Ronald Hage, 2nd term Honorary Professor

Ronald Hage has been reappointed for a 2^nd term as Honorary Professor of Industrial Catalysis and Bioinorganic Chemistry at the UG. It is a good moment to reflect with him on his first term and look to the upcoming 5 years.

What is your involvement in research and education at the UG?

I am mainly involved in various teaching activities. Together with Syuzi Harutyunyan, we give the MSc course on Chemical Catalysis and in the previous period Homogeneous Catalysis for Chemical Engineering MSc students. Furthermore, with Johannes Klein we give the bachelor course on Green and Photochemistry. Besides this, I (co)supervise bachelor and master students in their research projects and occasionally I am an examiner for master students’ colloquia and an oral examiner in the final MSc examinations.

I don’t have my own research group, but I regularly discuss the research projects with various PhD students from Wesley Browne and Johannes Klein.

How does your industrial experience allow you to contribute to research & education at the university? What are the specificities that you are bringing to the table?

Because of my very different background compared to most of the professors of the Stratingh Institute my contribution to teaching/education/research is unique. For example, during the course of Green and Photochemistry, I can easily make the link between the theoretical aspects of the principles of Green Chemistry and the current activities in the company I work regarding sustainability improvements. Also, my whole career has focussed very much on developing homogeneous oxidation catalysts based on benign metals (Mn and Fe) for bleaching and oxidation processes in industry, which is related to one of the core principles of green chemistry.

Having worked on the same topic for many years gave me also a unique skill set to guide students who do research on mechanistic aspects of iron or manganese-based oxidation catalysis. Already since 1992, I had visited UG very regularly, and together with prof Ben Feringa, I co-supervised PhD students, including the current director of the institute! One of the first undergraduate students I had the fortune to guide was Wesley Browne who as a young lad did an internship with me at Unilever to study the mechanisms of an iron-based bleach catalyst, originally made by Gerard Roelfes. So, you can see that the links between UG and myself have been very strong for many years.

Why is your company allowing you to spend time at the UG instead of working on projects for the company?

The R&D topic on bleach catalysis is very much applied but needs deep understanding of inorganic chemistry to be able to develop new catalysts or applications. It was recognized that by fostering the interactions with an excellent university, new ideas could be generated which could ultimately lead to discovery of new catalysts or applications.

Fortunately, I had to study again much more about other topics when I started to teach in homogeneous catalysis and green chemistry. Reading on the fundamental aspects of green chemistry, made me realize that in the company I work much more could be done. Together with the CEO we strongly pushed sustainability, which by now is more settled, not least due to the new EU regulations. Currently I am also leading the sustainability programme in the company which would not likely not have happened without the courses I gave at the UG.

What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of being an honorary prof at the UG?

Most challenging for me is time management. I’d love to do more research/guidance of students at the university or extend my teaching activities in for example the area of coordination chemistry. The activities in the company do not allow me to extend the activities at the UG at this moment. Also, it does not help that the time to travel between Leiden and Groningen from door-to-door is more than 3½ h (including 1 h walking, which keeps me fit).

Most rewarding for me is the interactions with the students. I believe that because of my very different background in industry, the undergraduate students really appreciate to hear about the practical aspects of their studies. Also, they get a better idea of what it is (or could be) to work in a private company. I get loads of interesting questions which by honest answering helps the students to form a picture of the work as a chemist in industry. This is not only happening in the courses, but also in the meetings/discussions I have with the PhD students. Sometimes I give also my advice on different career possibilities or companies where people who have (nearly) finished might apply.

Specifically for the green chemistry course I enjoy the case studies that the students need to present.

Besides this, all discussions with the students, lectures I give, and other activities at the UG keep me sharp (and students will make it very clear when you are not on top of things!).

Finally, I should mention that I also enjoy very much the interactions and discussions with especially Wesley Browne on many aspects of life at the university.

Has your role changed over time?

In the first year of the first period as honorary professor, I started with the course on Homogeneous Catalysis. Obviously, I was quite nervous to teach such course for the first time, but I prepared well. Unfortunately, the lock-down due to Covid started on the day when I was supposed to give the first lecture. I was already on Sunday in Groningen staying with Wesley to be on time because the lecture would start at 9 am, which at the end I had to give from Wesley’s office. The rest of this course and also the course Green/Photochemistry was given online. That has obviously changed and teaching in the classroom is so much better than doing it online. Hopefully this will not change anymore.

Besides this, my role has indeed changed. In the first period I taught for MSc chemical engineering students on Homogeneous Catalysis with less involvement in the course on Chemical Catalysis for the MSc Chemistry students. This latter has slowly increased and coming year I will also cover the topics on heterogeneous catalysis. In the course of green chemistry, it started more theoretical for me (apart from the topics of my research in the company), but in the latter years I can use more and more examples of the current sustainability/green chemistry programmes in the chemical industry.

The involvement in final examinations of MSc and supervision of BSc/MSc students who do their research projects also gradually increased.

It is now your 2^nd term, what did you learn from the 1^st 5 years? What will you do differently now?

Yes, this is my second and last term. Main thing I learned is teaching. In the first year one has to prepare extremely well to give each lecture. I learned a lot on many aspects of organometallic chemistry, homogeneous catalysis (beyond oxidation catalysis), green chemistry and I also realised that on a topic I am very familiar with (coordination chemistry), you have to really think what and how to explain the ligand-field theory. I also realised in the second year (and beyond) how much fun it is to give these lectures. I have the, maybe naïve, feeling that students can and will use stuff I taught.

I think I want to be more organised for the MSc and PhD students who do their research. For example, when I am teaching (first half the calendar year), I am very often in Groningen and in the other period much less often. So, no one knows beforehand clearly when I will come with a possibility to meet. This also would allow me to expand my possibilities to guide students in their research projects. I don’t want to change too much in the courses I give. As before I make sure to ask feedback from students and peers to check if what I teach is at the level as expected or whether I should improve on certain aspects. The open atmosphere at the UG certainly helps me to get the right and honest feedback if needed.