Herman van Bekkum
{{Short description|Dutch organic chemist (1932–2020)}}
{{family name hatnote|van Bekkum|Bekkum|lang=Dutch}}
Herman van Bekkum (26 September 1932 – 30 November 2020) was a Dutch organic chemist. He was professor of Catalysis in Organic Chemistry between 1971 and 1998 at Delft University of Technology. He served as rector magnificus of the university between 1975 and 1976. He was an expert in the field of carbohydrate chemistry and zeolites.
Career
Van Bekkum was born on 26 September 1932 in Rotterdam.{{cite book|author1=D. J. van de Kaa|author2=Kaa|author3=Y. de Roo|title=De Leden Van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie Van Wetenschappen: Een Demografisch Perspectief: 1808 Tot 2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzNvCGJEGCYC&pg=PA253|date=19 December 2008|publisher=Amsterdam University Press|isbn=978-90-6984-552-4|page=253}}{{cite web|author=Broer Scholtens |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/archief/de-chemie-van-de-groene-toekomst~a437094/ |title=De chemie van de groene toekomst |language=Dutch |publisher=de Volkskrant |date=7 September 1996 |accessdate=27 March 2016}} He studied technological chemistry at Delft University of Technology and graduated in 1959. He subsequently worked two years for Royal Dutch Shell before returning to Delft University to work as lecturer. In 1971 he was named professor of Catalysis in Organic Chemistry. From 1975 to 1976 he served as rector magnificus of the university.{{cite web|author=Jos Wassink |url=http://delta.tudelft.nl/artikel/herman-van-bekkum/27289 |title=Herman van Bekkum |language=Dutch |publisher=Delta |date=14 October 2013 |accessdate=27 March 2016}} As professor van Bekkum specialized in carbohydrate chemistry and the study of zeolites.{{cite web|author=René Didde |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/archief/gek-op-suikers-en-zeolieten~a702828/ |title=Gek op suikers en zeolieten |language=Dutch |publisher=de Volkskrant |date=4 October 2003 |accessdate=27 March 2016}} In 1995 van Bekkum was appointed as the first president of the newly-founded Federation of the European Zeolite Association.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.feza-online.org/fezastory.html |title=FEZA story |publisher=Federation of the European Zeolite Association |date= |accessdate=27 March 2016}}
In 1998 he officially retired, however, by 2013 he was still working at the university. In his period at Delft University van Bekkum was doctoral advisor to 75 students.
Van Bekkum was elected member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1995.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/members/3848 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327111645/https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/members/3848 |title=Herman van Bekkum |publisher=Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences |date= |archive-date=27 March 2016 |accessdate=27 March 2016}} He became an honorary member of the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society in 1998.{{cite web|author= |url=https://en.kncv.nl/kncv/honorary-members |title=Honorary members |language= |publisher=Royal Netherlands Chemical Society |date= |accessdate=5 May 2019}}
Apart from his career in chemistry van Bekkum was a competitive chess player.
He died on 30 November 2020 in Rotterdam, at age 88.{{cite web|url=https://www.kncv.nl/k/n3550/news/view/168176/878/overlijden-kncv-erelid-herman-van-bekkum.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205103638/https://www.kncv.nl/k/n3550/news/view/168176/878/overlijden-kncv-erelid-herman-van-bekkum.html |title=Overlijden KNCV-erelid Herman van Bekkum |language=nl |publisher=Royal Netherlands Chemical Society |date=4 December 2020 |archive-date=5 December 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://images.nrc.nl/MRGZ0-hB_QGI7zSH8NX77QbDzHs=/x/filters:no_upscale():format(jpeg):fill(f8f8f8,true)/s3/nrchub/clippings/NH/20201205/330-advertisement-220262_1273478_bekkum01-bf2e72.png |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205103925/https://images.nrc.nl/MRGZ0-hB_QGI7zSH8NX77QbDzHs=/x/filters:no_upscale%28%29:format%28jpeg%29:fill%28f8f8f8,true%29/s3/nrchub/clippings/NH/20201205/330-advertisement-220262_1273478_bekkum01-bf2e72.png |title=Herman van Bekkum |language=nl |publisher=NRC Handelsblad |date=5 December 2020 |archive-date=5 December 2020}}
References
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Category:Delft University of Technology alumni
Category:Academic staff of the Delft University of Technology
Category:20th-century Dutch chemists
Category:Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences