Villadsen, John

John Villadsen (Kopenhagen, Danska, 26. junij, 1936), kemijski inženir. Dr. Sci., Dr. Techn., profesor za kemijsko in biokemijsko inženirstvo, Danska tehniška univerza (DTU), Lungby; Danska. 1959 je zaključil magistrski študij kemijskega inženirstva na DTU, potem pa dve leti kot poročnik služil v kraljevih inženirskih enotah. Doktorski študij iz kemijskega inženirstva je zaključil 1963 na DTU, nato pa se v letih 1965–66 izpopolnjeval na Oddelku za kemijsko inženirstvo Univerze v Visconsinu (Madisson). Tam je skupaj z Warrenom Stewartom razvil metodo Ortogonalne kolokacije za reševanje problemov z robnimi pogoji. Po vrnitvi domov (1966) je postal izredni profesor, v letih 1967–68 pa je odšel na študijski dopust in delal za dansko firmo NIRO Atomizer v Braziliji.

Delo na DTU je nadaljeval do 1976, ko je bil imenoval za profesorja na Oddelku za kemijsko inženirstvo Univerze v Houstonu (Tx). Nastavitev v Houstonu se je končala 1984, ko je bil izvoljen med deset (10) danskih »super profesorjev«s posebno nalogo, da vzpostavi močno raziskovalno in študijsko usmeritev v biotehnologiji. 15 let (1986–2001) je bil direktor Danskega nacionalnega raziskovalnega centra za načrtovanje bioprocesov pri DTU. 2001 je direktorstvo predal enemu svojih najboljših doktorskih študentov, Jensu Nielsenu, ki je danes profesor na švedski univerzi v Chalmersu, kjer vodi skupino za Sistemsko biologijo. Villadsen je bil 2004 imenovan za prvega profesorja na novo ustanoviteljeni katedri, ki jo je na DTU ustanovila firma Novo-Nordisk. S tega položaja se je formalno umaknil v pokoj 2006, vendar je na DTU še vedno aktiven; sedaj kot starejši (senior) profesor na Oddelku za kemijsko in bikemijsko inženirstvo. 2007 in 2008 ga je DTU imenoval za direktorja študija kemijskega inženirstva na Univerzi v Trinidad & Tobago, s katero DTU pogodbeno sodeluje. Od 1991 do 2001 je bil Villadsen dekan Fakultete za kemijo, kemijsko iženirstvo in biotehnologije pri DTU. Villadsen je tudi član delovne skupine za Računalniško simulacijo in skupine za Reakcijsko inženirstvo pri EFCE ter član delovne skupine za Boireaktorje pri EFB.

Za raziskovalne dosežke so Villadsenu podelile časni doktorat finska Åbo Academy, švedska Univerza v Chalmersu in mehiška Avtonomna metropolitanska univerza v Mehiki. Prejel je tudi več nagrad kot so: Kann Rasmussensova nagrada, najprestižnejšo nagrado Danske za inženirske dosežke in zlato medaljo Julius Thomsen. Od 1979 je član Danske inženirske akademije in od 2003 dopisni član SAZU.

Znanstvena dela Villadsena izhajajo iz dveh raziskovalnih področji. Do 1984 je raziskoval na področju klasičnega kemijskega inženirstva s poudarkom na simulaciji kemijskih procesov. Najpomembnejši prispevek iz tega obdobja je članek [1], ki je kasneje kulminiral v doktorski disertaciji (Dr. Tech) [2], v zelo uporabnem in cenjenem učbeniku [3] in vrsti prispevkov, ki so utrdili uporabnost ortogonalne kolokacije kot ene najboljših metod za reševanje kompleksnih problemov z robnimi pogoji v inženirski praksi. Reakcijsko inženirstvo je bil predmet študija mnogih njegovih doktorandov. Študij kemijskih reakcij z difuzijo v talini in disperznih katalizatorjih (npr. hidrogenacija ketonov) je privedel do patenta [4], ki je bil prodan firmi DSM (Nizozemska); iz te prodaja je billo financiranih mnogo njegovih doktorskih štududentov. Od 1985 je bilo Villadsenovo delo usmerjeno v kvantitativno analizo biokemijskih sistemov s poudarkom na bio-reakcijah. Žgoščeni rezultati teh raziskav so izšli 1985 v obliki učbenika »Bioreaction Engineering Principles«. Učbenik je pozneje (1993) izšel kot prva izdaja z Jensom Nielsenom kot soavtorjem, 2011 pa že kot tretja s še tretjim koavtorjem, njegovim bivšim študentom [5]. Učbenik je postal standardni pripomoček kemijskim inženirjem, ki želijo delati na področju biotehnologije in biologom, ki želijo študirati biokemijo in biologijo bolj s kvantitativnega izhodišča.
Villadsenova publicistična bera presega 250 originalnih del. Delo pod [1] je dobilo prestižni naziv »citation classics« že 1981.

Villadesn je poročen s Kirsten Høegh-Guldberg in ima dva otroka ter 5 vnukov starosti od 5 do 8 let.
[1] Villadsen, J and Stewart, W. E., Solution of boundary-value problems by orthogonal collocation. Chem. Engng Sci 22, 1483-1501 (1967).
[2] Villadsen, J., Selected approximation methods for chemical engineering problems. Dr. Tech. thesis, The Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen (1970).
[3] Villadsen. J. and Michelsen, M. L, Solution of Differential Equation Models by Polynomial Approximation. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1978).
[4] Villadsen, J., Livbjerg, H., Møller, C.E. Catalyst for dehydrogenating organic compounds, in particular amines, thiols, and alcohols, and a process for its preparation, US patent 4,224,190 (1980).
[5] Villadsen, J, Nielsen, J and Lidén, G Bioreaction Engineering Principles. 3rd edition, Springer Verlag, NY, 2011.

(Januar 2012)

John Villadsen (Copenhagen, Denmark, June 12, 1936) Chemical Engineer, PhD and Dr techn. Professor Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Lyngby, Denmark.

Having finished his MSc (Chem. Eng) at DTU in 1959 and 2 years of service (Royal Engineers) as Lieutenant, he did graduate studies at DTU and finished his PhD (Chem Eng) in 1963. After a post doc 1965-1966 at Dept Chem Eng, University of Wisconsin (Madison) where he together with professor Warren Stewart discovered and developed the method of Orthogonal Collocation for solution of boundary value problems he returned to DTU as Associate Professor in 1966, but had leave of absence during 1967-1968 to work at the Brazilian office of the Danish spray-dryer company NIRO Atomizer.

His work at DTU was resumed and continued until 1976 when he was appointed professor at Dept Chem Eng, University of Houston (Tx). This employment ended in 1984 when he was elected as one of 10 Danish “super-professors” with special responsibility for development of a strong research and teaching effort in the field of Biotechnology. For 15 years, 1986 to 2001 he was director of the Danish national research center for Bioprocess design, located at the DTU. In 2001 he handed over the directorship to his, perhaps most brilliant PhD student, Jens Nielsen, who after serving at DTU as professor is now head of the Systems Biology group at Chalmers University (SE). Villadsen was in 2004 appointed as the founding chair of the Novo-Nordisk professorship at DTU from which he officially retired in 2006. He has, however, continued his service at DTU, now as Senior Professor at Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. In 2007 and 2008 he was the DTU appointed director of the Chemical Engineering education at University of Trinidad & Tobago, which has a liaison with the DTU.

From 1991 to 2001 Villadsen was dean of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at DTU. He has also been member of the EFCE working parties on Computer simulations and Reaction engineering and member of the EFB working party on Biochemical reactors.

For his research Villadsen has been appointed honorary doctor at Åbo Academy (FI), Chalmers University (SE) and Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (MX). He has also received several awards, e.g. Kann Rasmussens Prize, the most prestigious award for Engineering research in Denmark, and the Julius Thomsen gold medal.

He is a corresponding member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences since 2003 and of the Danish Academy of Engineering since 1979.

The scientific work of Villadsen falls in two separate categories. Until 1984 he was engaged in classical research in Chemical Engineering with focus on the simulation of chemical engineering processes. The best known paper from this period is [1], which was later supplemented by the doctoral thesis [2], the textbook [3] and a number of papers which made Orthogonal Collocation one of the best methods of solving complex boundary value problems in engineering practice. Also, Reaction Engineering was subject of his work with numerous PhD students, for example on chemical reaction with diffusion and specifically on molten and dispersed catalysts for e.g. hydrogenation of ketones [4], a patent that was sold to DSM (NE) and which financed numerous PhD students of Villadsen. From 1985 Villadsen has been working in the quantitative analysis of biochemical systems with emphasis on bio-reactions. A publication that summarizes his work since 1985 is the textbook “Bioreaction Engineering Principles” (first edition 1993 with Jens Nielsen as coauthor, now 3rd edition, 2011 [5], with Jens Nielsen and another former student Gunnar Lidén as coauthors). This book has become the standard text for Chemical Engineers who wish to work in Biotechnology and for Biologists who wish to study Biochemistry and biology from a quantitative point of view.

The total number of publications by Villadsen exceeds 250. Reference [1] was elected a citation classic already in 1981.

Villadsen is married to Kirsten Høegh-Guldberg. He has two children and 5 grand children, age 8 to 20.

[1] Villadsen, J and Stewart, W. E., Solution of boundary-value problems by orthogonal collocation. Chem. Engng Sci 22, 1483-1501 (1967).
[2] Villadsen, J., Selected approximation methods for chemical engineering problems. Dr. Tech. thesis, The Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen (1970).
[3] Villadsen. J. and Michelsen, M. L, Solution of Differential Equation Models by Polynomial Approximation. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1978).
[4] Villadsen, J., Livbjerg, H., Møller, C.E. Catalyst for dehydrogenating organic compounds, in particular amines, thiols, and alcohols, and a process for its preparation, US patent 4,224,190 (1980).
[5] Villadsen, J, Nielsen, J and Lidén, G Bioreaction Engineering Principles. 3rd edition, Springer Verlag, NY, 2011.

(June 2011)