Mark de Reuver appointed as full professor
We are pleased to announce that as of 27 February 2024, the Executive Board of Delft University of Technology has appointed Mark de Reuver as full professor in ‘Digital Platforms’.
“Mark is well-known in the research community, acquired and conducted numerous funded projects, published extensively, gave many keynotes, and is a dedicated lecturer, next to his work as head of section ICT. He is a solid and active scholar taking important roles in multiple fields. We look forward to being part of his continued work on digital platforms, which being at the heart of engineering systems: integrative, socio-tech and bringing together various disciplines”, says ESS Head of Department Marijn Janssen.
Mark de Reuver: ’I am excited to be appointed as full professor in digital platforms! The big tech approach to digital platforms brought big problems. It’s my mission to contribute to alternative designs.’
Imagine a platform that collects data from wearables and patient records. Developers can use the platform to provide tailored lifestyle advice. But what if malicious developers misuse the platform to re-sell patient data? Or give unsafe health advice? This example illustrates my fascination with platform openness. When opened up, digital platforms enable innovations that benefit society. Yet, openness also creates massive risks for values such as safety, privacy and sovereignty.
‘My ambition is to come up with new ideas for making digital platforms better, especially by focusing on openness. I am driven by technology and theory, blending different areas of study like business models, platform technologies, and how they affect society’, says De Reuver.
In the next years he plans to:
- Explore new types of digital platforms, like ones for managing data or healthcare.
- Develop useful knowledge for designing these platforms, using new technologies like decentralised systems and having multiple platforms working together.
- Integrate business and societal implications of platform openness, looking at things like business models and how people see them as legitimate.
- Move beyond the usual examples and look at new areas of engineering.
