Extraodinary Nobelists II: Koichi Tanaka

1. Koichi Tanaka shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002 for his contribution in the use of mass spectrometry to analyse biological macromolecules.

2. The unique thing about Tanaka is that he, unlike most Nobel laureates, did not have a Ph.D.. He also did not have formal training in chemistry, unlike most Nobelists. When he won the prize, his age was 43, considered very young given that most Chemistry laureates in the last two decades were considerably older and more experienced.

3. He graduated BS in Electrical Engineering, and worked for Shimadzu Corporation, a reknowned Japanese company that manufactures scientific instruments.

4. From his autobiography on www.nobel.se, one gets an impression that he was not a famous scientist prior to winning the Nobel. Nonetheless, the Nobel committee decided to acknowledge his contributions.

5. One also gets an impression that he never dreamed of winning the Nobel. To me, he seemed like a scientist in the purest sense: hardworking, creative, curious and dedicated to the intellectual knowledge.

6. Scientists are afterall humans, and sometimes seek recognition and fame in addition to the intellectual satisfaction. Koichi Tanaka appeared to be an exception.

7. Disclaimer: I have never met him, but I'd love it if I ever get the chance.