In Memoriam
Professor JUAN FRANCISCO DE LA BANDA was born in Madrid in 1921, he holds a PhD in Chemical Sciences from the Complutense University. He did research in Catalysis, initially as a Ramsay Fellow at the University of Bristol (UK) under the direction of Professor Garner. On his return to Spain (1952) he founded the Catalysis laboratory at the Rocasolano Institute of the CSIC, which later, under his direction, became a Section (1956) and a Department (1968), and then became the Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry of the CSIC (1975). In 1977 he was President of the Governing Board of the National Institute of Chemistry, which included the 11 Institutes in the area of chemistry of the CSIC.
The origin of the current Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, which belongs to the Spanish National Research Council, began as a result of the process of reorganization of the research institutes carried out by the CSIC, the Institute of Physical Chemistry "Antonio Gregorio Rocasolano" (IQFR, Institute of Physical Chemistry) founded in 1946, which basically inherited from the former National Institute of Physics and Chemistry. In the same facilities, the new Catalysis Laboratory, established in 1953 under the direction of Prof. Juan Francisco García de la Banda, finally led to an independent research center in 1975 under the name of Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry.
Professor García de la Banda also worked as a Head of the Studies Office of the Advisory Commission on Scientific and Technical Research (CAICYT) and was a Promoter of the CYTED Program, which is why he had a notable influence on the development of research in Spain and relations with Ibero-America, creating the Ibero-American Society of Catalysis.
In retirement, he founded CCT S.L. (Consultores Científico Técnico), for the advice of chemical industries and was one of the promoters of Spain's candidacy to host the International Congress of Catalysis-ICC, which was held in 2000 in Granada.
The work of the Prof. García de la Band in processes catalytic converters and contacts with scientists of many countries at international meetings They gave him the Ability to send members of your group to Some of the Best Labs from all over the world to improve Your knowledge in catalysis basic and applied. These contacts and the Increased activity of the Department's Catalysis They also facilitated Your participation in contracts with chemical companies and national institutions and foreign. For this reason, he is considered the founder and a true promoter of Catalysis activities in Spain and Latin America.
From here, we want to convey our deepest condolences to his family and to the entire catalytic community and dedicate a memory to his memory.
Two of his recent contributions are, "Protagonists of Chemistry in Spain: the origins of Catalysis", J. Pérez Pariente, and M. Toural Quiroga, J. Francisco García de la Banda, P. Bosh Giral, Editorial: CSIC (2010).
"The origin of the Institute of Catalysis and Petroleum Chemistry (ICP, Institute of Catalysis and Petroleum Chemistry) of the Spanish National Research Council and its relationship with the development of Catalysis in Spain", J. Pérez Pariente, J. Soria Ruiz, J. Francisco García de la Banda; Catalysis Today, Vol. 259 (2016) 3-8.
