Catalysis across the disciplines

EuropaCat X
Glasgow, Scotland
28 August - 2 Sept 2011

http://www.europacat.co.uk/

IN MEMORIAM

Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro died on August 29th 2011 from a prolonged disease in Lisboa, Portugal. This represented a huge loss for the Catalysis Community.
Born on October 4th 1945 at Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro obtained his graduation on Industrial Chemistry Engineering at the Engineering Faculty of the University of Porto (1968) and a Doctorat d'Etat (Heterogeneous Catalysis) by Université de Poitiers in France (1980), under the supervision of Prof. Michel Guisnet. His career as a University teacher started in 1968 when he was hired as an Assistant by the Chemistry Department of the University of Coimbra. His teaching activities were interrupted in 1969 as he was called to the Navy, where he carried-out his military service as a Chemistry Specialist. After this period he worked in the Hydrographical Institute of the Navy Ministry and in 1973 he was hired as an Assistant at Instituto Superior Técnico, in Lisbon, where he carried-out most of his teaching career from then on. Upon arrival at IST he started working in the Heterogeneous Research Group. In 1977 he received a grant from the French Government, and later from Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, to obtain a PhD; his work was carried out at Institut Français du Pétrole, in collaboration with the University of Poitiers and finished in 1980 when he obtained his Docteur d'État degree at this University.
In 1980 he returned to Instituto Superior Técnico where he become an Assistant Professor and rapidly ascend to Associated Professor (1984) and, finally to Full Professor (1988), after his "Agregação" on Chemical Engineering in the same year.
His interests were always centered on the life of the University as a whole, not only in Research but in Teaching and on University Management as a way to ensure the welfare of all involved in the University.
In terms of research his main fields of interest were related to catalysis over zeolites in its various forms, ranging from the catalysis by supported metals, a theme he purseued during his PhD thesis, but also on the acidic catalysis by zeolites, the theme for the first thesis he supervised at IST, and novel applications for zeolitic materials, particularly in relation to environmental catalysis.
His many research interests led him to developed a variety of contacts and collaboration throughout the world but with a particular emphasis for research groups in France, the country where he obtained his PhD and with which he always a particular connection and which granted him a series of commendation by the French Government, namely "Officier des Palmes Académiques" and "Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite", both in 1993 and "Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite" in 1998.
During his years at IST he developed the area of Heterogeneous Catalysis, in particular the area of Catalysis by Zeolites, starting a Research Group that in the present day includes over a dozen of PhD researchers, working on a variety of subjects. The interest in multidisciplinary work is well seen in the fact that his research group, the Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Research Group, is part of the Center for Chemical and Biological Engineering in the Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering. His group was, in fact, pioneer in the development of combined enzyme/zeolite catalytic systems, in collaboration with researchers from the biotechnology areas.
His collaborations were particularly important with Michel Guisnet, who supervised his PhD thesis, and with whom he maintained an active collaboration throughout his life, developing research projects, co-supervising PhD thesis and producing scientific material - with Michel Guisnet he co-authored a series of books on catalysis, and on catalysis by zeolites in particular, in the latest years.
Also noteworthy is his collaboration with Eric Derouane (recently deceased - 2008), and Jacques Védrine, with whom he developed several projects and co-organized a series of NATO Advanced Studies Institutes, on topics on catalysis ranging from the conversion of light alkanes to the use of high-throughput methodologies for the development of new catalysts and catalytic processes.
Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro has also greatly contributed to the development and strengthening of the European catalysis community. He participated actively in EFCATS, of which he was member of the Scientific Council since 2001 and was even the Vice-President from 2001 to 2005. He was also the President of the Governing Council of ACENET (Catalysis ERANET - European Union), a member of the Executive Committee of the European Federation of Chemical Engineers and of the International Catalysis Council.
He authored over 200 scientific papers, co-authored 6 books and edited another 6.
Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro was also very keen on attracting and motivating young researchers. In his teaching activities he always tried to attract the best students for research activities and he supervised and co-supervised a large number of students, whose career he followed always with interest and care. Among his former students there are many scientists and engineers who today occupy important positions in universities, industries and different organizations both in Portugal and abroad. All of them will remember his support and incentive and will greatly miss him.
During all his academic career his activities were also important in terms of the management of Science and Technology and of the University.
His activities in University management started rather early in his career when he was a Vice President of the Directive Council of IST from 1984 to 1988. From then on he was Vice-Rector of the Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (the University of which IST is part of) from 1999 to 2002 and later, since 2007 and up to the day he died, he was the Rector. During this last period the Portuguese University went through a series of major changes in governing and Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro developed key work in all this process at Nation-wide level.
His Academic activities were only decreased but nevertheless active by the periods where he assumed positions in the main Institutions that fund and manage Research activities in Portugal. From 1989 to 1997 he was first Vice-President and then President of Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica e Tecnológica which, at the time, was responsible for most of the management of most of the Portuguese Research funds. This institution was later replaced by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and of which Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro was the President from 2002 to 2005. During all these administrative years, Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro was still active in Research and was publishing many papers in the field.
Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro was also very keen on developing the cooperation between the academy and the industry. In 2009 one of his lifetime dreams came true with the creation of a PhD programme EngIQ on Refining, Petrochemistry and Chemistry Engineering, which involves 5 Portuguese Universities and the major Portuguese Chemical industries.

In short, Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro was a scientist and a teacher who cared about people and always contributed to the development of science in general and of catalysis in particular.

Jacques C. Védrine Paris
Francisco Lemos, Lisboa
26 September 2011

Professor James A. Dumesic of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is the recipient of the 2011 Michel Boudart for Advances in Catalysis

This Award recognizes and encourages individual contributions to the elucidation of the mechanism and active sites involved in catalytic phenomena and to the development of new methods or concepts that advance the understanding and the practice of heterogeneous catalysis. It is meant to recognize individuals who bring together the rigor and the international impact that exemplifies the accomplishments and the career of Professor Michel Boudart. read more...

Professor Rutger van Santen,
elected "Franςois Gault Lecturer 2009-11"

The European Federation of Catalysis Societies (EFCATS) has awarded the eight Franςois Gault Lectureship to Prof. Rutger A. van Santen , Eindhoven, University of Technology, The Netherlands.

How to give successful oral and poster presentations

Follow this link for a concise treatise by Prof. Hans Niemantsverdriet on how to make the best of your presentations, get your audience interested and get your message across.

This page has been the most visited page on the EFCATS website and has received high ratings for its superb content and practical down-to-earth approach.

ACENET ERA-NET - Europe strengthens catalysis

The ACENET (Applied Catalysis European NETwork) ERA-NET network unites twelve ministries and research management and funding organisations from ten EU Member States to bring coherence and foster cooperation between national research programmes and policies on applied catalysis.Its activities have:

• integrated processes between the national research-funding organisations, as a result of sharing good practice and infrastructure
• increased efficiency in research by promoting interdisciplinary knowledge-sharing
• provided a framework for the education and qualification of young scientists following an inventory of real and genuine training needs

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