Welcome on my personal profile description.
What I do is simple to describe. In daily professional life I'm a an independent consultant on materials science and technology. I help people to understand the fascinating, yet complex world of metals and coatings, from their microstructural building stones to their macroscopic behaviour and impact on our daily life. An example of daily life: why does your car corrode (rust) and what can we do about it? A more industrial and very actual question: how will the combustion of biomass affect the behaviour of the materials used in the combustion installations? It is this kind of damage analyses, inspection and project research which is my daily professional life, or translated into the credo's of my company: "Materials Matter" and "Your materials ... Our passion".
As to my private life I do the same as in my professional occupation: having fun and enjoying life. Except for some interest in metallic art objects, metals are however far away in private life. Light, music, being a Burgundian and some sport are my most important means of relaxation.
"Light" has to do with the setting up and realisation of light plans for small parties and concerts. Originally this was a pure hobby, but meanwhile it has even become a trade name within my company : "B-Force", renting music and light equipment for small events up to 150 people. One of my favorite occupations as to B-Force is working for my favorite wind bands, the Royal symphonic wind band of Peer and the University wind band in Leuven, both in Belgium.
There is the immediate link with "music". Untill recently I played the bass tuba in Leuven and I am the stage manager of the wind band of Peer. For the latter band I'm also coordinating the China concert tour planned for february 2008. Besides enjoying my activities in these bands, I also listen a lot to classical music: Beethoven, Debussy and Stravinsky are my favorites, yet the Alp symphony of Richard Strauss is when dreams take off.
The 'Burgundian' life is illustrated by two of my favorite holiday destinations: Italy and France, both undisputed as to their culinary and wine delights. However, a coffee with Belgian chocolates and a good old Irish or Scottish whiskey to round off a splendid evening in a nice restaurant is something for which even the French come to Belgium.
As to "sports", I trie to fitness at least 4 hours a week and a nice mountain bike trial in the Heverlee woods or mountain walks in summer can give me a lot of joy as well. Physical effort and nature are a tremendously relaxing couple.
Who I am is however a much more complex question.
One point of view can be based on my previously mentioned trade name "B-Force". It can be translated as bass force (in sound and playing the bass tuba), beam force or building (a network) force, but in origin it springs from George Lucas' "Star Wars" epos. "The Force" plays a dominant role in these movies and has been an intreguing expression to me since childhood. It released something within, it told me to live according to 'the force' of wisdom and righteousness and, in particular, 'to go for it', to Be that Force, translated into "B-Force".
Another approach to who I am was given in the first part of the '50 words': Passionate, Dedicated, Loyal, Practical, Vigorous, Precise, Studious, Focussed, Innovative, Smile and single, the latter being the actual situation rather than a voluntary choice. The most important words follow however a the end: "friends" and "keep it simple".
"Keep it simple" refers to one of Einstein's famous expressions: "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler". My experience is indeed that lots of problems which are depicted as an elephant can easily be reduced to the size of a mouse; a mouse stays however a complex and fascinating being, as are we, humans.
As to "Friends" a simple expression can be put forward as well: being a friend is giving without being asked and without expecting something in return and, even more important, accepting each other as we are. Isn't that what's networking is all about?
Be the Force and with warm greetings,
Frans
