Prof J.C.A Boeyens > University of Pretoria
Prof J.C.A. Boeyens
Prof Jan Christoffel Antonie Boeyens was hoof van die Universiteit van Pretoria se Departement Chemie. Hy was ook Dekaanvan die Fakulteit Natuurwetenskappe aan die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand (Wits). Hy is tans ‘n buitengewone professor in die Departement Chemie se Eenheid vir Gevorderde Studie. Boeyens se navorsingsfokus is kristallografie en teoretiesechemie. Boeyens het sy BSc-graad (Chemie, Fisika, Wiskunde) in 1955 verwerf, ontvang sy BSc-graad (Hons) (Chemie) in 1956 en die daaropvolgende jaar slaag hy sy MSc-graad (Chemie) (cum laude) – almal aan die Universiteit van die Oranje-Vrystaat (UOVS). In 1964 sit hy sy studies voort aan UP en voltooi sy DSc-graad (Fisiese en Teoretiese Chemie) (cum laude). In 1965 word hy ‘n navorsingsgenoot aan StanfordUniversiteit. In 1958 word hy aangestel as lektor in die Departement Chemie aan die UOVS. In 1961 sluit hy aan by die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika (Unisa) se Departement Chemie totsy aanstelling as navorsingbeampte by die Wetenskaplike Navorsings en Nywerheidsraad (WNNR) se Nasionale Fisiese Navorsingslaboratorium. Hy beklee die posisie tot in 1971 toehy aangestel word as hoofwetenskaplike van die Nasionale Instituut vir Metalurgie (Mintek) en hoof van die toegepaste strukturele chemie navorsingsgroep. Hierna aanvaar hy ‘n posas ad hominem prof in Teoretiese Chemie aan Wits – ‘n pos wat hy tot in 1999 beklee het. Terselfdertyd word hy in 1984 aangestel as hoof van Wits se Departement Chemie en van1986 tot 1999 as Direkteur van die Sentrum vir Molekulêre Ontwerp. Boeyens was hoof van Wits se Departement Chemie by twee verskillende geleenthede: 1984 tot 1990 en weervan 1997 tot 1999. In 1991 tot 1993 word hy Dekaan van die Fakulteit Natuurwetenskappe by Wits. In 2000 aanvaar hy ‘n pos as navorsingsprofessor by UP en in 2001 word hy aangestel as hoof van die Departement Chemie – ‘n pos wat hy tot in 2005 beklee toe hy aangestel word as buitengewone professor in die Eenheid vir GevorderdeStudie. Hy dien of het gedien op verskeie komitees en rade, onder meer as Visepresident van die Royal Society of South Africa, en Voorsitter van die Nasionale Komitee van die Suid-Afrikaanse Kristallografiese Vereniging en van die International Unionof Crystallography. Hy het verskeie pryse en toekennings ontvang vir sy navorsing insluitende die AECI Medalje, die South
African Chemical Institute (SACI) Goue Medalje, die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns se Havenga Prys virChemie, die Claude Harris Leon Stigtingstoekenning, die Alexander von Humboldt Navorsingsprys (Duitsland), die Uitnemende Navorsingstoekenning van Wits, die Merck Medalje en aanwysing as Alumnus van die Jaar deur die UOVS in 1987. In 2000vernoem Wits hul laboratorium vir strukturele chemie na hom. Dit staan bekend as die Jan Boeyens Laboratory for Structural Chemistry. Prof Boeyens is die outeur of mede-outeur van 254 wetenskaplike artikels, drie boeke en ses hoofstukke in boeke.
Prof Jan Christoffel Antonie Boeyens was head of the University of Pretoria’s Department of Chemistry. He was also Dean ofthe Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He is currently an extraordinary professor in the Unit for Advanced Studies in the Department of Chemistry. Prof Boeyens’ research focus is crystallography and theoreticalchemistry. Prof Boeyens obtained his BSc degree (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics) in 1955, his BSc(Hons) (Chemistry) in 1956 and his MSc degree (Chemistry) (cum laude) the following year – all from the University of the Orange Free State (UOFS).In 1964, he continued his studies at UP and completed his DSc (Physical and Theoretical Chemistry) (cum laude). In 1965,
he became a research fellow at Stanford University. In 1958, he was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Chemistryat the UOFS. In 1961, he joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of South Africa (Unisa), where he worked until his appointment as a research officer in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) National Physical ResearchLaboratory. He occupied this position until 1971, when he was appointed as chief scientist of the National Institute for Metallurgy (Mintek) and head of the applied structural chemistry research group. Following this, he accepted a position as ad hominemprofessor in theoretical chemistry at Wits – a position he occupied until 1999. At the same time, he was appointed head of Wits’
Department of Chemistry in 1984 and Director of the Centre for Molecular Design from 1986 to 1999. Prof Boeyens was headof Wits’ Department of Chemistry on two separate occasions: from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1997 to 1999. From 1991 to 1993, he was promoted to Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Wits. In 2000, he accepted a position as researchprofessor at UP, and in 2001, was appointed head of the Department of Chemistry – a position he held until 2005 when he was appointed extraordinary professor in the Unit for Advanced Studies. He serves, or has served, on various committeesand councils, including as Vice-President of the Royal Society of South Africa, and Chairman of the National Committee of the South African Crystallographic Association and of the International Union of Crystallography. He received various prizes andawards for his research, including the AECI medal, the SACI gold medal, the Havenga Prize of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns for chemistry, the Claude Harris Leon Fellowship, the Alexander von Humboldt research prize (Germany),the Exceptional Research Award of Wits, and the Merck medal and nomination as Alumnus of the Year by the UOFS in 1987.
In 2000, Wits named its laboratory for structural chemistry after him. It is known as the Jan Boeyens Laboratory for StructuralChemistry. Prof Boeyens is the author or co-author of 254 scientific articles, three books and six chapters in books.