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Q&A with Professor Frank Vanhaecke

How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I had a very inspiring chemistry teacher at secondary school who made me realise I wanted to do something chemistry-related. At that time we had to sit a final exam to determine whether or not we could go on to higher education. Next to a general section, we could pick a specific subject for that exam, so I did not hesitate and selected chemistry. Afterwards that teacher inquired about my plans for further study: I answered that I wanted to do either chemistry or pharmaceutical sciences, and he advised me to select chemistry. I must admit I only thought about what I would like to study for the next years, and didn’t think too much about the career that comes afterwards. After secondary school and until his passing away a few years ago, we have sent one another Christmas cards every year.

Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
Over the years there have been a number of people who have had a great influence on my career. I have already mentioned earlier that without my secondary school chemistry teacher, I might even not have been a chemist. Then later on, during my university chemistry studies, Professors Richard Dams and Carlo Vandecasteele have raised my interest in analytical chemistry and later on acted as promoters of my PhD. I also owe a lot to Professor Luc Moens who added a substantial dose of ambition in the research group where I was working as a postdoctoral researcher and who made me realise that next to devoting sufficient effort and dedication, every now and then a bold decision and a more adventurous exploration makes scientific life more interesting and rewarding.

What motivates you?
Basically, there have always been two drivers in my career. The first one is probably quite obvious and that is wanting to answer or at least help answering scientific questions. Especially in the domain of analytical chemistry we have the possibility to aid solving scientific problems in a large variety of research domains. In my research group, we develop novel analytical methodology that we then deploy in interdisciplinary contexts in cooperation with experts in various fields, ranging from the medical sciences over cosmochemistry to archaeology. I enjoy being aware of research in all these domains and contributing to progress therein is very stimulating. A second motivation stems from working with motivated and intelligent young researchers. In an academic environment, one mentors PhD students and postdoctoral researchers and it is very motivating to see these young people gaining confidence and reaching scientific maturity. At the same time, the fact that there is no to little chance to employ some of these researchers on a permanent basis within the group is also the Achilles’ heel of the research group as our activities become increasingly more complex and sometimes team members (have to) leave without sufficient transfer of the knowledge and experience they have gathered. Seeing how former A&MS team members find their way in academia, research institutions or industry is also very rewarding.

What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?
This is probably a cliché, but that would be being a father to my son. I was already 37 when I became a father, but I have enjoyed fatherhood in all of its phases. My son is a young adult by now, but we still make sufficient time for one another and he still enjoys travelling together with us (my wife and I) in summer and with me in the winter season.

What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?
After finalising my PhD studies, I was convinced that I wanted to pursue a career in industry. After my first job interview, I was offered a position at BASF in Antwerp. However, it soon turned out that although the environment I had stepped into was stimulating and several career paths could be followed, I noticed that I was rather "suited" for academic research. As also at that time, securing a fixed position in academia was everything but self-evident, the decision to come back to the university was a difficult one, as I was embarking on several years of applying for grants and awaiting the outcome of the applications with a certain degree of worry, while waiting for an opportunity to take the next step and become tenured. Of course, also personal life did not stand still and sometimes I wondered whether I had made the right choice or not, but now, many years later, I am still passioned by research and do not regret my decision.

How are the chemical sciences making the world a better place?
¾ÅÖÝÓ°Ôº does not have the best reputation in society. Everything toxic is considered ‘chemical’, while the label ‘biological’ makes products sell better, although the covid-19 virus, for example, is in the ‘biological’ category. Too few people realise that the chemical sciences bring us new medical drugs saving lives or making them substantially more comfortable, provide novel materials with increasingly better characteristics, making everyday life easier and allow to reach goals set, ranging from space exploration to enabling the energy transition required for successfully addressing global climate change. Self-evidently, some of the progress related to the chemical sciences we have seen, comes with disadvantages, such as a burden on the environment or potential adverse health effects. But also analytical chemistry allowing to reveal and quantitatively assess these problems belong to the chemical sciences and I am honestly convinced that for those problems that have been shown to be serious and need urgent attention, we also have to count on the chemical sciences for solutions.