Biography:Han Woerdman

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Short description: Dutch physicist (1942–2020)

Johannes Petrus "Han" Woerdman (29 November 1942 – 18 August 2020) was a Dutch physicist. He was a researcher at Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium and later professor at Leiden University.

Life

Woerdman was born on 29 November 1942 in Laren, North Holland.[1] In 1968 he started working at Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium.[2] He obtained his PhD in mathematics at the University of Amsterdam in 1971 under Andries Rinse Miedema with a thesis titled: "Some optical and electrical properties of a laser-generated free-carrier plasma in Si."[3] In 1983 he left Philips and was appointed professor of experimental physics at Leiden University.[1]

At Leiden University Woerdman performed research into lasers and optics, specializing in classical optics.[2] He was responsible for building the field of quantum optics at the University.[4] In 2020 one of the articles he contributed to in 1992 was chosen as one of three classics of Physical Review A.[5]

Woerdman was elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002.[6] In 2007 he was named a Fellow of the European Optical Society.[7][8] In 2010 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which caused his death on 18 August 2020 at the age of 77.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Johannes Petrus Woerdman (Han)" (in Dutch). Leiden University. https://hoogleraren.leidenuniv.nl/id/2815. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "In memoriam: Han Woerdman". Casimir Research School. 20 August 2020. https://casimir.researchschool.nl/in-memoriam-han-woerdman-4861.html. 
  3. "J.P. Woerdman" (in Dutch). University of Amsterdam. http://www.albumacademicum.uva.nl/cgi/b/bib/bib-idx?type=simple;lang=nl;c=ap;rgn1=entirerecord;q1=Woerdman;x=0;y=0;cc=ap;view=reslist;sort=achternaam;fmt=long;page=reslist;start=1;size=1. 
  4. "Overlijdensbericht Prof. Dr. J.P. (Han) Woerdman" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 25 August 2020. https://images.nrc.nl/8i4D4nEE7XAjINBpSCU3X43w_nM=/x/filters:no_upscale():format(jpeg):fill(f8f8f8,true)/s3/nrchub/clippings/NH/20200825/304-advertisement-216062_1269430_woerdman10-b66b98.png. 
  5. ""Donut modes"-artikel van Robert Spreeuw gekozen tot PRA classic" (in Dutch). University of Amsterdam. 15 March 2020. https://www.uva.nl/shared-content/subsites/institute-of-physics/nl/nieuws/2020/03/donut-modes-artikel-van-robert-spreeuw-gekozen-tot-pra-classic.html?origin=C7qo0vSuQiCeMfPYaosIew. 
  6. "Han Woerdman". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/members/5304. 
  7. "EOS Fellowship 2007 voor Ad Lagendijk en Han Woerdman" (in Dutch). engineersonline.nl. 27 July 2007. https://www.engineersonline.nl/nieuws/id8511-eos-fellowship-2007-voor-ad-lagendijk-en-han-woerdman-.html. 
  8. "EOS fellows". European Optical Society. https://www.europeanoptics.org/pages/distinctions/eos-fellows.html.