In existographies, Alec Groysman (1948-) (CR:28) is a Russian-born Israeli chemical engineer noted, in hmolscience, for a number of presentations and articles on the use of the overlap of physical chemistry, art (art thermodynamics), and literature (literature thermodynamics), in engineering curriculum, and in particular for his 2011 Italian university rectors Generative Art Conference presentation “Use of Art Media in Engineering and Scientific Education”, wherein he describes Goethean-Thims based human chemistry as a "new scientific field" which he advocates for use in engineering and scientific education.

Human chemistry | Engineering and scientific education
In his 2011 conference presentation “Use of Art Media in Engineering and Scientific Education”, Groysman cites the human chemistry work of Johann Goethe and Libb Thims, among others; and discusses how not only is their "two cultures" (as professed by Charles Snow) but more likely "three cultures". [2] The following are photos and paper presentation excerpts from the conference:


“Dobereiner helped in refining Russian platinum, discovered catalysis, and reported his work to Goethe. We can only suspect that they both discussed this and that Dobereiner read the tragedy Faust and the novella Elective Affinities. The latter work of art gave impulse to a new scientific field named 'human chemistry'. In the exact sciences there are quantitative measures of estimation of each value: mass, length, force, energy. In the humanistic disciplines (history, philosophy, psychology) as well as art there are no quantitative criteria. This is similar to the question of how to measure beauty, love, friendship, democracy? The function named Gibbs energy defines ‘love’ between substances [and] people [?] ... and is similar to Hamlet’s ‘to be or not to be?’ of William Shakespeare.”

The latter "to be or not to be" sentence fragment, to note, is a paste addition from his earlier 2004 article “Aesthetic, Philosophical and Historical aspects in the Physical Chemistry education”, shown below right. The full 2011 conference excerpt on human chemistry is shown below left.


Groysman's 2011 Generative Art Conference symposium section on "human chemistry", which he describes, citing the 2007 work of American electrochemical engineer Libb Thims, as a new scientific field impulsed into inception by German polymath Johann Goethe's 1809 Elective Affinities, which he advocates for use in chemical engineering teaching. [2]

Groysman's 2011 Generative Art Conference symposium section on "human chemistry", which he describes, citing the 2007 work of American electrochemical engineer Libb Thims, as a new scientific field impulsed into inception by German polymath Johann Goethe's 1809 Elective Affinities, which he advocates for use in chemical engineering teaching. [2]

Other
In 2004, Groysman, in his article “Aesthetic, Philosophical and Historical aspects in the Physical Chemistry education”, commented the following telling statement: [1]

“The relationship of probability and entropy (more precisely, the decision about spontaneous occurrence of process) or calculation of Gibbs energy for some chemical reactions, is similar to Hamlet’s ‘to be or not to be?’ of William Shakespeare.”

Groysman notes English-American poet Wystan Auden (1907-1973) composed the 1948 verse “The Entropy Song” (see: music thermodynamics), in a convenient, understanding, acceptable, and sympathetic poetic form for students. [1]

Groysman states that English author Charles Howard Hinton, in his scientific romance “The Persian King”, supposedly, approached the theory of the fourth dimension through an allegory of thermodynamics. [1] Groysman also comments on the thermodynamics usage in the humanities by: Bruce Clarke, Rudolf Arnheim, Judigh K. Townsend, among others.

Education
Groysman completed his MS in chemical engineering in 1973 on isotopes and pure substances and PhD in physical chemistry on corrosion materials, both at the Mendeleev Chemical Technological University, Moscow; he presently is a professor of mechanical and biotechnology engineering at the ORT Braude College of Engineering, Israel.

See also
● Human thermodynamics education

References
1. (a) Groysman, Alec. (2004). “Aesthetic, Philosophical and Historical aspects in the Physical Chemistry education”, in: Trends in Electrochemistry and Corrosion at the Beginning of the 21st Century (pgs. 1203-1226). Edicions Universitat Barcelona.
(b) W.H. Auden – Wikipedia.
2. Groysman, Alec. (2011). “Use of Art Media in Engineering and Scientific Education” (§3.4: Human Chemistry), Generative Art Conference, XIV (papers) (photos), Dec 5-7, Roma, Italy, at CRUI Frescos Hall, Angelica Library Gallery. and Cervantes Institute Gallery.

Further reading
● Groysman, Alec. (2004). “Corrosion: Love and Struggle”, The European Corrosion Congress, Proceedings EUROCORR, Nice, Sep. 12-16, 9-pgs.
● Groysman, Alec. (2006). “Corrosion is Everywhere”, The European Corrosion Congress, Proceedings, Maastricht, Netherlands, Sep. 25-28, 12-pgs.
● Groysman, Alec. (2008). “Corrosion and Music”, The European Corrosion Congress, Proceedings EUROCORR, Edinburgh, Scotland, Sep. 7-11, 7-pgs.
● Groysman, Alec. (2008). “Corrosion and Music”, Paper No. 2541, In: Proceedings 17th International Corrosion Congress, Oct. 6-10, Las Vegas, US, 6-pgs.
● Groysman, Alec and Groysman, Olga. (2009). “Use of Art Media in Physical Chemistry and Corrosion Education”, The 5th Interdisciplinary Research Conference, ORT Braude College, Oct. 14-15.
● Groysman, Alec. (2009). Corrosion for Everybody. Springer.
● Groysman, Alec. (2010). “Corrosion and Music”, in: Proceedings International Festival Congress Symmetry Art & Science, Gmund, Austria, Aug. 23-38, pgs. 68-71.
● Groysman, Alec. (2010). “Interdisciplinary Relationships in Corrosion Teaching and Education at School, College and University”, The European Corrosion Congress, In: Proceedings EUROCORR 2010, Moscow, Russia, 13–17 September, Paper No. 9148, 23 pgs.

External links
● Alec Groysman – WCJS.org.