In Memoriam Els Rhijnsburger

Last Friday Els Rhijnsburger passed away at the age of 61. She was a union consultant for AbvaKabo within Maastricht University and laboratory assistant at the former department of Health Risk Analysis and Toxicology of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.

Els Rhijnsburger studied Laboratory Science at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences from 1974 till 1977. After she completed this programme, she worked as a laboratory assistant for the Leiden University Medical Centre, and later at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She transferred to Maastricht University in 1988. She first worked as a practical instruction laboratory assistant at the Department of Health Risk Analysis and Toxicology, where she made an important contribution to laboratory education within the Biological Health Sciences and Environmental Health Sciences programmes, as well as to research in the area of environmental health.

In 2000, Els became a part-time union consultant for AbvaKabo. In 2001, she also became the practical instruction laboratory manager at the Education and Internationalisation Office of the Faculty of Health Sciences. In 2006, she became a full-time union consultant. Over the years, she continued to develop herself professionally by enrolling in master's programmes at the Open University and at Maastricht University. In 2012, she used the life-cycle scheme and from 1 January 2016 she retired through the ABP Keuzepensioen scheme.

Els Rhijnsburger belonged to a core group that helped put the Biological Health Sciences and the Environmental Health Sciences programmes on the map at the Faculty of Health Sciences from 1980 to the early '90s. Pioneering from the 'old lab' at the Annadal biomedical centre, and later on in the laboratories at the Universiteitssingel, she taught students the basic principles of conducting practical experiments. Many former students who are now working as teachers for the Biomedical Sciences programme have learned the tricks of the trade from her, and can still remember her direct manner of communication. Preparation, coordination and made-to-measure solutions, these were the things that we as colleagues could count on. She was both strict and fair, and she was involved in her student's lives like a mother. Her social involvement also extended to staff members; she has helped many a person in her role as a union consultant.

Over the last years, Els has had the time to enjoy her time off, though this time was too short. We would see her every once in a while and reminisce, and she would tell us about her wonderful life on the Greek island of Samos. She and her husband, Fried, thoroughly enjoyed their time there.

We wish Fried and all of Els' loved ones lots of courage in coping with the hard task of accepting the loss of Els, and all possible strength in processing their grief.

The cremation will take place on Wednesday 2 November at 2.00 PM at Crematorium Walpot, Pisartlaan 8 in Eijsden.

Prof. Frederik-Jan Schooten PhD