3 , ▁ 1 9 1 5 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Swiss - born ▁American ▁chem ist ▁and ▁the ▁discover er ▁of ▁the ▁N ef ▁reaction ▁and ▁N ef ▁synth esis . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Academy ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁Sciences ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences . ▁ ▁Life ▁His ▁parents ▁em igr ated ▁from ▁Switzerland ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁where ▁N ef ▁studied ▁chem istry ▁at ▁Harvard ▁University ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 4 . ▁Upon ▁gradu ation , ▁he ▁joined ▁Adolf ▁von ▁Ba ey er ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Mun ich ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁Professor ▁at ▁Pur due ▁University ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁till ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁and ▁at ▁Clark ▁University ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁till ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁N ef ▁joined ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁University ▁of ▁Chicago ▁as ▁Professor ▁of ▁Chem istry , ▁where ▁he ▁spent ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁academic ▁career . ▁ ▁His ▁son ▁John ▁Ul ric ▁N ef ▁( 1 8 9 9 – 1 9 8 8 ) ▁became ▁a ▁Professor ▁of ▁Econom ic ▁History ▁and ▁published ▁several ▁books . ▁ ▁Work ▁The ▁discovery ▁of ▁the ▁N ef ▁reaction ▁and ▁the ▁papers ▁about ▁div al ent ▁carbon ▁( car ben es ) ▁were ▁his ▁major ▁achiev ements . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Bi ographical ▁Note ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Chicago ▁Picture ▁of ▁N