Professor Gerard van den Berg has been appointed a new member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has appointed Professor of Health Econometrics Gerard van den Berg (UG/UMCG) as member of the Academy. A total of 23 new members have been appointed. Members of the KNAW, prominent academics from all disciplines, are chosen on the basis of their academic achievements. The KNAW now has around 550 members. Membership is for life. The new Academy members will be installed on Monday 13 September.

Van den Berg is professor of health econometrics at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Groningen (UG). He works with huge data collections to analyze the role of economic factors in different areas of human life. Van den Berg also conducted pioneering research into the consequences of economic circumstances surrounding a person's birth for their later health and prosperity, and into the way in which government policy, unemployment duration and salary levels are related.

His work has led to policy changes that have improved the lives of millions of unemployed people in Germany, Sweden and France. For example, overly severe sanctions for unemployed people who do not apply enough for his advice were withdrawn. After years of residence at various foreign universities, Van den Berg returned to Groningen last year.

More information

• For more information, please contact Gerard van den Berg.

• https://www.knaw.nl/nieuws/knaw-kiest-23-nieuwe-leden