de Roosenbooms van Gennep vernieuwd 15 maart 2021

In 1955 afgestudeerd aan de Technische Hogeschool te Delft in de Technische Fysica. En wel "met lof" (gemiddeld een 8 zonder zessen). In 1962 gepromoveerd aan de Gemeentelijke Universiteit van Amsterdam tot Doctor in de Wis- en Natuurkunde bij Prof. Kluiver op onderzoek dat hij sinds 1 september 1957 uitvoerde bij CERN te Genève. Drager van het Bundesverdienstkreuz.

Cern (https://cerncourier.com/obituaries-54/) memoreert hem als volgt: Willem Cornelis Middelkoop 1933–2014

Former division leader at CERN, Wim Middelkoop died on 20 May in his 82nd year. MiddelkoopMiddelkoop

After graduating from the Technical University of Delft in 1955, Wim spent two years as an officer (2nd lieutenant) in the Royal Netherlands Air Force. He joined CERN as a fellow in the Synchrocyclotron (SC) Division in 1957, becoming a staff member in 1960, and completing a PhD on elastic scattering at the SC in 1962.

He entered the accelerator sector in 1963 when he moved to the Accelerator Research Division to replace Bas de Raad, who was on sabbatical at Stanford. The division’s main research activity was around the CERN Electron Storage and Accumulator Ring (CESAR), on which the technique of stacking and accumulating particles was verified – an essential precursor of the Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR). Following approval of the ISR in 1966, Wim moved to the newly formed Beam Transfer Group, where he became responsible for the fast pulsed magnets and the beam dumps.

He joined de Raad on the 300 GeV project – the construction of the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) and its experimental areas – in 1971. Following his experience at the ISR, he was responsible for the design and construction of all of the fast-pulsed magnets, septa and beam dumps. From 1983 to 1988 he was deputy division leader of the SPS Division, which evolved from the 300 GeV laboratory.

In 1988, he moved into the area of administration, becoming chairman of the governing board of the pension fund. He was appointed division leader of the Personnel Division in 1991, where one of his major tasks was a complete overhaul of the staff rules and regulations, and of the grade structure.

From 1996 until his retirement in 1998, Wim joined the Office of the LHC Project Leader, where he was responsible for all technical specifications, protocols and collaboration agreements. As chairman of the Specification Committee, he processed every technical specification in the LHC project. His meticulous attention to detail was invaluable. One of his heroic efforts was the circumnavigation of the world in four days, negotiating contracts for superconducting cable in the US and Japan.

After retiring, he continued to work as industrial liaison officer for the German delegation. As usual, he performed his task meticulously, but this time on the other side of the table from CERN management. He was awarded the German Bundesverdienstkreuz (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany) in 2006.

Wim was a faithful servant of CERN throughout his career. He always applied himself to the problem at hand with his full energy, whether it was technical work or administration. It was a privilege to have worked with him. He will be remembered for his tireless devotion to CERN. He is survived by his widow, two daughters and three sons.

• Lyn Evans, CERN/Imperial College London.