A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Professor Jef Vandenberghe

Dear Colleagues,

Jef Vandenberghe (1946–2026) was a prominent and internationally renowned geomorphologist and Quaternary scientist. While he began his scientific career at the University of Leuven, a major part of his academic career was associated with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where he served as Professor of Physical Geography. Jef was also a visiting professor at universities in Xi’an, Nanjing, and Novi Sad. He was elected a member of the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina in 2003 and served on the editorial and advisory boards of numerous respected geoscience journals. He was also a founding editor of the journal Quaternary.

Internationally recognised for his seminal contributions to the study of loess and aeolian deposits, fluvial geomorphology and periglacial environments, Prof. Vandenberghe conducted his research with particular emphasis on understanding landscape evolution in relation to past climate change. His exceptionally broad research interests included work on the Eurasian loess belt, river terrace development and sedimentary archives. His research helped clarify the complex links between climate variability, surface processes and long-term environmental change, and his contributions remain foundational to Quaternary research today. Jef’s innovative interdisciplinary approach was firmly grounded in classical field observation. This combination highlighted his unique ability to integrate geomorphological evidence with broader Earth-system perspectives. His work consistently demonstrated how detailed observations of sediments, landforms and landscapes could provide valuable insights into past environmental and climatic conditions.

Jef Vandenberghe was a highly respected and beloved colleague. We will remember him not only for his remarkable scientific contributions but also for his collegiality, integrity, generosity and sincere and unwavering support for international collaboration in science. On this occasion, we warmly invite colleagues and friends to contribute to this Special Issue, which will provide an opportunity to honour Jef once again and to express our sincere respect and appreciation for his outstanding scientific contributions and lasting impact on the Quaternary research community.

The Special Issue seeks to illustrate and explore the wide range of interests and achievements in Jef Vanbenberghe’s illustrious career in Earth science.  Jef’s role as the Editor-in-Chief of Quaternary makes this journal the ideal medium for this venture.  The topics covered have all seen considerable advances during Jef’s career and remain of considerable importance in the changing modern day world. They include cold-climate surface processes and related systems and linkages, as can be judged by the range of topics listed. Jef’s contributions, which were considerable, will be highlighted in this collection of papers.

Prof. Dr. David Bridgland
Prof. Dr. Stéphane Cordier
Prof. Dr. Slobodan B. Marković
Guest Editors

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