Mechanism and Machine Theory Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. v-vi, 1986 0094-114X/86 $3.00 + 0.00 Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved Copyright © 1986 Pergamon Journals Ltd

IN COMMEMORATION OF PROFESSOR OENE BOTTEMA'S 85th BIRTHDAY

OENE BOTTEMA, on his 84th birthday, 25 December 1985 (photo courtesy of Rutger Oene)

This special issue of the journal represents a tribute to Oene Bottema who on 25 December 1986 celebrates his 85th birthday. This is our way of saying to Oene Bottema in the lingua franca of our profession that we are deeply grateful for his many profound contributions to our subject and for the many things we have been able to learn from him. In addition to kinematics and mechanics, Bottema's contributions include various aspects of mathematics and an extraordinary career in academic administration and public service. The hallmark of all his work has been elegance, precision and simplicity. In the lead article of this issue his close friend, student and former colleague, G. R. Veldkamp, has provided a biographical sketch which we hope will afford at least a glimpse of the richness and diversity of our honoree's intellect and accomplishments.

In inviting articles for this issue we have decided that as far as possible to emphasize geographical diversity in keeping with the global nature of Bottema's influence. We have selected contributors with a strong interest in algebraic geometry, but have placed no constraints on their choice of subject matter. Due to page limitations we have had to be very restrictive in the number of invitations, and regret that we were unable to invite many outstanding researchers who would have gladly added their voices to this undertaking.

vi Oene Bottema: 85th birthday

In preparing this issue we discovered that this journal has never pri.'nted a review of Professor Bottema's text Theoretical Kinematics, and we have taken the liberty of belatedly remedying that oversight by reprinting a review previously published by one of us (F.F.) in another journal. This renders us vulnerable to charges of conflict of interest by virtue of (a) authorship of the review and (b) coauthorship of the text. Once we realized we were in jeopardy, we felt we might as well go all the way and add articles of our own. In addition we could not let this occasion pass without voicing our appreciation to one of the finest and most learned colleagues it has been our privilege to know.

We are sure our readers join us in wishing Professor Bottema hearty congratulations on the occasion of his 85th birthday and in expressing our best wishes for many more years of good health, happiness and accomplishment.

FERDINAND FREUDENSTEIN and BERNARD ROTH Guest Editors