of the . Challa obtained his title of

doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

in maths and physics on 13 May 1959 under Jan Ketelaar at the

University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, ) is a public university, public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in 1632 by municipal authorities, it is the fourth-oldest academic institution in the Netherlan ...

. His thesis was titled: "Formation of polyethylene terephthalate by ester interchange : equilibria kinetics and molecular weight distribution". After starting as professor at the University of Groningen he set the possibility to study polymer chemistry. Challa also developed the research department. He was elected a member of the

Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (, KNAW) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands. The academy is housed in the Trippenhuis in Amsterdam. In addition to various advisory a ...

in 1986. Since 1998 he is also an honorary member of the

Royal Netherlands Chemical Society The Royal Netherlands Chemical Society (In Dutch: ''Koninklijke Nederlandse Chemische Vereniging'', abbreviated: KNCV) is a learned society and professional association founded in 1903 to represent the interests of chemists and chemical engineers ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Challa, Ger 1928 births Living people 20th-century Dutch chemists Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Polymer scientists and engineers Scientists from Amsterdam University of Amsterdam alumni Academic staff of the University of Groningen