| Ria Broer was born on August 24 1951 in Marum, the Netherlands. She received a doctoral degree in chemistry (1976, supervisor Dr. P. Th. Van Duijnen) and a PhD degree in Mathematics and Natural Sciences (1981, supervisor Prof. W.C. Nieuwpoort), both at the University of Groningen. After various postdoc positions she became UHD and later professor of theoretical chemistry at this university. In 2017 she became professor emeritus. |  |
Research
Ria has worked on the development and use of first principles quantum chemical methods to help understand a variety of chemical and physical phenomena in molecular and ionic compounds. Wavefunction based electronic structure theory methods that are able to treat strong electron correlation are central in her research, with emphasis on so-called non-orthogonal methods. The areas of expertise for which she is known best include isotropic and anisotropic magnetic interactions; excitations in transition metal materials; switching processes in bi-stable compounds; exciton and energy transfer in organic photo-voltaics; singlet fission. She especially enjoys working in close collaboration with colleagues, including those who have a different, complimentary field of expertise. At present she participates in GronOR, a collaborative program of the Universities of Groningen, Barcelona and Tarragona with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the development and use of efficient nonorthogonal configuration interaction to treat excitation an energy transfer.
Teaching and supervision
Ria has taught many courses on physical and theoretical chemistry. She is proud of having contributed to the creation and operation of the European Master in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modeling, TCCM. She has also been actively involved in the organization and teaching of the Topmaster Nanoscience of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and the master/PhD sandwich program Zernike- ITB (Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia). These three programs have enabled numerous bright students from all over the world to become successful scientists in academia and industry. She has guided twenty PhD students and ten postdocs.
National and international professional service
Ria has been member of the WGS (Dutch scientific council for the use and acquisition of national computing facilities); chair of the SNS 06/07 (Selection Committee National Super Computing Facilities); member of the Board of the NWO foundation NCF (National Computing Facilities); member and chair of the Board of the NWO-CW Discussion Group Spectroscopy and Theory; member of the Scientific User Selection Panel of High Performance Computing Europe (HPC-E, HPC-E2, HPC-E3); member of the Board of the Erasmus Mundus Master TCCM; member of the Vaste Wetenschappelijke Commissie Chemie of FWO (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen Belgium); member of the INCITE selection committee for Leadership Computing; member of the Board of the Innovative Training Network (ITN) for the European Joint Doctorate program “Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling”
Honours
Ria is elected member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science. She has received honorary medals from Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia; FWO Belgium; the Centre de Mécanique Ondulatoire Appliquée, France. She also received the “Universiteitspenning” of the University of Groningen. In 2017 she received a royal distinction (Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion).
Professional positions
1974 – 1975 Scientific Programmer, University of Groningen (UG).
1981 – 1982 Visiting Scientist, IBM Research Lab., San Jose, CA, USA (host Prof. P.S. Bagus)
1982 – 1984 Postdoc Leiden University, Inorganic Chemistry (with Prof. dr. J. Reedijk and Prof. W.A. Maaskant)
1984 -1987 Postdoc ZWO (STW and FOM), Theoretical Physics and Chemistry, Philips Research Laboratories + UG + Utrecht University (with Prof. M. Schuurmans and Prof. W.C. Nieuwpoort)
1987 – 1992 Senior Fellow KNAW, UG
1989- 1990 Guest professor Quantum Theory Project, University of Florida, USA, host Prof. H. Monkhorst (5 months)
1992 - 2003 UHD Theoretical Chemistry, UG
2003 - 2009 Associate Professor Theoretical Chemistry, UG
2005, 2006, 2007 sabbatical visits University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, hosts Prof. R. Caballol and Prof. C. de Graaf (9 months in total)
2009-2017 Full Professor Theoretical Chemistry, UG
From 2017 Professor Emeritus Theoretical Chemistry, UG
