First of all, I want to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2022. It will hopefully be a year in which current measures start to take effect and we can physically meet each other again. 

We start this year and this newsletter with sad news, i.e. on December 24th, 2021, Dr. Jos van Dillen passed away. Especially for those who have been working with him in Utrecht, this is a great loss. You can read an 'in memoriam' written bij Ludo Boot, Matthijs Ruitenbeek, and Eelco Vogt below. 

In addition there is news on the annual catalysis conference NCCC. The board has decided to postpone the conference to May (May 9-11, 2022), to hopefully enable a physical meeting (rather than an online one). This also impacts our DCS AGM. We propose to postpone our AGM to May as well, to be able to hold this in person.

Have a great start of the year and we will get back to you soon about the mentoring program we have started and other activities planned.

Stay healthy! 

On behalf of the DCS Board, Moniek Tromp

Last week, we learned that Dr. Jos (A.J.) van Dillen has passed away on Christmas’ eve, at the age of 79.

Jos obtained his PhD degree from Utrecht University with John Geus in 1977 on a thesis entitled “Catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over oxides of indium and vanadium”. After his doctorate he has been the daily supervisor of dozens of PhD students in the Inorganic Chemistry & Catalysis group of UU, assisting to professors John Geus, Diek Koningsberger, Krijn de Jong, and Bert Weckhuysen.
 
Before moving to the modern David de Wied-building, the group was hosted in the historical Analytical Chemical Laboratories (ACL) at the Croesestraat, and later in the also monumental F.A.F.C. Went building (‘de ponskaart’). Both buildings are not there anymore. 
 
Jos was the binding element in the department, albeit that he was always modest and in the background. His warm and fatherly guidance was important for many graduate students and PhD candidates. In this role, he (co)-authored 117 scientific publications, and was a (co)-inventor on 9 patent applications.
 
Together with Jos Kock, he also was responsible of the 3rd-year practicum on material synthesis. Some of the important synthesis tricks for making catalysts and inorganic materials emerged from that practicum. And many of these were based on (typically very old) preparative literature that was applied in that course. 
 
We remember Jos with warm memories and our thoughts are with his family and friends.

On behalf of the UCAT alumni,
Ludo Boot, Matthijs Ruitenbeek and Eelco Vogt

Due to the enduring COVID19 pandemic, the board has decided to postpone the Netherlands Catalysis and Chemistry Conference (NCCC) to May 9-11, 2022.

We hope that by planning the conference at a later date, a full live meeting at the Leeuwenhorst will be possible. However, we are looking into the options of a hybrid meeting as well.

So please update your calendar to May 9-11, 2022, and inform your group members.