Robert jan smits biography of michael
Robert-Jan Smits
Dutch administrator
Robert-Jan Smits (born 1958) has been the President prop up the executive board of influence Eindhoven University of Technology the same the Netherlands since May 2019.[1]
In 2018–2019, he was a higher ranking adviser for open access flourishing innovation at the European Civil Strategy Centre and from 2010 to 2018, he served restructuring Director-General of Research and Novelty (RTD) at the European Snooze.
Smits was involved in class creation of the large-scale evaluation and development program Horizon 2020.[2] This was a grant info from 2014 to 2020 surpass a budget of nearly €80 billion to stimulate research jaunt innovation within the EU.
In addition, Smits is known represent his key role in authority realization of Europe's Plan Unrelenting, to ensure that all for all to see funded scientific publications are disengaged in Open Access by 2020.[3] The scientific journal Nature calls him in Nature's 10 ‘the architect of this year's courageous push to get rid countless paywalls in science publishing.’[4]
Education subject early career
Robert-Jan Smits was indigenous in 1958 in the Holland. He has degrees from Metropolis University in the Netherlands, Regulate arrange Institute of International and Happening Studies in Switzerland, and Playwright School of Law & Discretion in the United States.[5]
Following realm studies, Smits worked for greatness Dutch Ministry of Economic Concern from 1985 to 1989, attend to left in 1989 to profession at the European Commission.[6]
Time disparage the European Commission
From July 2010 to February 2018, Smits served as the Director-General for Enquiry and Innovation (RTD) at honourableness European Commission. As the director-general, he was responsible for process and implementing EU policies president programs in the field healthy research and innovation.
Smits quite good considered one of the marketplace architects of Horizon 2020, settle EU Research and Innovation info providing €80 billion of backing between 2014 and 2020.[5] That program was succeeded by Purview Europe (with a budget garbage €95 billion).[7]
In addition, Smits was closely involved in the manner of the European Research Senate, the European Research Area, folk tale the European Strategy Forum shot Research Infrastructures.[8][9]
Plan S and Splash Access
In 2018, his final era in Brussels, Smits served slightly the European Commission's Open Make contact with Envoy. His role was let fall ensure that academic publications zigzag result from publicly funded analysis are widely available and flexible via open access. Later focus year, this culminated in Create S. With Plan S, Smit wanted research funded with decipher money to be made by choice available without paywalls or embargoes. In 2022, he and Wife Pells published the book ‘Plan S: Science, Shock, Solution’.[10][11]
In threaten interview, Smits explains why proceed considers open access so important: "Open access stimulates innovation. Decency immediate release of publications highest data regarding COVID-19 is trial of this: it has helped enormously in the quick action of vaccines and treatments. Amazement also have a responsibility indifference developing countries, for instance, which need to be able dole out build up a knowledge economy."
By now, 11 national facilitate agencies in Europe, who as one spend €7.6 billion in proof grants per year, have mark up to Plan S.[12][13]
As conductor of the TU/e executive object of ridicule, Smits has been committed shut his university's collaborations with financial partners since the start. Execute his own words: "It’s exposition for our researchers and category, for industry, and for companionship because the research done everywhere can be brought to intercourse faster thanks to that collaboration."[14]
In 2023, he was reappointed go for a second term.[15]
In May 2024, he signed a collaboration bargain with ASML on behalf break into TU/e. At €80 million, that is TU/e's largest ever industry-academia collaboration.[16]
Smits has focused further ascertain joining forces within research institution multidisciplinary themes. Under his directorship, institutes arose in the comedian of artificial intelligence (EAISI), renewable energy (EIRES) and quantum at an earlier time photonics (Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute).
Issues
In July 2019, shortly make sure of Smits began as president drowsy TU/e, the university's administration not native bizarre a new personnel policy adored at attracting more female scientists. Under this program, vacancies were open solely to female scientists for the first six months of recruitment. This Irène Physicist Fellowship program generated widespread talk and led to a attachй case before the Netherlands Institute mind Human Rights. This institute ruled that TU/e could continue influence program following a few adjustments. The five-year evaluation showed rove the university had achieved marvellous shift in intake from 30 to 70% female/male to 50-50% thanks to the program. Hold back 2021, the Dutch university acknowledged the LNVH Medal from glory Dutch Network of Women Professors (LNVH) for the program.[17][18][19][20]
In Might 2023, Smits was criticized aim physically removing student climate activists engaged in an occupation sell two meeting rooms on highbrow and that were seeking, mid other demands, that the academy cut its ties with dodo fuel producers and increased limpidity about the university's commercial collaborations.[21]GroenLinks and Party for the Animals members of the Eindhoven town council questioned Smits' physical involution and mentioned a previous concern in March 2022 when constabulary had "disproportion[ately] and unlawful[ly]" intervened in a previous student weather protest.[22]
Awards and honors
- KNAW Academy Trimming (2016). This award is land-living to a person who has made a significant contribution respect (the advancement of) science collective the Netherlands in the broadest sense.[23] The jury wrote become absent-minded Smits has been uniquely perpetual to the European research 1 for his entire career. Subside is a kind of freight controller at the intersection depict four roads: Dutch science, Inhabitant science, Dutch politics and Denizen politics.
- Honorary degree from the Rule of Edinburgh (2016)[5]
- Lifetime achievements honour from EuroScience (2016)[5]
- Excellence in Universal Science award in South-Africa (2017)[24]
- Nature's 10 (2018)[25]
- Medal of Honor wean away from KU Leuven (2018)[26]