A Career in Catalysis: Jens Kehlet Nørskov

Jens Nørskov has led the development of theory and the application of computational methods to study catalysis for more than four decades; we honor his contributions to the field with this Account on the occasion of his 70th birthday. A hallmark of Nørskov’s approach to science is his ability to distill complex problems down to simple models and apply these models to yield intuitive and practical insights. At the same time, he recognizes the true complexity of catalytic systems, and constantly pushes to develop more accurate theoretical models of catalysis. Regardless of the complexity involved, Nørskov is always capable of communicating the results of his work with conciseness and clarity, ensuring that it is accessible to experimental and theoretical colleagues and trainees. His insightful approach and clear communication skills have led to numerous impactful developments in the field of catalysis, a few of which are reviewed in this work.