Prof Bert Meijer and students of Eindhoven University of Technology visits iCeMS

Professor Bert Meijer and students from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands visited the iCeMS on July 27.

Prof Meijer is a world-leading scientist in macromolecular and organic chemistry and one of the founders of the “supramolecular polymer” academic field that is widely studied today. He was given the Nagoya Gold Medal in 2017, which is awarded to scientists with exemplary international results in organic chemistry. Previous winners include Prof J Fraser Stoddart (2004) and Prof Ben L Feringa (2013), who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2016. A group of 22 Dutch students visited iCeMS with Prof Meijer as one facet of the Eindhoven University of Technology’s Study Tour program.

First iCeMS Director Susumu Kitagawa and three iCeMS researchers explained iCeMS’ research to the visiting students, and then Prof Meijer gave a seminar about his own research on supramolecular polymers.

Afterwards, the group toured the iCeMS research facilities. Comments from the students included, “I think this ample range of research facilities upholds the advanced research at iCeMS,” “iCeMS has an appealing environment for comprehensive research, from fundamental studies to practical material development,” and, “I felt this is an aggressive research organization attempting to transform past research styles in universities.” After staying for three days in Kyoto, the group visited Nagoya and Tokyo before returning to the Netherlands.