In memoriam - Prof. ir. J.L. Spoormaker

We recently received the sad news that former IDE professor, Jan Spoormaker passed away at the end of April. Prof. Spoormaker played an important role within the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering for more than 20 years as professor, dean, graduate professor and supervisor.  We extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones, family, and friends during at this time. 

Prof. ir. J.L. Spoormaker passed away in his hometown of Oegstgeest at the end of April at the age of 82. A characteristic of Professor Spoormaker was the great dedication and drive with which he did his work.  

As chair of Life Cycle and Reliability of Mass-Produced Products, he delivered lectures and directed IDE research on this topic. He was also the founder of the Laboratory for Mechanical Operating Safety, where research took place on fatigue, UV degradation, effect of stress concentrations, and the specification of the viscoelastic behaviour of plastic materials. These topics continue to be relevant for the design of reliable and durable mass-produced plastic consumer products.