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By issuing a call to submit nominations for the appointment of fellows, the Netherlands Academy of Engineering (NAE) has officially kicked off on Tuesday 23 May. The NAE will bring together experts in the technology and engineering sciences and in product development from knowledge institutes and industry to boost the Dutch capacity of finding innovative solutions for societal challenges and transitions.
“The Netherlands is a rock-solid knowledge country. But we do not sufficiently succeed in converting our scientific position into innovative technological products and services. The NAE can be instrumental in actively bringing technical sciences and the manufacturing industry, including technological startups and scale-ups, closer together to play a valuable role. That’s good for both solving societal challenges and for the strength of our economy,” comments Micky Adriaansens, minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
“Our country still lacked an organization that brings together experts from science and industry. Until now. It’s precisely the social tasks – think of climate and energy transition, for example – that require solutions that often technical scientists and engineers can reach faster in a joint effort,” adds Robbert Dijkgraaf, minister of Education, Culture and Sciences.
Funded by the government and the Dutch federation of technical universities 4TU, the NAE aims to foster a climate of multidisciplinary collaboration between knowledge institutes, governmental bodies and industry (multi-national companies, SMEs, startups and scale-ups). It will stimulate the integration of technological scientific knowledge, know-how and insights, collaboration and exchange of expertise and ideas, sharing of infrastructure, tools and platforms, and removing barriers that hinder the seamless translation of knowledge and insights into practical technological solutions to the benefit of society.
In 2023, the NAE will award fellow membership status to 55 people. From next year onward, up to 10 fellows will be appointed after a nomination and evaluation process conducted by an independent committee.
