Pieter Harting

He made contributions in a number of scientific disciplines, and is remembered for his work in the fields of microscopy, hydrology, botany, and biostratigraphy.

From 1841 he taught classes in medicine at the Athenaeum of Franeker, and two years later returned to the University of Utrecht, where he worked until retirement in 1875.

He is credited with making design improvements to the microscope, and was the author of a landmark book on microscopy that was translated into several languages, including German (Das Mikroskop, 1859 by Friedrich Wilhelm Theile).

In the field of hydrology he conducted extensive scientific groundwater research in an effort to improve the quality of water for public health.

He was a member of Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)[3] and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leiden.