The Dutch Coastal Research Community is very sad to have been informed that Professor Bill Kamphuis is deceased on October 30, 2023 at the age of 85 years in his homestead in Kingston, Canada. Shortly after the end of WW2 Bill’s parents decided to leave Vollenhove, the Netherlands, and emigrate to Canada. During his academic education Bill and his beloved wife Nelly came to Delft for Bill to follow the IHE Master Course on Hydraulic Engineering. Meanwhile his academic career flourished in Canada. He became Professor of Coastal Engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston and he built a world reputation in the field.
While his academic career flourished in Canada, Bill kept in close touch with his Dutch roots both personally and academically. He dropped in occasionally in the De Voorst branch of Delft Hydraulics during his family visits in nearby Vollenhove to check what was going on in coastal engineering there and to give his well-received advice. In the years to follow he could create some sabbatical freedom to spend time at Delft University of Technology and at Delft Hydraulics, where he, amongst others, worked on his lasting contribution to the field “Introduction to Coastal Engineering and Management”, a handbook one will find on many desks of universities and consultancies.
Many of us have been deeply influenced by his exceptional physical intuition, broad vision and warm and supporting personality. Bill leaves a great legacy in coastal engineering through his scientific work, through his undergraduate and graduate students, and through his leadership in numerous national and international scientific organisations and academic research assessments and advisory committees.
As he matured into a perfect teacher he aided Dutch researchers in their pursuit of reaching success in the field of coastal engineering. Delft University of Technology, Delft Hydraulics, Deltares and the Netherlands Centre for Coastal Research are national organizations that owe him for his great support. He will be sadly and greatly missed.
Sincerely reminded,
Stefan Aarninkhof, Kees d’Angremond, Jurjen Battjes, Han Ligteringen, Jan van de Graaff, Marcel Stive, Huib de Vriend, Dirk-Jan Walstra
