crystallographer
{{Short description|Scientist who studies crystals}}
A crystallographer is a type of scientist who practices crystallography, in other words, who studies crystals.{{Cite web |title=Crystallography |url=https://www.acs.org/careers/chemical-sciences/fields/crystallography.html |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=American Chemical Society |language=en}}
Career paths
The work of crystallographers spans several academic disciplines, including the life sciences, chemistry, physics, and materials science. They may work in research and manufacturing, which could include growing crystals for use in computer chips, solar cells, or medications. Within the life sciences, they may crystallize biological materials (such as proteins or viruses) or drugs. They may also come in hand in forensic science. They may also study materials using materials simulations.{{Cite web |last=Possibility |first=Planet |title=Crystallographer Job Description |url=https://www.planetpossibility.co.uk/advice/jobs-in-physics/crystallographer-job-description |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Planet Possibility |language=en-GB}}
Most working crystallographers have a graduate degree. There are very few opportunities for those with a bachelor's degree or associate degree.
By country
= Germany =
In 2013, one working group, the Young Crystallographers, was established within the German Crystallographic Society (DGK).{{Cite journal |last=Meurer |first=F. |last2=Möbs |first2=J. |last3=Nentwich |first3=M. |last4=Weigel |first4=T. |last5=Wöhrle |first5=J.-P. |date=2024-03-01 |title=‘Young crystallographers’ rejuvenate crystallography in Germany |url=https://journals.iucr.org/e/issues/2024/03/00/dj2076/index.html |journal=Acta Crystallographica Section E: Crystallographic Communications |language=en |volume=80 |issue=3 |pages=252–255 |doi=10.1107/S2056989024001695 |issn=2056-9890}} As of 2024, the Young Crystallographers have about 250 members. The working group also awards the annual Lieselotte Templeton Prize, named after the German-American scientist Lieselotte Templeton.
= South Africa =
Out of 78 South African crystallographers profiled in 2001/2, each scientist has 2.6 contacts on average within South Africa and 2.0 contacts on average internationally.{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Gretchen |date=2008 |title=Mapping social networks among crystallographers in South Africa |url=https://open.uct.ac.za/items/d8d2dcd2-6eaa-4934-b1e7-041d60ea799f |journal=Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management |issn=1479-4411}} The majority of these scientists worked in Gauteng.
= United States =
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups crystallographers with geoscientists for statistical purposes.{{Cite report |url=https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/membership/acs/benefits/discovery-reports/crystallography.pdf |title=Crystallography: Understanding the Nature of Chemical Bonds and Molecular Structure |date=2014 |publisher=American Chemical Society}}{{Cite web |title=A-Z Index |url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/a-z-index.htm |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Bureau of Labor Statistics |language=en-us}} However, as of the 2010s, the largest demand for crystallographers actually comes from the medical and life sciences.