Dr. Leendert van der Does, a versatile member of the University of Twente community from the very beginning, passed away September 8 at the age of 87. We are grateful to Dr. Jacques W.M. Noordermeer, Em. Professor of Elastomer Technology and Engineering, for writing this remembrance of a committed former UT employee.
Leen van der Does has been part of the university scientific community practically from the beginning of the University of Twente. After his PhD in chemistry in Leiden in 1968 on work he had done at the Department of Chemistry of the Agricultural College in Wageningen, he almost immediately joined the then Technische Hogeschool Twente. He was actively involved in furnishing the then just-completed Langezijds, the building for Chemical Technology.
From 1970 to 1996 he worked as a scientific associate at the chair "Biomedical Applications of Polymers" of Prof. A. Bantjes in teaching and supervising students. Around 1990 the chair became involved with a doctoral research project at the Vredestein tire company, which doctoral student Leen intensively supervised, which led to a 20% teaching position in Rubber Technology at the university upon Prof. Bantjes' retirement in 1996, which was filled by Leen for daily management.
This eventually resulted in 2000 in the establishment of a full chair in "Rubber Technology," later renamed "Elastomer Technology and Engineering." On that occasion, Leen retired. For his tireless efforts we are very grateful to him.
Leen was a highly valued supervisor of AIOs, whom he could sometimes bring to mild despair because of his accuracy and attachment to the quality of the theses; despite his unfailing kindness, he still stood his ground. All the AIOs he supervised were full of praise and gratitude for his help. I remember him with great respect.
We wish his wife Anneke, his children, and his grandchildren much strength with the loss.
