Eric Scerri | Academic Influence

Why Is Eric Scerri Influential?

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By Erik J. Larson, PhD

Scerri is Lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is also Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Foundations of Chemistry, a triannual a peer-reviewed academic journal. Scerri is widely acknowledged as an authority on the Periodic Table, appearing in the PBS documentary The Mystery of Matter. He received his bachelor’s of science degree from Westfield College, the , his MPhil from the University of Southampton and his Ph.D. from King’s College London.

Scerri is a chemist but also a noted historian and philosopher of chemistry. In particular, his work on the Periodic Table has crossed disciplines, and he has worked on conceptual problems involving the reduction of chemistry to quantum mechanics (typically considered part of the philosophy of science). In 2015, Scerri was appointed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) to make a recommendation on the composition of “Group 3” in the periodic table, selecting the elements that should be included. Scerri’s latest book, published in 2020, is titled The Periodic Table, Its Story and Its Significance.

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Notable Works by Eric Scerri

According to Wikipedia, Eric R. Scerri is a chemist, writer and philosopher of science of Maltese origin. He is a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles; and the founder and editor-in-chief of Foundations of Chemistry, an international peer reviewed journal covering the history and philosophy of chemistry, and chemical education.

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Eric Scerri's Published Works

Number of citations in a given year to any of this author's works

Total number of citations to an author for the works they published in a given year. This highlights publication of the most important work(s) by the author

Published Papers

The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance (2006) (221)
THE CASE FOR THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHEMISTRY (1997) (170)
Prediction and the periodic table (2001) (101)
Has Chemistry Been at Least Approximately Reduced to Quantum Mechanics? (1994) (88)
Have Orbitals Really Been Observed (2000) (88)
Philosophy of chemistry: synthesis of a new discipline (2006) (81)
The Nature of Chemical Knowledge and Chemical Education (2002) (74)
Philosophical Confusion in Chemical Education Research (2003) (65)
The Electronic Configuration Model, Quantum Mechanics and Reduction (1991) (62)
THE EVOLUTION OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM (1998) (58)
The Failure of Reduction and How to Resist Disunity of the Sciences in the Context of Chemical Education (2000) (54)
Has the Periodic Table Been Successfully Axiomatized? (1997) (49)
Just how ab initio is ab initio quantum chemistry? (2004) (49)
Philosophy of Chemistry—A New Interdisciplinary Field? (2000) (49)
Some aspects of the metaphysics of chemistry and the nature of the elements (2005) (45)
Wind data evaluation in the Maltese Islands (1996) (42)
The Periodic Table: A Very Short Introduction (2019) (40)
The Recently Claimed Observation of Atomic Orbitals and Some Related Philosophical Issues (2001) (37)
A tale of seven elements (2013) (36)
The dual sense of the term “element,” attempts to derive the Madelung rule, and the optimal form of the periodic table, if any (2009) (35)
Top-down causation regarding the chemistry–physics interface: a sceptical view (2012) (34)
THE PERIODIC TABLE AND THE ELECTRON (1997) (34)
The Ambiguity of Reduction (2007) (34)
Essays in Philosophy of Chemistry (2016) (33)
Prediction of the nature of hafnium from chemistry, Bohr's theory and quantum theory (1994) (33)
The Role of Triads in the Evolution of the Periodic Table : Past and Present (2008) (33)
THE NEW PHILOSOPHY OF CHEMISTRY AND ITS RELEVANCE TO CHEMICAL EDUCATION (2001) (32)
Chemistry, spectroscopy, and the question of reduction (1991) (32)
How Good Is the Quantum Mechanical Explanation of the Periodic System (1998) (29)
Collected papers on philosophy of chemistry (2008) (28)
Popper's naturalized approach to the reduction of chemistry (1998) (24)
Can quantum ideas explain chemistry’s greatest icon? (2019) (24)
Why the 4s Orbital Is Occupied before the 3d (the authors reply) (1996) (23)
What is an element? What is the periodic table? And what does quantum mechanics contribute to the question? (2012) (22)
Transition Metal Configurations and Limitations of the Orbital Approximation (1989) (22)
Reduction and Emergence in Chemistry—Two Recent Approaches (2007) (21)
Mendeleev to Oganesson: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on the Periodic Table (2018) (21)
Explaining the periodic table, and the role of chemical triads (2010) (19)
Performance and cost evaluation of a stand-alone photovoltaic system in Malta (1996) (18)
Which Elements Belong in Group 3 (2009) (17)
Realism, Reduction, and the "Intermediate Position" (2008) (17)
Philosophy of Chemistry: Growth of a New Discipline (2006) (16)
The discovery of the periodic table as a case of simultaneous discovery (2015) (15)
A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science (2016) (15)
The Past and Future of the Periodic Table (2008) (15)
A critique of Weisberg’s view on the periodic table and some speculations on the nature of classifications (2012) (15)
Editorial 37 (2011) (15)
The radiation climate of Malta (1982) (14)
The Periodic Table (2019) (14)
Recent attempts to change the periodic table (2020) (14)
Correspondence and Reduction in Chemistry (1993) (14)
Normative and Descriptive Philosophy of Science and the Role of Chemistry (2006) (14)
On the continuity of reference of the elements: a response to Hendry (2006) (14)
Cracks in the periodic table. (2013) (14)
Ordinal Explanation of the Periodic System of Chemical Elements (1998) (13)
Happy 150th Birthday to the Periodic Table. (2019) (11)
Eastern mysticism and the alleged parallels with physics (1989) (11)
The Periodic Table and the Philosophy of Classification (2011) (10)
LOWDIN’S REMARKS ON THE AUFBAU PRINCIPLE AND A PHILOSOPHER’S VIEW OF AB INITIO QUANTUM CHEMISTRY (2003) (10)
Analysis of wind characteristics in the Maltese Archipelago (1997) (9)
Looking Backwards and Forwards at the Development of the Periodic Table (2019) (9)
Mendeleev (2019) (9)
The Periodic Table: The Ultimate Paper Tool in Chemistry (2001) (9)
Five ideas in chemical education that must die (2019) (8)
Response to Barnes’s critique of Scerri and Worrall (2005) (8)
Commentary on Allen & Kinght’s Response to the Löwdin Challenge (2006) (8)
The exclusion principle, chemistry and hidden variables (2005) (8)
A review of research on the history and philosophy of the periodic table Una revisión de investigaciones sobre la historia y la filosofía de la tabla periódica (2011) (8)
10. Interdisciplinary Research at the Caltech Beckman Institute (2000) (8)
The nature of the chemical bond—Once more (3) (1992) (7)
Response to Vollmer’s Review of Minds and Molecules (2003) (7)
Interfacing a solar photovoltaic system with the national electricity grid in Malta (1998) (7)
Provisional Report on Discussions on Group 3 of The Periodic Table (2021) (7)
A Critique of Atkins' Periodic Kindom and Some Writings on Electronic Structure (1999) (6)
Another four bricks in the wall. (2016) (6)
Bibilography of Secondary Sources on the Periodic System of the Chemical Elements (2001) (6)
Forum: The Philosophy of Classification (2011) (6)
Constructivism, Relativism, and Chemical Education (2003) (6)
Chemistry goes abstract. (2009) (6)
Structure of crystalline polymers produced by rapid cooling of their melts: 2. Polyoxymethylene (1979) (6)
Response to Needham (1999) (6)
Comments on a recent defence of constructivism in chemical education (2010) (5)
BIBLIOGRAPHY ON PHILOSOPHY OF CHEMISTRY (1997) (5)
The Gulf between chemistry and philosophy of chemistry, then and now (2017) (4)
Hands-on experience of the setting-up of a stand-alone photovoltaic demonstration project in Malta (1994) (4)
The Tao of chemistry (1986) (4)
The electronic periodic chart of the elements (1991) (4)
A revisionist history of atomism (2010) (4)
Selected papers on the periodic table (2009) (4)
ON THE FORMALIZATION OF THE PERIODIC TABLE (2005) (4)
Introduction : The invisibility of chemistry (2005) (4)
Recognizing rhenium. (2010) (4)
Principles and Parameters in Physics and Chemistry (2004) (4)
Editorial 8 – Special Issue on the Periodic System of the Elements (2001) (4)
Editorial 21 (2005) (3)
Some Comments Arising from a Recent Proposal Concerning Instrumentalism and Chemical Education (2012) (3)
Placement of Hydrogen in the Periodic Table (2004) (3)
Reassessing the Notion of a Kuhnian Revolution (2021) (3)
La tabla periódica (2008) (3)
Editorial 11 (2002) (3)
Editorial 5 (2000) (3)
Mendeleev's Legacy: THE PERIODIC SYSTEM (2009) (3)
Master of Missing Elements (2014) (3)
Editorial 15 (2003) (3)
What is the Nature of the Periodic Table as a Classification System (2011) (3)
Editorial 58 (2018) (3)
What if the periodic table starts and ends with triads (2006) (3)
Second response to Paul Needham (2000) (2)
Selected Papers on The Periodic Table by Eric Scerri (2009) (2)
A PHILOSOPHICAL COMMENTARY ON GIUNTA'S CRITIQUE OF NEWLANDS' CLASSIFICATION OF THE ELEMENTS (2001) (2)
The Impact of Twentieth-Century Physics on the Periodic Table and Some Remaining Questions in the Twenty-First Century (2021) (2)
On Chemical Natural Kinds (2020) (2)
Causation, electronic configurations and the periodic table (2020) (2)
Evolución del sistema periódico (1998) (2)
The Quantum Mechanical Explanation of the Periodic System (author's reply) (1999) (2)
Editorial 22 (2006) (2)
Editorial 49 (2015) (2)
The Chemical Element: A Historical Perspective (Greenwood Guides to Great Ideas in Science) (Andrew Ede) (2007) (2)
El pasado y el futuro de la tabla periódica Este fiel símbolo del campo de la química siempre encara el escrutinio y el debate (2011) (2)
The periodic table and the turn to practice. (2020) (2)
Editorial 29 (2008) (2)
In Defense of Quantum Numbers (1999) (2)
General Introduction to the papers (2008) (2)
Editorial 16 (2004) (2)
The tyranny of the chemist (2006) (1)
Editorial 50 (2015) (1)
Various forms of the periodic table including the left-step table, the regularization of atomic number triads and first-member anomalies (2021) (1)
Editorial 64 (2020) (1)
Editorial 28 (2008) (1)
Editorial 60 (2018) (1)
Editorial 19 Special Issue on Philosophical Problems of Chemical Kinds (2005) (1)
Editorial 33 (2009) (1)
Performance analysis between thermopile and silicon solarimeters (1992) (1)
Title Some aspects of the metaphysics of chemistry and the nature of the elements Permalink (2005) (1)
Periodic table turns 150 in 2019 (2018) (1)
Editorial 55 (2017) (1)
Who is a theorist (2011) (1)
Editorial 56 (2017) (1)
Philosophical Confusion in Chemical Education Research: Constructivism and Chemical Education (the author replies) (2004) (1)
Editorial 39 (2011) (1)
Editorial 23 (2006) (1)
Editorial 46 (2014) (1)
Editorial 45 (2013) (1)
Editorial 57 (2017) (1)
El descubrimiento de la tabla periódica como un caso de descubrimiento simultáneo (2017) (1)
Editorial 48 (2014) (1)
Editorial 63 (2019) (1)
Editorial 43 (2013) (1)
Editorial 31 (2009) (1)
Demystification at What Cost? (the authors reply) (1997) (1)
Some comments on the views of Niaz, Rodriguez and Brito on Mendeleev’s periodic system (2013) (1)
Editorial 38 (2011) (1)
Editorial 54 (2016) (1)
The Many Questions Raised by the Dual Concept of “Element” (2020) (1)
Ensayos sobre la Tabla Periódica de los elementos químicos (2011) (1)
Erratum to: Editorial 41 (2014) (1)
Editorial 1 (2022) (1)
Editorial 53 (2016) (1)
Editorial 35 (2010) (1)
A Note on the Debate Between Hjørland and Scerri on the Significance of the Periodic Table (2011) (1)
Editorial 52 (2016) (1)
Editorial 47 (2014) (1)
Editorial 40 (2012) (1)
Editorial 41 (2012) (1)
30-Second Elements : The 50 Most Significant Elements , Each Explained In Half A Minute (2018) (1)
Editorial 26 (2007) (1)
Editorial 51 (2015) (1)
Editorial 62 (2019) (1)
Editorial 59 (2018) (1)
Editorial 27 (2007) (1)
Editorial 61 (2019) (1)
Editorial 44 (2013) (1)
Editorial 42 (2012) (1)
Zamęt w układzie (2013) (0)
Editorial 36 (2010) (0)
On Chemical Natural Kinds (2020) (0)
Editorial 67 (2021) (0)
In praise of triads (2022) (0)
Editorial 18 (2004) (0)
Response to ``The Role of Triads'' (2009) (0)
Editorial 52 (2016) (0)
Element 61—Promethium (2013) (0)
Introduction (2020) (0)
Editorial 69 (2021) (0)
Are you really a realist (2012) (0)
What is an element? What is the periodic table? And what does quantum mechanics contribute to the question? (2011) (0)
Editorial 54 (2016) (0)
Quantitative Relationships among the Elements and the Origins of the Periodic Table (2019) (0)
9. Modern alchemy (2011) (0)
Hasok Chang on the nature of acids (2022) (0)
Editorial 32 (2009) (0)
Moseley Centennial Lecture: The Works of Henry Moseley, 1887-1915 (2013) (0)
Editorial 48 (2014) (0)
Fisuras en la tabla periódica (2013) (0)
Editorial 59 (2018) (0)
A philosopher's view on the Periodic Table of the Elements and its significance: Interview with Eric Scerri (2010) (0)
Response to Geoffrey Neuss on how to teach the 4s and 3d orbital conundrum (2021) (0)
La classification périodique des éléments (1998) (0)
10. Forms of the periodic table (2011) (0)
The Periodic System (2019) (0)
Editorial 45 (2013) (0)
8. Quantum mechanics (2011) (0)
4. Steps towards the periodic table (2011) (0)
Minor Contributors Count as Much as Heroic Discoverers (2019) (0)
Editorial 30 (2008) (0)
Editorial 70 (the platinum issue) (2022) (0)
Editorial 12 (2002) (0)
Geoff Rayner-Canham: The periodic table: past present, and future (2020) (0)
The Electron and Chemical Periodicity (2019) (0)
Editorial 44 (2013) (0)
Editorial 66 (2020) (0)
The Nucleus and the Periodic Table: Radioactivity, Atomic Number, and Isotopy (2019) (0)
Philosophy of chemistry, reduction, emergence, and chemical education (2007) (0)
Editorial 65 (2020) (0)
Synthetic Elements (2019) (0)
On the nature of chemistry (2018) (0)
Finding francium. (2009) (0)
2. A quick overview of the modern periodic table (2011) (0)
Editorial 60 (2018) (0)
A commentary on Weisberg’s critique of the ‘structural conception’ of chemical bonding (2022) (0)
Editorial 34 (2010) (0)
Reassessing the Notion of a Kuhnian Revolution What Happened in Twentieth-Century Chemistry (2021) (0)
Electronic Explanations of the Periodic System Developed by Chemists (2019) (0)
Erratum to: Editorial 41 (2012) (0)
Editorial 61 (2019) (0)
Causation, electronic configurations and the periodic table (2020) (0)
Interdisciplinary research at the Beckman institutes (1997) (0)
Philosophical Confusion in Chemical Education Research: Does Any of This Matter? (2004) (0)
Interview with Olimpia Lombardi (2022) (0)
Editorial 50 (2015) (0)
Editorial 40 (2012) (0)
Editorial 14 (2003) (0)
Editorial 55 (2017) (0)
Editorial 71 (2022) (0)
Editorial 58 (2018) (0)
Editorial 47 (2014) (0)
La tabla periódica: una obra inacabada (2019) (0)
More Chemistry (2019) (0)
3. Atomic weight, triads, and Prout (2011) (0)
5. The Russian genius (2011) (0)
6. Physics invades the periodic table (2011) (0)
Discoverers of the Periodic System (2019) (0)
LETTERS: Reductionist physics (1990) (0)
Editorial 72 (2022) (0)
THE PROMISE OF METACHEMISTRY In 1940 appeared (2018) (0)
Quantum Mechanics and the Periodic Table (2019) (0)
Examining the periodic table’s quantum connections, by Eric Scerri (2019) (0)
The Works of Henry Moseley, 1887-1915 (2013) (0)
1. The elements (2019) (0)
Five ideas in chemical education that must die (2019) (0)
Ewolucja ukladu okresowego (1998) (0)
Editorial 24 (2006) (0)
Editorial 68 (2021) (0)
Editorial 64 (2020) (0)
Editorial 53 (2016) (0)
Editorial 41 (2012) (0)
Authors index volume (1999) (0)
Editorial 17 (2004) (0)
The legacy of Mendeleev and his periodic system (2006) (0)
The Seven Last Infra-Uranium Elements to Be Discovered (2019) (0)
Reviews (2011) (0)
Un relato sobre Siete Elementos (2014) (0)
Editorial 49 (2015) (0)
Charles S. McCaw: Orbitals with applications in atomic spectra, 2nd edition (2020) (0)
The Philosophy of Chemistry (2016) (0)
Erratum (2003) (0)
On the Naming and Symbols for Elements 115 and 112 (2014) (0)
Editorial 46 (2014) (0)
Element 43—Technetium (2013) (0)
Prediction and Accommodation: The Acceptance of Mendeleev’s Periodic System (2019) (0)
HISTORICAL PRELUDE AND THE TREATMENT OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM AND TABLE IN THE PHILOSOPHICAL LITERATURE (1998) (0)
7. Electronic structure (2011) (0)
Element 91—Protactinium (2013) (0)
Una respuesta a Labarca y Zambon sobre su pretendida reconceptualización del concepto de elemento y su base como una nueva representación del sistema periódico. (2018) (0)
Further Aufbau Nonsense (1994) (0)
Response to Geoffrey Neuss on how to teach the 4s and 3d orbital conundrum (2021) (0)
Editorial 42 (2012) (0)
Astrophysics and Nucleosynthesis (2019) (0)
Editorial 13 (2003) (0)
Editorial 25 (2007) (0)
A response to Labarca and Zambon on their claimed reconceptualization of the concept of element and its basis as a new representation of the periodic system. (2018) (0)
Forms of the Periodic Table (2019) (0)
Image and Reality: Kekulé, Kopp and the Scientific Imagination (2011) (0)
Editorial 43 (2013) (0)
Editorial 65 (2020) (0)
The Evolution of the Periodic System From its origins some 200 years ago , the periodic table has become a vital tool for modern chemists (1999) (0)
Comments on Weisberg ’ s “ Who is a modeler ? ” (2011) (0)
Editorial 20 (2005) (0)
The relationship between the periodic system, quantum mechanics and the orbital model. (1992) (0)
Tales of technetium. (2009) (0)
Editorial 57 (2017) (0)
The Elements: A Visual History of Their Discovery (2022) (0)
Editorial 56 (2017) (0)
A critique of Weisberg’s view on the periodic table and some speculations on the nature of classifications (2012) (0)
Geoff Rayner-Canham: The periodic table: past present, and future (2020) (0)
Editorial 51 (2015) (0)

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