Jacquelien Scherpen winner of Prince Friso Engineering Award 2023

Prof. Dr. Ir. Jacquelien Scherpen, Director of Engineering at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (UG), has been named Engineer of the Year 2023 by the professional jury. She received the Prince Friso Engineering Award 2023 yesterday, 15 March, in the presence of Princess Beatrix. Scherpen was one of three finalists for the award, all of whom were women this year. The announcement and award ceremony by the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIVI) took place at Boskalis in Papendrecht.

Scherpen: 'It is a very nice recognition, also for our efforts here in Groningen to put engineering on the map. As an engineer you stand at the basis of social challenges and you tackle them in a team with other disciplines. That is what is special about the UG; we are a broad, general university where you can also, for a long time, study engineering. I hope it will win over prospective students and in particular also provide extra motivation for women to study engineering and to stay in engineering!

Scherpen is director of the Groningen Engineering Center and professor of Control Engineering at the Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI. In 2020, she was named a Fellow by the international IEEE, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Intensive collaboration with companies and new courses

The jury commends prof.dr.ir. Jacquelien Scherpen for her versatility which she couples with substantive depth. At the University of Groningen, Scherpen is a driving force in strengthening and broadening engineering research and education. She works intensively with companies and also sets up new courses. The jury: 'At the same time, she is also committed to the visibility of engineering in general, among other things by enthusing young people for the engineering profession and breaking down gender stereotypes regarding female engineers. All in all, this makes her a role model for new generations of engineers.

Read the full news release here, and view the video on Campus Groningen.