Born in Ruginești, Vrancea County, he completed a private high school in Iași, where he was attracted to the natural sciences by his teacher Grigore Cobălcescu.[1] He then entered the natural sciences faculty of the University of Iași, where Cobălcescu continued as his professor.[2][1] From 1888 to 1892, he was Cobălcescu's assistant at Iași University.