Obituary of Endel Lippmaa

Endel Lippmaa was born on 15 September 1930 in Tartu, to the family of a renowned geobotanist and member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences Teodor Lippmaa. In 1948 he graduated from Nõmme Gymnasium and in 1953 Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) majoring in oil shale technology; in 1956 he defended at the TUT his Candidate’s thesis on the topic “Dynamics of the products of Estonian oil shale obtained by way of thermal disintegration”. Thereby his research in oil shale chemistry ended and he proceeded to doing research in a totally novel area – nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, with which he has been concerned about half of a century. In 1969, Endel Lippmaa defended his Doctor’s thesis in Physics and Mathematics on the topic “Overhauser’s nuclear effect and structure of organic compounds” at the Institute of Chemical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1971 he was awarded Professorship in chemical physics and physical chemistry.

In the years 1956-1961 Endel Lippmaa was Senior Lecturer and Docent at TUT, in 1961-1980 Head of the Division of Physics at the Institute of Cybernetics and since 1980 his activities have been related to the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, as its founder and Director (until 2001), Head of the Laboratory of Chemical Physics (until 2005). In 2001-2006 Endel Lippmaa was Head of the Centre of Excellence of Analytical Spectrometry. Late Endel Lippmaa was meeting the challenges posed at CERN ‒ Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire ‒ as a member and group leader at CMS and TOTEM experiments.

In 1972 Endel Lippmaa was elected Member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and served as a member of the Board of the Academy 1975-2014. In 1977-1982 he was Secretary-Academician of the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Engineering, in 1999-2004 Head of the Division of Astronomy and Physics, in 2007-2010 Chairman of the Energy Council of the Academy. Endel Lippmaa has also been active as a political figure. He was a delegate to the Moscow Congress of People’s Deputies 1989-1991, has participated in the activities of the Popular Front, been a member of the Estonian Congress, the founding member of the Coalition Party. In 1990- 1991 Endel Lippmaa was Minister for the Eastern Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, in 1995- 1996 Euro-Minister of the Republic of Estonia and in 1996-1999 member of the Riigikogu.

Endel Lippmaa is a member of numerous professional unions and assemblies both in Estonia and abroad, Doctor Honoris Causa of many universities. In 1999 Endel Lippmaa was elected by the Estonian public among the 100 Great Estonians of the 20th C. In 2000 his research was given recognition with the National Science Prize for long productive research and development work. In the same year he was awarded the Order of the National Coat of Arms 2nd Class. In 2006 he was granted the Prize for National Thinking. In 2013 Endel Lippmaa was awarded the Order of Bishop Plato.

Endel Lippmaa was a top expert in many domains of science: chemical physics, physical chemistry, chemical technology, electronics, nuclear and particles physics, energy, ecology. He was a scientist in the broad meaning, implementing the same principles both in science and politics.