Heinz Falk

Heinz Falk (born April 29, 1939, in Sankt Pölten, Lower Austria) is professor emeritus for organic chemistry at Johannes Kepler University of Linz and editor of "Progress in the Chemistry of Organic Natural Compounds". His research is focused on structural analysis, synthesis, stereochemistry and photochemistry of plant and animal photosensitizing and photosensory pigments, such as hypericin. Heinz Falk was born April 29, 1939, in Sankt Pölten, Austria, went to elementary school in Statzendorf and completed middle school in Krems an der Donau. After moving to Vienna in 1953 he completed a three-year program at HBLVA for Chemical Industry, Rosensteingasse and completed his high-school diploma in 1959 through classes at an evening school, where he met his future wife, Rotraud Falk (née Strohbach). Heinz Falk is married to Rotraud Falk since 1966 and they have one son: Alexander Falk (August 13, 1967) is the CEO of Altova. Heinz Falk studied chemistry at the University of Vienna starting in 1959 and completed his dissertation under his doctoral advisor, Karl Schlögl, in 1966. In 1971 Falk spent a year abroad to study at ETH Zürich. Upon his return to Vienna in 1972 he attained habilitation for organic chemistry at the University of Vienna. 1966-1979: University of Vienna Starting in 1966 Falk was an assistant at the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the University of Vienna. In 1975 he was promoted to associate professor of physical organic chemistry at the University of Vienna. In the summer of 1978 Falk was invited to speak at the Gordon Research Conference in Wolfeboro. 1979–present: Johannes Kepler University of Linz In 1979 Falk received a call to become full professor of organic chemistry at Johannes Kepler University of Linz, where he founded the new Institute of Organic Chemistry. From 1989 through 1991 he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (TNF) at Johannes Kepler University of Linz. In 2005 Falk was ranked #3 among the "Top 10" scientists in Upper Austria by the newspaper "OÖ Nachrichten".