Devreese graduated in 1960 from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven where he received his PhD in science, group physics in 1964.
From 1961 till 1966 he worked at the Solid State Physics Department of the Research Centre for Nuclear Energy (SCK-CEN) in Mol (Belgium).
In 1966 he started his work as lecturer and then full professor (from 1969) at the University of Antwerp, where he founded the research group TFVS (Theoretische Fysica van de Vaste Stoffen).
He contributed to the theory of polarons (see reviews[1][2][3][4] in particular their optical[5][6][7] and magnetooptical[8] properties, quantum theory of solid matter,[9] superconductivity[10][11] and superfluidity,[12] Feynman path integrals and mathematical methods[13][14][15][16] structures with reduced dimension and dimensionality[17][18] nanophysics).
He also contributed to the study[22][23] of the work of Simon Stevin and to the promotion of the Dutch language and culture in the internationalized society.