Karel Ch.A.M. Luyben was born in Tilburg (NL) in 1951. He received his university education at Eindhoven University where he studied Chemical Engineering. He majored in Physical Technology and graduated with an MSc degree in 1976. He subsequently joined the Agricultural University in Wageningen (NL) where he worked as a Researcher (and later Supervisor) in the field of Process Engineering. His research focused on transport phenomena in drying materials (desorption) and active carbon (adsorption). Hereafter, he undertook a year-long contract research function in industry, both in Germany (Bayer) and the Netherlands (Cehave).

In 1983 he was appointed as Professor in Biochemical Engineering at the Delft University of Technology (NL) and in 1984 he was elected as president of the joint venture ‘Biotechnology Delft Leiden’ (BDL), where he was instrumental in establishing and nurturing the biotechnology-related activities in both the universities of Delft and Leiden. From 1985-1990, he fulfilled the role of Chairman of the Netherlands Biotechnology Society (NBV) and made notable contributions towards stimulating Dutch activities in this field. He was awarded honorary membership of the NBV in 1992.

He was Scientific Director of the Graduate School ‘Biotechnological Sciences Delft Leiden’ (BSDL) from its foundation in 1993 up until 1998. In this latter year, he co-founded BIRD (Biotechnology Integrated Research & Development) Engineering, a small-medium sized Biotechnology company providing bespoke solutions and advice to the Biotechnology Industry. He is currently President of BIRD’s non-executive Board.

He has held numerous other key positions related to the fields of Biotechnology and Process Engineering including that of Chairman of the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) and Chairman of the European Section on Biochemical Engineering Science (ESBES) of the EFB (1999—2002).

Throughout his career to date, he has provided and continues to provide consultation services to industries in the areas of Technology and Strategy & Policy. A prolific author and accomplished lecturer, he has published more than 200 scientific articles in prominent international journals, textbooks and proceedings. He has given more than 200 international lectures and seminars and has acted as Promoter for some 30 PhD students.

Professor Luyben is currently Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the Delft University of Technology. Reporting to the University Senate he is responsible for the management and development of this large, research- oriented faculty, which has an annual turnover of Euro 70 million. The faculty houses six departments spread over the university campus and has approximately 1,000 employees and a student body of some 1,500 national and international students.