Dr. Herman Mücher, one of three nominees for the Kubiëna Medal, 2006, was unanimously awarded the medal for his outstanding and innovative research based on a combination of meticulous observations in the field, in the laboratory, and in thin sections. During his early career, he founded the micromorphological laboratory at the University of Amsterdam, greatly improving preparation techniques. Recently, he has directed his research towards palaeosols, a theme that Kubiëna also probed. A most important aspect of his work has been his experimental approach toward sediment and soil transport as a basis for micromorphological interpretation of natural soils. During his career at the University of Amsterdam, he trained many graduate and postgraduate students, and was involved in all the Erasmus intensive courses on micromorphology until his retirement.

Dr. A. Jongerius passed away in mid-life, shortly after the establishment of the Kubiëna Medal award. The Committee noted that, had Dr. Jongerius been nominated, he would have proved an outstanding candidate. Apart from his innovative and extensive scientific work, he was the de facto founder of the of the International Working Meetings on Soil Micromorphology, the driving force behind the International Working Group on Soil Micromorphology and the person who saw to the recognition of micromorphology as Subcommission B of the ISSS. Had he survived to the present we are certain he would have actively supported the Commission 1.1 Soil Morphology under the new structure. The posthumous award of the Kubiëna Medal to the late A. Jongerius is seen as an expression of appreciation for his outstanding and pioneering contribution to soil micromorphology.