Quick Facts
Periodic Table. Organized the elements and predicted those yet undiscovered. Chemistry's architect.
Conversation Starters
Life Journey
Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev was born in Verkhnie Aremzyani, a small village in the Tobolsk Governorate of the Russian Empire. He was the youngest of 17 siblings, and his father was a school principal.
After the death of his father, Mendeleev and his mother moved to Saint Petersburg to seek educational opportunities. His mother's determination was crucial in his early education and future success.
Mendeleev entered the Main Pedagogical Institute in Saint Petersburg, where he studied chemistry and physics. This marked the beginning of his formal education in the sciences.
Mendeleev graduated with a degree in chemistry from the Main Pedagogical Institute. He began his teaching career, initially in Simferopol and then in Odessa.
Mendeleev's first major work, 'Organic Chemistry,' was published. This book won the Demidov Prize from the Academy of Sciences, establishing him as a leading chemist in Russia.
Mendeleev received his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Saint Petersburg for his dissertation on the 'Combinations of Water with Alcohol.' This advanced his academic and scientific standing.
Mendeleev formulated the Periodic Table of Elements, predicting the properties of elements that had not yet been discovered. This groundbreaking achievement revolutionized the field of chemistry.
Mendeleev married Feozva Leshcheva, a young art student. Despite initial resistance from her family, they had a long and complex relationship, eventually having two children together.
Mendeleev was appointed director of the Bureau of Weights and Measures in Saint Petersburg, where he worked on standardizing measurements and improving industrial processes.
Mendeleev was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on the Periodic Table. Although he did not win, his nomination recognized his significant contributions to the field.
Dmitri Mendeleev died of influenza in Saint Petersburg, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential chemists in history. His Periodic Table remains a cornerstone of chemical science.