To our deep regret we were informed that on November 12th of this year Professor Henk Jan Overbeek has passed away. For many years, Professor Overbeek has served our organization as Secretary-General. In 2003 he was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of our organization and in 2015 the Honorary Chair of the 2015 Advisory Board. It is with deep gratitude that we remember his important contributions to our Association.

Professor Overbeek graduated from Delft University of Technology, specialization River Engineering. After graduation he joined Delft Hydraulics and later on the Board of Directors of this institute, first as Director Science, and later as Director General.  In 1998 he moved to Delft University of Technology, to become Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences. This commitment ended in 2001, after which he continued as private consultant. 

At the national level, Professor Overbeek also served in several high-ranking advisory committees, among which from 2005 till 2015 the prestigious governmental Water Advisory Committee, chaired by the present King of the Netherlands.

We will not only remember Henk Jan Overbeek as a key figure in the history of the International Association of Hydraulic Research, but also as a most amiable and accessible person to all of us.

By Prof. Dr. Huib J. de Vriend, Former Director of Deltares, and Professor at Technical University Delft

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