Leiv K. Sydnes received his Dr. philos. degree in chemistry from the University of Oslo in 1978. After two years as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Professor Paul de Mayo at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, he started his career as Associate Professor at the University of Tromsø, the world’s northern-most university, where he was appointed Full Professor in 1986. The research has been focused on organic synthesis with emphasis on cyclopropane chemistry, photochemistry and development of synthetic methodology, and that is still the case. By using these tools problems in environmental chemistry, cancer treatment, photochemistry, NMR spectroscopy, medicinal chemistry, human health, geochemistry, and fish farming have been or are studied.  In 1993 Professor Sydnes to the University of Bergen as Full Professor.

Professor Sydnes has been visiting professor at universities in many countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and USA.

He has also been active in many international organizations, including IUPAC where he was Vice President 2002-2003, President 2004-2005, and Past President for 2006-2007; and from 2008 Chair of CHEMRAWN for 8 years. Since 2012 he has been Chair of the Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the Conduct of Science in ICSU.