▁also ▁became ▁the ▁M eth usalem ▁tit ular ▁with ▁long - term ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁F lem ish ▁Government ▁through ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ant werp ▁( 2 0 0 7 - 2 0 1 9 ). ▁He ▁was ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Bi ology ▁( 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 6 ), ▁Vice ▁Dean ▁of ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Sciences ▁( 2 0 0 6 - 2 0 0 9 ) ▁and ▁Chair ▁of ▁various ▁international ▁evaluation ▁and ▁selection ▁comm itte es , ▁including ▁the ▁European ▁Science ▁Foundation ▁( ES F ). ▁Under ▁his ▁super vision ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 8 ▁Ph D ’ s ▁were ▁def ended . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁Hon ors ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁Scient ific ▁Ach iev ement ▁Award ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Union ▁of ▁Forest ▁Research ▁Organ izations ▁( I U F RO ) ▁. ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁academic ▁year ▁ 2 0 0 6 - 2 0 0 7 ▁he ▁was ▁tit ular ▁of ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Franc qui ▁Chair ▁at ▁the ▁Univers ité ▁C athol ique ▁de ▁Lou v ain ▁( U CL ). ▁As ▁a ▁Franc qui ▁Chair ▁he ▁taught ▁various ▁courses ▁and ▁classes ▁on ▁forest ▁ec oph ys i ology , ▁the ▁e col ogy ▁and ▁gen et ics ▁of ▁pop lar , ▁plant ▁e col ogy ▁and ▁related . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁F lem ish ▁Academy ▁of ▁Belg ium ▁for ▁Science ▁and ▁the