born 1939
Ryoji Noyori is a Japanese chemist born on September 3, 1938, who is renowned for his contributions to asymmetric synthesis and catalysis. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001 for his work on chirally catalyzed hydrogenation reactions. Noyori is also known for his leadership in scientific research and education, having served as the president of Nagoya University and the National Institute for Basic Biology in Japan.