Johannes van Laar
Johannes van Laar, with full name Johannes Jacobus van Laar (* July 10, 1860 in The Hague, † December 9, 1938 in Clarens ) was a Dutch chemist by the posted of him equation for the chemical activity ( Van Laar equation ) is known.
Biography
Van Laar lost his parents early, his mother died in 1862 and his father in 1873. From that point on, his uncle was responsible for him. After graduation in 1876, ended his guardian against van Laar's will that he should be a naval officer, he came to the Koninklijk Instituut voor de Marine in Nieuwediep. After three great voyages on steamboats in 1881 he reached the rank of second lieutenant and then took his leave from the Navy.
Laar began his studies of the physical chemistry and mathematics with the attending seminars with Johannes Jacobus Henricus van der Waals and van't Hoff, both professors at the University of Amsterdam. His training made it impossible for him a promotion and thus a career at a Dutch university. After working as a teacher in secondary schools in Middelburg and Utrecht, he became in 1898 professor at the University of Amsterdam and in 1902 assistant to Bakhuis Roozeboom. Laar was appointed in 1907 to the faculty of mathematics, his application for a professorship in 1910 but was rejected. This refusal led to a nervous breakdown, so he had to give up his office.