# Crystallographer

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A **crystallographer** is a type of scientist who practices [crystallography](/source/Crystallography), in other words, who studies [crystals](/source/Crystals).[1]

## Career paths

The work of crystallographers spans several [academic disciplines](/source/Academic_disciplines), including the [life sciences](/source/Life_sciences), [chemistry](/source/Chemistry), [physics](/source/Physics), and [materials science](/source/Materials_science).[1] They may work in research and manufacturing, which could include growing crystals for use in [computer chips](/source/Computer_chips), [solar cells](/source/Solar_cells), or [medications](/source/Medications).[1]

Within the life sciences, they may crystallize biological materials (such as [proteins](/source/Proteins) or [viruses](/source/Viruses)) or drugs.[1] They may also come in hand in [forensic science](/source/Forensic_science).[1] They may also study materials using [materials simulations](/source/Materials_simulation).[2]

In the [horological industry](/source/Chronometry), crystallographers conduct studies of nonmetallic minerals and research for the development and repair of grinding wheels, diamond tools and dies, and fabrication of jeweled bearings.[3]

Most working crystallographers have a graduate degree.[1][2] There are very few opportunities for those with a bachelor's degree or [associate degree](/source/Associate_degree).[1]

## By country

### Germany

In 2013, one working group, the [Young Crystallographers](/source/Young_Crystallographers), was established within the [German Crystallographic Society](/source/German_Crystallographic_Society) (DGK).[4] As of 2024, the Young Crystallographers have about 250 members.[4] The working group also awards the annual [Lieselotte Templeton Prize](/source/Lieselotte_Templeton_Prize), named after the German-American scientist [Lieselotte Templeton](/source/Lieselotte_Templeton).[4]

### South Africa

Out of 78 South African crystallographers profiled in 2001/2, each scientist has 2.6 contacts on average within [South Africa](/source/South_Africa) and 2.0 contacts on average internationally.[5] The majority of these scientists worked in [Gauteng](/source/Gauteng).[5]

### United States

The U.S. [Bureau of Labor Statistics](/source/Bureau_of_Labor_Statistics) groups crystallographers with [geoscientists](/source/Geoscientists) for statistical purposes.[6][7] However, as of the 2010s, the largest demand for crystallographers actually comes from the medical and life sciences.[6]

## References

1. ["Crystallography"](https://www.acs.org/careers/chemical-sciences/fields/crystallography.html). *American Chemical Society*. Retrieved 2025-03-25.

1. Possibility, Planet. ["Crystallographer Job Description"](https://www.planetpossibility.co.uk/advice/jobs-in-physics/crystallographer-job-description). *Planet Possibility*. Retrieved 2025-03-25.

1. ["CRYSTALLOGRAPHER (clock & watch)"](https://occupationalinfo.org/02/024061010.html). *Dictionary of Occupational Titles*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250524100008/https://occupationalinfo.org/02/024061010.html) 2025-05-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-02.

1. Meurer, F.; Möbs, J.; Nentwich, M.; Weigel, T.; Wöhrle, J.-P. (2024-03-01). ["'Young crystallographers' rejuvenate crystallography in Germany"](https://journals.iucr.org/e/issues/2024/03/00/dj2076/index.html). *Acta Crystallographica Section E: Crystallographic Communications*. **80** (3): 252–255. [doi:10.1107/S2056989024001695](https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989024001695). [ISSN 2056-9890](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2056-9890). [PMC 10915656](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10915656)

1. Smith, Gretchen (2008). ["Mapping social networks among crystallographers in South Africa"](https://open.uct.ac.za/items/d8d2dcd2-6eaa-4934-b1e7-041d60ea799f). *Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management*. [ISSN 1479-4411](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1479-4411)

1. [*Crystallography: Understanding the Nature of Chemical Bonds and Molecular Structure*](https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/membership/acs/benefits/discovery-reports/crystallography.pdf). American Chemical Society. 2014.

1. ["A-Z Index"](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/a-z-index.htm). *Bureau of Labor Statistics*. Retrieved 2025-03-25.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Crystallographer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystallographer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystallographer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.