University of Amsterdam (UvA) --- Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) --- Homogeneous Catalysis

Short curriculum vitae (PDF)

Joost Reek finished his masters at the University of Nijmegen in 1991 and received his PhD in 1996 at the same university. His research was done in the group of Prof. R.J.M. Nolte and dealt with the synthesis, supramolecular binding properties and catalytic activity of molecular clips. In this group he required expertise in the field of supramolecular chemistry and synthesis. He subsequently attended the group of Prof. M.J. Crossley in Sydney as a postdoctoral fellow in 1997, where he got experienced in porphyrin chemistry. Among other things, he developed guest templated molecular capsules using porphyrins and dendrimers. In a collaboration with Prof. K. Ghiggino he studied the photophysical properties of porphyrin functionalized dendrimers that served as models for the light harvesting II system.

In January 1998 he became lecturer (senior lecturer since 2003) in the group of Prof. Van Leeuwen with research activities focusing on transition metal catalysis, supramolecular chemistry and supramolecular catalysis, catalyst immobilization and dendritic transition metal catalysis. He started several collaborations with other research groups and companies and received numerous grants among which two CW-JC (Jonge Chemici; special program for talented young chemists) and a CW-VICI grant. In 2005 became a young member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW). In 2006 he was appointed full professor (chair supramolecular catalysis) at the University of Amsterdam.