In Memoriam: Boud Vogelesang

News - 30 December 2019

On Monday afternoon, Dec 23nd, Professor Boud Vogelesang passed away.

In 1993 Boud Vogelesang was offered the professorship of Aerospace Materials (Vliegtuigmaterialen) at Delft University of Technology as successor of Professor Jaap Schijve.

With his Chair he was responsible for the development of materials like ARALL and GLARE. A class of materials that combine the best of the two worlds of composites and metals. It also symbolises Boud Vogelesang as a person, looking for the best in people working together, and then go beyond the limits. Boud joined the faculty in the late sixties after he graduated here in 1967. Since then Boud inspired many generations of young engineers and academics. He also was a profound stimulator of cooperation with industry and other partners. This lead to the nowadays world renowned Materials & Structures Laboratory (better known as vliegtuighal). When the faculty needed him, he did not shy away. He played an important role for the faculty when the faculty had to face the Fokker-crisis in 1996. In 2001, after having been an acting Dean, he left the chair and faculty in good shape for a new generation to take over.

Our thoughts are with Boud’s family and friends.

Henri Werij, Pim Groen en Rinze Benedictus
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, TU Delft

In 2015 we interviewed Boud Vogelesang for a book about the faculty’s pioneers. Read his inspiring story here (on page 18).