Petru Poni

Petru Poni
Native name Petru Poni
Born (1841-01-04)January 4, 1841
Săcărești, Principality of Moldavia
Died April 2, 1925(1925-04-02) (aged 84)
[Iași]], Kingdom of Romania
Nationality Romanian
Alma mater University of Paris
Occupation Chemist, mineralogist, politician
Title Minister of Religious Affairs and Education
Mayor of Iași
Political party National Liberal Party
Spouse(s) Matilda Cugler-Poni

Petru Poni (January 4, 1841—April 2, 1925) was a Moldavian-born Romanian chemist and mineralogist.

Born in Săcăreşti, Iaşi County, he studied at Academia Mihăileană; among his teachers were August Treboniu Laurian and Simion Bărnuțiu. He enrolled at the University of Paris in 1865, studying chemistry there. He returned home following graduation, teaching physics and chemistry at Iaşi's National College and at the military high school. In 1878, he became a professor at the University of Iaşi, at first teaching at the medicine and science faculties, later only in the mineral chemistry department of the latter. He served as Religious Affairs and Education Minister three times: in 1891, 1895-1896 and in 1918. A bitter rival of his was the Conservative Titu Maiorescu, and he was obliged to leave the Liberal cabinet in 1896 after a dispute related to the Romanian Orthodox Church. When not in government, he continued to work in his chemistry laboratory in Iaşi.[1]

A titular member of the Romanian Academy from 1879,[2] he was also the Academy's president between 1898 and 1901,[3] and again between 1916 and 1920.[4] His wife was the poet Matilda Cugler-Poni.[5]

Notes

  1. (Romanian) Constantin A. Dissescu, Note biografice, Universul Literar, nr. 19/4 May 1930, year XLVI, p.291
  2. (Romanian) Membrii Academiei Române din 1866 până în prezent at the Romanian Academy site
  3. (Romanian) Preşedinţi ai Academiei Române (1867-1901) at the Romanian Academy site
  4. (Romanian) Preşedinţi ai Academiei Române (1901-1959) at the Romanian Academy site
  5. Aurel Sasu (ed.), Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române, vol. I, p. 433. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004. ISBN 973-697-758-7

External links

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