- Email: [email protected]
Remembrances of a special scientist: P.W.J.M. Boumans
Spectrochimica Acta Part B 64 (2009) 302
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Spectrochimica Acta Part B j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / s a b
Remembrances of a special scientist: P.W.J.M. Boumans My first acquaintance with Paul Boumans occurred long before I met him, during the time when I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois. His 1966 book “Theory of Spectrochemical Excitation” had just been published and was read by many students in the research group of Howard Malmstadt, where I was privileged to work. As did the other texts of Boumans, this volume served both as a tutorial for those of us new to the field and as a resource to those already expert in it. I still consult it regularly. I later came to know Paul on a much more personal level, first at conferences and later through visits to his home and to ours. Two such events deserve to be retold here, because they show a bit of the human side of this special person. My wife Susan and I visited the home of Paul and Dorine Boumans in 1983, in conjunction with the Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale, held in Amsterdam. A delightful coincidence was that the conference was held at nearly the same time as the Boumans's wedding anniversary. They elected to hold a wonderful reception in recognition of the event. Many people attended, and highlights of the evening were a tour of the Boumans home, which had been outfitted personally by Paul with the latest electronic and computerized gadgets, a visit to Paul's Japanese garden, and a mini-concert by the Boumans daughters. The garden was the result of Paul's fascination with similar gardens in Japan, experienced in connection with the 1981 CSI meeting held there. The amazing thing about the miniconcert was Paul's obvious deep enjoyment of it, despite his almost total loss of hearing. When Paul and Dorine visited us in Bloomington, things were particularly eventful, especially the weather. It was mid-Fall, and the first day of their stay, the weather was balmy; so nice, in fact, that we all enjoyed a sunny boat ride on Lake Monroe, only a short distance
doi:10.1016/j.sab.2009.03.010
from our home. That evening, the weather turned threatening, then stormy, then violent. A tornado touched down only a short distance away. After the cold front that caused the change passed, the temperatures plummeted and snow began to fall, eventually blanketing the ground. Although I assured Paul and Dorine that such changes were far from typical, we never managed to lure them back to Bloomington! Other accounts in this special tribute to Paul Boumans will no doubt document many aspects of his scholarship, the breadth of his interests and knowledge, his many contributions to science and spectroscopy, his warmth, and his love of life. We all recall the person whose intuitive grasp of his surroundings enabled him to modulate his voice to fit the situation: to speak loudly in a crowded room but to converse softly when in a quiet environment, all this without the benefit of hearing. We also recall the demand for excellence that he exhibited as an editor, but his generosity in assisting those who needed help in expressing their ideas in English. We also recall with fondness his love of art, of good food, and of fine drink. Perhaps most of all, however, we recall the very special relationship that he had with Dorine and his family. He was a special man, and one who will be sorely missed. Gary M. Hieftje Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States E-mail address: [email protected].
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Spectrochimica Acta Part B j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / s a b
Remembrances of a special scientist: P.W.J.M. Boumans My first acquaintance with Paul Boumans occurred long before I met him, during the time when I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois. His 1966 book “Theory of Spectrochemical Excitation” had just been published and was read by many students in the research group of Howard Malmstadt, where I was privileged to work. As did the other texts of Boumans, this volume served both as a tutorial for those of us new to the field and as a resource to those already expert in it. I still consult it regularly. I later came to know Paul on a much more personal level, first at conferences and later through visits to his home and to ours. Two such events deserve to be retold here, because they show a bit of the human side of this special person. My wife Susan and I visited the home of Paul and Dorine Boumans in 1983, in conjunction with the Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale, held in Amsterdam. A delightful coincidence was that the conference was held at nearly the same time as the Boumans's wedding anniversary. They elected to hold a wonderful reception in recognition of the event. Many people attended, and highlights of the evening were a tour of the Boumans home, which had been outfitted personally by Paul with the latest electronic and computerized gadgets, a visit to Paul's Japanese garden, and a mini-concert by the Boumans daughters. The garden was the result of Paul's fascination with similar gardens in Japan, experienced in connection with the 1981 CSI meeting held there. The amazing thing about the miniconcert was Paul's obvious deep enjoyment of it, despite his almost total loss of hearing. When Paul and Dorine visited us in Bloomington, things were particularly eventful, especially the weather. It was mid-Fall, and the first day of their stay, the weather was balmy; so nice, in fact, that we all enjoyed a sunny boat ride on Lake Monroe, only a short distance
doi:10.1016/j.sab.2009.03.010
from our home. That evening, the weather turned threatening, then stormy, then violent. A tornado touched down only a short distance away. After the cold front that caused the change passed, the temperatures plummeted and snow began to fall, eventually blanketing the ground. Although I assured Paul and Dorine that such changes were far from typical, we never managed to lure them back to Bloomington! Other accounts in this special tribute to Paul Boumans will no doubt document many aspects of his scholarship, the breadth of his interests and knowledge, his many contributions to science and spectroscopy, his warmth, and his love of life. We all recall the person whose intuitive grasp of his surroundings enabled him to modulate his voice to fit the situation: to speak loudly in a crowded room but to converse softly when in a quiet environment, all this without the benefit of hearing. We also recall the demand for excellence that he exhibited as an editor, but his generosity in assisting those who needed help in expressing their ideas in English. We also recall with fondness his love of art, of good food, and of fine drink. Perhaps most of all, however, we recall the very special relationship that he had with Dorine and his family. He was a special man, and one who will be sorely missed. Gary M. Hieftje Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States E-mail address: [email protected].