Three UG staff members to join the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW)

The Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities has appointed Jan-Willem Romeijn and Jacquelien Scherpen as new members. Jouke de Vries has been appointed as Director.

Jacquelien Scherpen

Jacquelien Scherpen is Professor of Discrete Technology and Production Automation (DTPA) at the Faculty of Science & Engineering and Chair of the Groningen Engineering Center (GEC). She was one of the founding members of this centre, which unites all UG research and teaching in the field of engineering. Scherpen’s research is at the cutting edge of fundamental mathematics and applications in engineering and industry. She collaborates closely with industrial partners, and several of her academic inventions are used in industry.

Jacquelien Scherpen’s website
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Jan-Willem Romeijn

Jan-Willem Romeijn is professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Groningen. His research revolves around scientific method, particularly probability calculation and statistical analysis. Romeijn trains judges as part of the Continuing Education Programme for North-Netherlands Courts (Bijscholing Noord-Nederlandse Gerechten), and he was one of the initiators of a joint project with the Drents Museum that included the design of a system that tracks visitors throughout the museum. This system can help predict the interests of visitors and provide them with information and recommendations based on those interests.

Jan-Willem Romeijn’s website
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Jouke de Vries

Jouke de Vries is a Professor of Public Administration and Dean of the University of Groningen/Campus Fryslân. Campus Fryslân is a UG location in Leeuwarden with Master’s degree programmes, a Bachelor’s College and a research and valorization agenda that dovetails with the region’s priorities. De Vries’s research focuses on politics and administration, more specifically on decision-making processes, coalition negotiations and policy changes. He publishes regularly in the Official State Gazette of the Netherlands (Staatscourant) and a regular guest analyst on radio and TV programmes.

Jouke de Vries’s website

Oldest ‘Learned Society’ in The Netherlands

The Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW: Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen) is the oldest ‘Learned Society’ in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1752 under the name Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen to promote science in the widest possible sense. Ever since its establishment, the Society has been involved in promoting science and facilitating exchange between academia and society.

It has traditionally had a two-tier structure: a college of administrators with an academic interest, i.e. the Directors, and a group of academics, i.e. the members, who are responsible for the Society’s academic activities