Johannes G. de Vries received a PhD (bio-organic chemistry) under the guidance of Richard M. Kellogg from the University of Groningen in 1979. After a postdoc with James B. Hendrickson and Robert H. Abeles at Brandeis University, Waltham, USA, his first job was as a medicinal chemist with Sandoz in Vienna and in London. From 1988-2013 he worked for DSM in Geleen, The Netherlands, lastly as a Principal Scientist in the area of Homogeneous Catalysis. From 1999-2018 he was part-time professor homogeneous catalysis at the University of Groningen. In 2014 he became Department Head Catalysis with Renewable Resources at the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis in Rostock, Germany. In 2013 he received the Paul N. Rylander Award for outstanding contributions in the field of catalysis as it applies to organic synthesis.

© Photo de Vries