Leo Vroman facts for kids
Leo Vroman (born April 10, 1915 – died February 22, 2014) was a talented Dutch-American scientist and writer. He was known for his work with blood (a hematologist) and for writing many poems, mostly in Dutch. He was also a skilled illustrator.
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A Life of Science and Words
Leo Vroman was born in Gouda, a city in the Netherlands. He was from a Jewish family. He studied biology at Utrecht University.
Fleeing War and Internment
When the Nazis took over the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, Leo had to leave his home. He first went to London. From there, he traveled to the Dutch East Indies (which is now Indonesia). He finished his studies in Batavia.
Later, when the Japanese occupied Indonesia, Leo was captured. He was held in several prisoner-of-war camps. In one camp called Tjimahi, he became friends with other writers, Tjalie Robinson and Rob Nieuwenhuys.
New Life in America
After the war, Leo Vroman moved to the United States. He started working in New York City as a researcher studying blood. His uncle, Isidore Snapper, who was also a doctor and researcher, lived in New York. Leo became an American citizen. He lived in Fort Worth, Texas, until he passed away in 2014 at the age of 98.
Awards and Recognition
In 1946, Leo Vroman's first poems were published in the Netherlands. Over the years, he won almost every major Dutch poetry award. In 1970, Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, gave him a special award for his science work.
In 2003, his old high school in Gouda changed its name to de Goudse ScholenGemeenschap Leo Vroman (GSG Leo Vroman). This was a great honor for him. Leo Vroman married Georgine Marie Sanders in September 1947. They had been engaged since May 1940. They had two daughters together.
His Poetry
Leo Vroman was a very active poet. He wrote many poems, mostly in Dutch. His poems are known for being thoughtful and unique.
Poems in English
He also published some collections of his poems in English:
- Poems in English (1953)
- Just one more world (poems and photographs) (1976)
- Love, greatly enlarged (1992)
His Scientific Work
Leo Vroman was not only a poet but also a respected scientist. He focused on hematology, the study of blood. His research often looked at how blood behaves when it touches different surfaces.
Some of his scientific works include:
- Surface contact and thromboplastin formation (His PhD paper from University of Utrecht) (1958).
- Blood (1967)
- With Edward F Leonard: The Behavior of blood and its components at interfaces (1977).
- With Edward F Leonard and Vincent T Turitto: Blood in contact with natural and artificial surfaces (1987).
See also
In Spanish: Leo Vroman para niños
- Vroman effect
