Welcome to the news site of the Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry

It is our pleasure to announce the Photochemistry Summer School 2012, an advanced course covering fundamentals and applications of photochemistry, the fourth in a series (1998, 2003, 2008) organized by the Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry (HRSMC, a cooperation between the Chemistry Departments of the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) under the auspices of the European Photochemistry Association (EPA). Registration is open for PhD-students, postdoctoral students and industrial scientist

C2W Career Expo is the KNCV career event in Chemistry, Life Sciences, Process Technology, Pharma and Food. The fifth edition is coming up, so it is time to inform you about the activities that will take place during this day. The programme in 2012 includes several workshops and lectures that will inspire you to develop new ideas and further your career. Learn more about writing a good resume and how to prepare for a job interview. Furthermore, don’t miss your chance to connect with over 50 organizations present at the exhibition floor, such as Akzo Nobel, DSM, MSD and many more. And last, but not least, pay a visit to the KNCV Career Booth for personal career advice, CV check, information on salaries and a real make-over by a make-up artist. For more information and FREE registration, visit the website

Metal-free Phosphorus/Boron-species stores Hydrogen and CO₂

Koop Lammertsma, Chris Slootweg and co-workers have published the pre-organized P/B-based Frustrated Lewis Pair tBu₂CH₂BPh₂ (see picture) in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (J.Am.Chem.Soc.2012, 134,201) and showed that this simple main-group compound can store hydrogen as well as carbon dioxide.

 For download available: abstracts of the lectures and posters that will be presented during the Symposium on November 4. Take a look and tell your colleagues about the fascinating programme!

October 1, 2011

Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry honors innovative PhD-thesis work.

Dick Stufkens Prijs 2011 awarded to chemist Sergio Ioppolo

The Dick Stufkens Prijs 2011 is awarded to Dr. Sergio Ioppolo. The prize is given for his Ph.D. thesis “Surface Formation Routes of Interstellar Molecules”, in which he describes the construction of a laboratory-based instrument enabling the simulation of interstellar conditions and the observation of chemical reactions under such conditions. The Dick Stufkens Prijs is an annual prize, awarded to the best thesis of a Ph.D. student belonging to the Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry (HRSMC). The prize consists of a certificate and an amount of 1.000 euro. Prof. dr. J. W. Verhoeven will present the prize to the winner on November 4 during the annual HRSMC symposium in Amsterdam. At the symposium the laureate will present a lecture on the work described in his thesis.

Mark your calendars for the next HRSMC Symposium: November 4, 2011.

This annual event will be organized at the VU University. Besides PhD lectures (to be further announced), a guest lecture of prof.dr Piet Gros (winner of the NWO Spinoza Prize 2010) and lectures of HRSMC staff members: dr Eelco Ruijter, prof.dr Fred Brouwer and dr Francesco Buda. 

 Final programme and details will follow, the preliminary programme can be found here

Do you want to know if your salary is in line with the market? Or in which kind of different functions chemists end up? Join the KNCV survey! This way you will contribute to the answers of these questions. (Only for graduates (BSc, MSc or PhD) after 01-01-2010). Click here to join