Director eScience Center takes on new challenge

11 Mar 2019 - 2 min

Netherlands eScience Center director Wilco Hazeleger departs the organization. As of July 1^st, 2019, prof. dr. ir. Wilco Hazeleger will be the new Dean of the Faculty of Geosciences of Utrecht University. Hazeleger served as the director of the eScience Center since 2014.

During Wilco’s time at the Netherlands eScience Center the organization grew from 25 to 60 people. In that period, digital methodologies and research software obtained a prominent position in most research practices and the eScience Center played a pivotal role in putting that on the agenda. Hazeleger feels it is the right time to hand over the eScience Center to a new director. “I have had a great time at the eScience Center, primarily because of my dear colleagues. Together we have managed to position the eScience Center as an important expertise center in the Dutch academic landscape. I am very proud on the accomplishments of the past 5 years.”

Wilco Hazeleger is returning to his own research domain, taking on a position that fits his intrinsic interests in the Earth System and impact of environmental change. He will also be responsible for the strategic theme ‘Pathways to Sustainability’ of the university.

Utrecht University is an international research university of the highest quality and the alma mater of many leading names, academics and scientists who have made an important contribution to the quality of society. The Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation.