I had the pleasure of being taught by Luc on various course’s throughout my undergraduate degree. He was meticulous yet simple in his explanations of everything he taught. He will be greatly missed by many.

Luc was an outstanding teacher of materials when I first started to work with him on UHTCs as an aerodynamicist. The progress we made in transpiration cooling utilising UHTCs wouldn’t have been possible without Luc’s kind mentorship and exceptional contribution to our collaborative project between Imperial and Oxford. It has been a privilege to work so closely with such a brilliant mind. We will miss you, Luc.

I had the privilege to collaborate with Luc throughout my PhD. What I appreciated most was his great sense of humour, incredible intellect, as well as the passion and curiosity with which he approached his work. He will be remembered for his remarkable contributions to science, but most importantly as a kind and generous human being.

I was deeply saddened to hear of Luc's passing. Our paths did not cross that frequently, especially in recent years, but I always enjoyed our conversations and valued his insights. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

I was deeply saddened on hearing of Luc's passing. I had known him for many years, particularly through IoM3, CASC and other meeting fora. What a loss for IC! A great guy, knowledgeable and very helpful. Deepest condolences to family and friends.

I just received the sad news about Luc's passing. I have known him for several years and met him frequently at international conferences. Besides being a clever and kind person, he was a solid, thoughtful, attentive, thorough and conscientious scientist. He contributed to many fields and will certainly be missed by many. 

My first conscious memory of Luc dates back to 1989 or so, at the national starting day of the scouts. I remember seeing Luc there in "full scouts uniform" and recognizing him as a fellow student. There were a lot of people there and a lot of students in our year. But you noticed Luc.

We became friends when we both chose material sciences as major. In many groups you have someone who acts as 'the glue' and keeps the group together. Luc did that as a student and continued doing that when he worked in the UK. When coming to Belgium, he aimed at visiting many of us and kept all of us updated on each others lives. 

Much has been said here about Luc's impressive intellectual qualities, and I agree. How I saw Luc was that he really enjoyed what he did, he always kept playing, investigating, he was curious. It made him already stand-out as a student. He really loved teaching, and he would talk fondly about his students. He was also a real feminist. I recall the year when he had invited an entire female jury for the student project (of which I am proud to have been a member). I believe he hadn't mentioned that beforehand to his students (who probably wouldn't have noticed anything out of the ordinary if this jury would have been all male). To me this was "very Luc": thoughtful 'little things' that are not little at all.

I am deeply saddened by his passing. My condolences to his family, colleagues, students and friends.

Kristien

Luc was a fantastic colleague - supportive, great integrity, wanted the best for colleagues, supportive of students, fair and (mostly) reasonable, even if stubborn at times. Reading the tributes here has brought back many fond memories of hanging out with Luc and colleagues, healthy debates in committee meetings, and the general ethos of mucking in and getting stuff done.

These days I edit spreadsheets to administrate a program, and I'm vividly brought back to editing and reviewing the examination spreadsheets. If you haven't seen one of Luc's famous spreadsheets, you missed out - each one was a crafted and artisanal master piece that did magic and made a lot of people's lives easier, much like their creator.

Luc I know you will be dearly missed by many, for your personality, technical contributions, mentorship and broader encouragement of others.

Thank you for your time, advice and energy over the years.

I am deeply saddened by this. I was a PhD In Bill's lab and Luc was the postdoc. I was always amazed by how efficient he can work in the lab and hope i could have 1% of his efficency. We had so many tea breaks and coffee bteaks together. We all miss you. We have not seen each other for
nearly 20 years and dropped am email to you and asked a visit to your lab next month but you never replied..... I still could not believe this. RIP.

I met Luc during my postdoc years working with Eduardo. I was very lucky to be part of the CASC and to enjoy the great research environment and community that Eduardo, Luc and Finn created. So many memories I am fond of. Coffee mornings, cheese and wine evenings, CASC industry days, summer schools, and so many shared celebrations. I also remember how much Luc enjoyed going to Daytona and take us out for dinner to his favourite places. I think it was there the last time I saw Luc.

The CASC, the Department and the ceramics community, we, have lost an excellent dedicated, committed and caring academic (and with a great sense of humor!). Luc you will be missed and remembered and I hope we can all get together again to celebrate you.

Descansa en Paz.

Luc was the first person I met when I came to the department. My undergraduate interview was a rollercoaster but he put me at ease and we ended with a handskake before lunch. I had however left my bag in Luc's office; I approached him and timidly said "Sir, I have left my bag in your office". He gave me his trademark look of disaproval before joking that it was not wise to get between him and his food. Similarly fun and somewhat confusing interactions persisted for the next 7 years as he took me for long labs, design study and of course my PhD.

Luc was a unique character but that's what made working with him exciting. I taught one of his labs a few years back; the students said that the main reason they took the option was to work with Luc. His dedication to the department can not be overstated; wherever something needed to be done you would find Luc ready and waiting to help.

A highly respected academic, a courteous and wise colleague and a corner stone in our lives. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Dear Luc,
You will be sorely missed. When I heard the news I simply cannot believe it - I can't believe you left us. We were still discussing about potential collaborations, experiments and all that, yes, Covid caused a lot of delays and we had to push things to the future but I didn't expect we now will never have the opportunity to put those exciting ideas to reality. I feel so sad about not being able to see you again, and not being able to hear your wisdom and your jokes. You were so inspiring, easy going and so generous in helping people, and you will be remembered by many for your amazing contribution to education and science. Rest in peace Luc.

I have known Luc for around 15 years though the University and IOM ceramics committee. Luc was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, in short a great pleasure to work with and considered more of a friend than a colleague. It was always a lovely surprise to find that Luc was attending a conference and provide a smiling face. I am sure that the support for his students, his scientific research influence and legacy will live on. This news was quite a shock and he will be missed.

Luc and I met many years ago at the scouts, I didn't know what to think when I heard the sad news, but even if we didn't maintain the contact very regularly, it brought instantly back the good memories .
Right away I remembered how you showed us your Leuven.
How we were both sitting in a pub in Scotland asking for a "good whisky" and the waitress replied with tons of questions about our taste we couldn't answer to.
How we end up on a holiday in Gap(France) in stead of Croatia and with both of us dropped the average age of the rest of the travellers with 5 or 10 years, but we enjoyed being spoiled the whole trip by the other travellers.
The longer I think I remember me more and more as of it was yesterday.
All those memories show what a geniun enjoyable person you've been and having such a great sense of relativating and seeing always the positive things, bringing the joy and the smile in the group.
I'll miss you Luc, but the memories won't fade away.
My condolences to all his relatives.

Deep condolences for the loss. Your scientific contribution will not get unoticed.

We have known Luc as a warm, charming and thoughtful colleague, with a sharp intellect, with a passion both for his research and for the education of our students. We are proud of his achievement to become Professor at a university which is very highly ranked in the world. Through the years since he left in 1998, he kept in regular contact with us, at the Department of Materials Engineering at K U Leuven. His sudden demise has shocked us. We will miss him.
Our condolences to his family and to his research group and colleagues at Imperial College.

Luc and I met as students. Although we were from different faculties, common friends and common struggles brought us closer together. Then already, Luc was very engaged, in a way that made you smile and feel good. I remember his ultra-perfectionist management of our co-housing project, or when he took me as a fellow cook on a scouts camp for disadvantaged children with a foreign background.

Afterwards, I remember countless visits, walks, cultural activities, short travels, to catch up, often around a simple, home-cooked meal. Mostly on the sidelines of Luc's family visits in Belgium, but also in Cambridge and London, where he proved to be the coolest insider guide. When I moved further away, these occasions became rarer, but we stayed in touch.

Although he would have denied it, Luc was a very brave and generous person. To me, he was a very dear and faithful friend. I will miss him.

Dear Luc,

When you were originally introduced to me as my second supervisor for my PhD, I wasn't sure what to make of you or your cryptic pronouncements, but I certainly wasn't expecting you to have such an impact on me. You were always ready to drop everything in the blink of an eye to make time for your students, even if you were "only" their second supervisor.

You had the most incredible skill to make your students arrive at the right conclusion on their own, with a little nudge here and a kind guiding word there, even if you had worked out the solution ages ago. You would ever so patiently nurture the spark until, all of a sudden, the light would go on! In those moments I always felt proud that I had arrived at the right conclusion, even though, in hindsight, it was only possible with your insight.

The advice you gave was always kindly given and gratefully received, even if we didn't always agree on the best way to deal with those "pesky" H&S inspections of the labs. One of my favourite memories of you is when you very mischievously gave me a big grin, a thumbs up and some encouraging words after I had, somewhat rashly (and very vocally), disagreed with the head of department during one of those inspections. We smoothed things over and accepted the recommendations, but you never missed an opportunity to make fun of me for it!

You fostered a true sense of community in all the students, labs, groups and centres you came across and I can only imagine how empty the Materials Department must feel without you.

May you rest in peace.

Luc,
I really enjoyed our time together during our student years, afterwards together in the office at MTM, visiting you in London and your visits here, missing you.

Luc was not only my scout leader but also the promoter of my thesis in '95-96. He had an incredible talent to transfer his knowledge (how smart was that guy!) and combined this with his well-known drive to always be available for his students and colleagues. It saddens me that he is no longer with us and I feel privileged to have known him.

My condolences to family, friends and colleagues.

I had the absolute pleasure of having Luc as my personal tutor - his support, motivation and absolute kindness was evident from day 1and I will forever be grateful for his mentorship and teaching. I frequently go back to the notes he gave us and learn more with each reading - a treasure. It's a profound loss to the community, Luc you will be greatly missed.

Luc will be missed. I will miss talking to him , his direct approach to situations was very refreshing. There is sadness; however, he has been a great colleague, friend and mentor to staff and students in the department.  His memories will live with us and will inspire us to be more chill and accommodating.

Luc was simultaneously wise, sensible and wonderfully witty. I will long remember his superb leadership of the CDT. It was a pleasure working with him in recent years and I shall miss him.

Luc was my 3rd year project supervisor back in 2009. A decade later, our paths cross again, and we have worked together as colleagues. Luc has always been kind and supportive to me in my academic life. It was wonderful to know someone like you. I wish you rest in peace. We will miss you.

Two things always struck me about Luc. The first was that he was a true intellectual with wide-ranging interests. Conversations with him could sometimes start discussing sorption isotherms and solubility limits, move on to nuclear safety considerations and somehow end up in talks about the Third Crusade and medievalism in general. Second, was how he always tried to find time for each and every student. No matter how much work he had or any approaching deadlines. If anyone was truly struggling, he would make himself available.

It was incredibly sad to hear about him passing away. I'm sure everyone who ever had the pleasure to have a conversation with Luc, will miss him dearly.

Despite steering well away from ceramics for most of my undergraduate degree I had many interactions with Luc in the Department and when I reached my final year I finally caved and took a ceramics module, not because I ever thought I’d be a ceramicist, but because I wanted to have Luc lecture me once more during my degree having enjoyed his lectures so much in my earlier years and the new look design study he worked so hard to bring to life.

Luc was an incredible teacher and his lectures never disappointed; the content was challenging (very challenging at times!) but it was always delivered with the perfect level of humour and with so much warmth. Luc’s lectures will always be something I remember fondly from my MEng and I’m so sad our paths never got to cross again during the first year of my PhD.

Luc had so much time for everyone who interacted with him and I’m so sad he’s been taken so soon. Rest in peace Luc, you will be sorely missed by all those whose lives you touched.

This is very sad news! I have very fond memories of our common PhD time at our Materials Engineering Department here at KU Leuven. We have lost contact since, but I would not have been surprised if you would have walked through a door here one of these days, so much are you linked in my mind to the social network of our Department. My condolences to your family, friends and colleagues.

Luc - I wanted to acknowledge all the good things you had done for the CDT community and the impact you had made on myself but quickly realised there is so much. I can only imagine the positive difference you made to colleagues before I got to know you and in relation to the many other relationships and interests you had while we worked together.

I will always remember and cherish your indefatigable efforts to get the ICO CDT running effectively, your championing of opportunities for students, your sharp intellect, and your support while I was going through a difficult personal moment myself - not to mention the many humorous conversations we shared that punctuated the 'serious business' and made working with you such a privilege.

We will all look to continue the good work you started and the example you set. Truly one of a kind, you will be so sorely missed.

Jon

I’ve known Luc for the better part of 30 years. First as a colleague student, then as a colleague researcher and all the time as one of the best friends I’ve had in my life.

Always available, always willing to talk, always up for fun, a bundle of lust for life and never ever reneging on at least one visit every year to all of his Belgian friends. Up until COVID that is, although we still had a couple of very enjoyable and helpful phone calls then.

I have incredibly fond memories of student cantusses together, Xmas shopping in London and cruising through Egypt in a rental car. And I don’t want to imagine the amount of beer we had together.

I didn’t see that much of Luc anymore over the past years, but knowing he isn’t there anymore is heartbreaking.

Luc, you have been a cheerful and warm-hearted member of the Department. I have mainly interacted with you during the Year 3 Design Study, where you have put in all the effort to organise a smooth remote experience. One time I remember, we ended up on a Teams call just us two and we had a splendid, friendly chat during the difficult times of COVID. Thank you, Luc.

Luc
I will miss you.
We have travelled through the states together, we climbed mountains in wales together, we got drunk many times and had quite a lot of laughs, ...
And you even forgave me for destroying your first electrophoretic samples.
The good always die too young.
Eddy

This is a profound and unexpected shock. I have fond memories of working with Luc and have long appreciated his deep knowledge and expertise regarding all things ceramic and particularly mechanical properties. He was always fun and entertaining and a great communicator. He will be sorely missed by both the Department and the wider academic community to which he contributed so much.

Dear Luc

You will be sorely missed. You were a great academic, highly respected and liked, made a positive impact upon all. I enjoyed our random chats, all your help, support and explanations done in a clear and understanding way. I have fond memories of the 3rd year design studies over the years, especially the marble runs. Thank you for your support in difficult times. I raised a glass for you, and said a little word.

Dear Luc,
A great friend, colleague and mentor to many of us, you will be so sorely missed. You’ve contributed so much, the voids you leave in science, engineering and teaching are huge but your legacy is long lasting. The number of students you’ve helped and mentored individually are many, but those have benefitted from your efforts are unquantifiable. Personally, I’ll really miss your humour, always lightening a conversation or heated discussion - even if sometimes i found it difficult to know when you were being serious! You did indeed always have wise words to share. I’ve always looked up to you and will continue to do so, Julian

Luc was a dedicated colleague in the Department of Materials who made a big and positive impact. We will remember him for his caring nature, his intellect, and his practical approach to leadership.

It is such a privilege to be able to have had Luc as my supervisor. He has had such a profound impact on my life, as well as many of those who had worked with him.

I first interacted with Luc in undergraduate way back when in 2009 when he was senior tutor and I was unwell and had to take a break from the course. He was very sympathetic but not coddeling and checked in regularly.

When I embarked on my masters project 2 years later, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and had a chat with him about possibly doing one in ceramics with him. This work in ceramics changed the trajectory of my career and I continued on in the field. I credit this to Luc.

When I decided to do a PhD years later, going back to CASC and working under Luc was an easy decision and while it was difficult to finish up during COVID, Luc had been a massive help and it wasn't an easy time for him as well.

Luc has played such a big part in my life and will be sorely missed. His opinions on life, religion, politics, and any and everything under the sun has never fail to entertain and educated. Gone to soon, and a massive loss to the world.

May you rest in peace.

Luc taught me during my undergraduate. His lectures were packed with content, extremely technically difficult, but also incredibly detailed and clear at the same time. We used to joke that Luc wrote a book for his lecture notes, which is true, and a very good book, too!

Luc was so down-to-earth and approachable, he always made the students feel welcomed by the big Materials community. I met him many years later, I still remembered and thanked him for his lecture notes which had influenced my chosen career. Luc said: "I put all the information in the notes because I was terrified I would forget it." So typical of Luc, always so humble, always making a joke, and ever so dedicated to his work and students.

I am so sad to hear the news, you are greatly missed, Luc. Rest in peace.

You were a star academic who always did the right thing, a valued colleague and friend, always a pleasure to work with and a decent and honourable human being. I am so sad you are gone Luc, the world is a lesser place for you no longer being in it.

RIP Luc

I had the privilege to share the office with Luc for the past 10 years. Despite working on different subjects, during my PhD he was used to stop at my desk for a quick chat before leaving the office, sometimes to give me always welcomed advice on my research and other times just for fun. He was a remarkable human being and the best possible mentor for all his students. CASC won't be the same without him, we will miss him so much. Rest in peace Luc.

Loved by all students,
Unselfish with your time.
Colleagues inspired.

Veneration for hard work; but saving time for
Amusing chats (not necessarily polite but always well meant!).
No topic of conversation or inquiry off-limits;
Desire for knowledge that rubbed off on everyone.
Epitome of academic integrity, and a
Passion for Science that infected all.
Everyone in your care looked after.
Raucous laughter in the office.
Remembered for your humanity.
Ever missed.

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to have met Luc at CASC, he was one of the remarkable Professors there, who contributed hugely to foster the best work-learning enviroment you can wish for. Professional, kind and excellent human being. I will always remember him.

Luc was a person of total integrity - in his personal relationships and in his work. He gave to all of us, his PhD students, not just knowledge but the challenge to 'stand on our own 2 feet' intellectually. He leaves an enormous legacy of learning and community from his annual Materials Factory exercise at Imperial. I will remember him especially for his humble kindness - baking for individuals whenever they needed a bit of extra support and regularly looking after his mother in Belgium. Rest in peace Luc.

Ah Luc !! GONE TOO SOON !!
I am devastated and I wish I could say that to you again how good of a mentor you are.

I am not just Luc’s postdoc at present but also someone who spent the entire covid lockdown chatting with him online about science, life, religion, politics and almost several other types of philosophies.
Luc is a known name in my family and his talks are always cherished among us.

Luc and me had several visionary plans for the next 5 years and one of his last desires (sad to say this) was to do a startup. I had never seen Luc so excited about any research, for God knows what has he seen in my project work.
But he has almost designed my career path before he left. He already held my hand and showed me what to do next, but I will feel hollow doing this without him.

The day I heard of his passing, I almost froze in bed and could not get up for several minutes. I felt like crying and it took me several hours and talks with family members and colleagues to collect myself and come to reality.

I even visited Luc’s office to come to terms that he is no more. I could still see him sitting there laughing at random jokes.

If anyone from Luc’s family is reading this, I wanted to share that he loved his sister and nephews and nieces so much. He often talked about them all.

Finally, I have been through so many mentors, line managers and uncountable colleagues in my life, but I have no hesitation to state that Luc was a gem of a person and if there are re-incarnations, I would like to have him as my mentor much sooner in next life and for much longer as well.

You will be remembered and acknowledged throughout my life Luc !!

Wherever you are Luc, stay happy and keep mentoring :)

Luc had a huge impact on my life.
I first met him in 2007 during the Imperial open day. He immediately came across as very kind and knowledgeable and before I knew it I had started at Imperial and he was my lecturer. It was a widely known fact that Luc's courses were technically hard - he felt a duty to stretch his students - and they were immensely rewarding as a result. I chose to do a summer research project with Luc in 2011 where he continued to share his knowledge with me and foster my enthusiasm. It was at this time that he was incredibly supportive when I had a loss in the family and some other academic difficulties.
After I graduated I asked Luc for career advice, and he spent a lot of time compiling suggestions for me, one of which was to do a PhD with the "three musketeers" (Luc, Eduardo and Finn) in the CASC. Of course I accepted and spent 3 years working closely with Luc with him as my supervisor, having a wonderful time exploring the fringes of structural ceramics together.
In all the years I knew Luc I can't recall a single negative interaction. He always had time for you, and a kind word when things were tough. That is such a rare characteristic for someone with such an intellect - he was easily one of the smartest people I've ever met.
Were it not for Luc my life would have taken a very different course, and I'm forever grateful for everything he did for me. I'm certain there are hundreds of people who could say the same, all of the students he mentored and supported over the years. All of the ceramics community he fostered and contributed towards. I will always remember him.

Luc joined our collaborative research work 5 years ago before he became a Prof at Imperial. He led his team's incredible work with great intellect, consideration for others and (very, very often) humour. He was a model of how academics and colleagues should behave and we will miss him very much.

Luc made a remarkable contribution to the Department of Materials at Imperial - a contribution that enriched the life of his colleagues and impacted significantly upon the careers of very many students. We remember and celebrate both his character and his accomplishments: his incisive intellect; his imagination and creativity; the lucidity of his teaching; and his kind and generous spirit. We will miss him, but our memories of him will inspire us too.