István Hargittai is a research chemist and educator, University Professor of the Budapest University of Technology and Research Professor of Eotvos University. He is a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Norwegian Academy of Sciences, and the Academia Europaea. He has a Dr. rer. nat. degree from Eotvos University, Ph.D. and D.Sc. from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Dr. h.c. from Moscow University, and D.Sc. h.c. from the University of North Carolina. His field of research is the structure and modeling of molecules.

He also has a broad interest in symmetry and in 20th century science. His most successful books have been co-authored with his fellow scientist and spouse, Magdolna Hargittai. They include "Symmetry: A Unifying Concept" (Shelter Pub. 1994) and "In Our Own Image: Personal Symmetry in Discovery" (Kluwer/Plenum, New York 2000). Hargittai now publishes a book series "Candid Science". The first three volumes are now available: "Candid Science: Conversations with Famous Chemists" (Imperial College Press, London, 2000), "Candid Science II: Conversations with Famous Biomedical Scientists" (Imperial College Press, London, 2002), and "Candid Science III: More Conversations with Famous Chemists" (Imperial College Press, London, 2003). Two more volumes are in preparation, "Candid Science IV: Conversations with Famous Physicists" and "Candid Science V: Conversations with Famous Scientists."

The Hargittais have two grown children: Balázs, who has a Ph.D. in chemistry (University of Minnesota) and Eszter, who is a Ph.D. candidate in the Sociology at Princeton University.

The author has given invited talks on material from this book on the following occasions:

• "For many are called, but few chosen"
  Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden, December 12, 2001
• "The Road to Stockholm: Nobel Prizes, Science and Scientists"
  Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, November 6, 2001
• "The Road to Stockholm: Nobel Prizes, Science and Scientists"
  Chemistry Department, Princeton University, October 24, 2001

István Hargittai just published a new book in Hungarian. The English title is Our Lives: Encounters of a Scientists with the 20th Century. See the Preface and the Table of Contents as well as other information in English by clicking here.