Heterogeneous Catalysis, 1st Edition

Julian Ross

Julian Ross was brought up in a teaching family and never doubted that he would become a scientist. In this, he was striongly influenced by his father who had earned a PhD in London (University College) in 1926 for work involving the use of a very early infrared spectrometer to study the structure of pyrone derivatives. Julian was educated at Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB) where he studied Chemistry. Completing his BSc in 1963, Julian spent a summer internship with Gordon M. Barrow in Cleveland, Ohio (carrying out infrared measurements on hydrogen-bonding systems) before commencing his PhD research in QUB under the supervision of Wyn Roberts and, for part of the time, of Charles Kemball. Following graduation with his PhD in 1966, Julian moved to work with Wyn Roberts at the University of Bradford (UK) with whom he became a Research Assistant, later being appointed to a lecturership in Physical Chemistry and then progressed to a position as Senior Lecturer. He developed an interest in the catalysis of reactions of particular interest to industry, especially steam reforming and hydrodesulphurization and also worked as consultant to a number of UK companies involved in surface science and catalysis. During this time in Bradford, he was also involved in the development of a new industrial catalyst for steam reforming, now used widely for hydrogen production. Julian was appointed in 1982 to the position of Professor of Catalytic Processes and Materials at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. In Twente, he broadened his interests to include a much wider range of catalytic processes (for example, methane coupling, oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons, deNOx, selective oxidation) as well as looking at new materials and concepts (for example, the stabilization of high area zirconias, membrane catalysis). During his time in Twente, he became widely known through his work first as Editor of the News Brief section of Applied Catalysis (launched while he was still in Bradford) and then as Editor of Catalysis Today, a position from which he retired only at the beginning of 2011. In 1991, Julian was encouraged to return to Ireland to take up a position in the then new University of Limerick where he was very soon appointed as Head of a new Department of Chemical and Life Sciences. Three years later, he was asked to become Dean of a new College of Science, a position that he filled for nine years. While performing these administrative functions, he maintained a strong research group and also continued his work with Applied Catalysis and Catalysis Today. In 2001, he was elected as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and was also appointed as a member of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. He was treasurer of the RIA from 2006 to 2008. He retired from full-time work at the University of Limerick in 2006, being given the title Research Professor; he still leads a small but active research group, this having a particular interest in catalysis of biomass conversion reactions.

Affiliations and Expertise

Emeritus Professor at University of Limerick, Ireland