Baron Professor Roger Van Overstraeten

Baron Professor Roger Van Overstraeten

Keyword Obituary

Professor Roger Van Overstraeten, president, chief executive officer and founder of IMEC, which was set up by the Flemish Government in 1984, died in May after a long illness. His death is not only a great personal loss for his immediate family, friends and acquaintances, it is also a huge loss for IMEC, Flanders and the microelectronics community.

Roger Joseph Van Overstraeten was born in Vlezenbeek on 7 December 1937. He received his civil engineering degree in electronics and mechanics from the University of Leuven in 1960 and his PhD degree in physical electronics at Stanford University in 1963. Two years later he was appointed associate professor of the University of Leuven and became a full professor in 1968. Since 1984 he has been a professor emeritus.

Professor Van Overstraeten set up the ESAT Laboratory (electronics, systems, automation and technology) at the University of Leuven, which he directed until 1984. He also chaired the Department of Electrical Engineering from 1981 to 1984 and was director of the Microelectronics Department of Leuven Research and Development from 1972 to 1984. Professor Van Overstraeten was guest professor at the University of Florida (1974), at Stanford University (1979) and at Pilani (India, 1980). He served on numerous advisory and editorial boards and acted as chairman or program chairman at various international conferences.

From 1984, Professor Van Overstraeten has been president of and the inspiration behind IMEC in Leuven.

Professor Van Overstraeten received many awards for his considerable merit. He was also a member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Science and a fellow of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

His broad vision on microelectronics and the future of the high-tech industry made IMEC what it is today ­ the largest independent research centre in Europe in the field of microelectronics and related fields. Today at IMEC, about 820 engineers,scientists and technicians develop new technologies in microelectronics for tomorrow's industry. Under his guidance IMEC set up no fewer than 15 spin-off companies in as many years. He created a new venture capital fund "IT Partners",oriented towards information technology, and developed many other initiatives in the Flanders region.

In 1990 he was elevated to the nobility by King Baudouin as Baron Roger Van Overstraeten.

In November of last year Professor Gilbert Declerck was appointed as chief operating officer at IMEC. Since then, Professor Van Overstraeten focused primarily on strategy and external initiatives.