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Gender Diversity: Interview with Hans Hellendoorn

DEWIS is talking with Professor Hans Hellendoorn about women in science and equal opportunities at TU Delft. Hellendoorn is a professor of Control Theory and has been the head of the Cognitive Robotics Department at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering since April 2018. He has also held the position of Pro Vice Rector Joint Education Affairs since February 2021 and is acting as a replacement for the position of Vice President Education since 1 October 2024. In this interview, we discuss his ideas, priorities and aspirations for creating gender-diverse and inclusive work environments. If you enjoy academia, science and research, we invite you to join us. Strengthen and lend your voice to our team and we’ll work together to change the culture. These changes already underway and will continue gradually. Several women have already told me that this is a good place to work, so join us and see it for yourself. Prof. Hans Hellendoorn DEWIS has seen the departure of a lot of female talent over the past year. This included a number of female professors and many talented associate professors who got senior positions more quickly elsewhere. Why do you think this is? Hans: "Yes, I’ve noticed that too. It’s partly because technical universities are fishing from the same pond nationally and internationally. I conducted exit interviews with several women who said that they were not dissatisfied with Delft. They simply received attractive offers elsewhere, often from their home countries, which were likely motivational factors. It's important to continually reflect on why staff leave and to keep looking critically at ourselves." In autumn 2024, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) will start a pilot in the Talent Programme that is expected to lead to more allocations of Vidi grants to women. What’s your opinion on the developments in NWO's Talent Programme? Hans: "That’s undoubtedly a very good thing. If we want to grow the number of women inacademia and science, we need to temporarily introduce a preferential policy. And I can see the impact of this. According to the sector plans, we had to hire a certain percentage of women, which led to more women in the department. This initiated a culture change.Traditional thinking about academic careers has changed. This traditional thinking meant that women, and some men, were given fewer opportunities due to stereotypical views aboutacademic roles and unconscious biases in hiring and promotion policies. We have demonstrated the value of going about this in a different way." How did you become aware of your biases? Have you ever had 'implicit bias' training? Hans: "Although I haven’t had specific training on that, I have participated in workshops within the department. These were quite useful because I learned more about myself and my prejudices."Some people still say: "I just want to hire the best people for the job and don't look at colouror gender as part of the process." What would you say to those people? Hans: "I’ve noticed that professors tend to choose staff or PhD candidates who are similar to themselves. We like to think that we are hiring the best candidate, but they’re often a copy of ourselves. I consciously encourage them to hire people who bring something new or differentto the table. Diversity enriches the team and we’re better for it." W hat can the university do to highlight female talent at the university so that they have better opportunities to grow and flourish in their academic careers? Hans: "The career development committees assess candidates but apply a lot of implicitrules. While this has certain advantages, such as not only looking at H-indexes, it also brings risks. These implicit rules leave too much to the random composition of the committee and result in one-sided assessments. By making the benchmarks and criteria more explicit, we can include all the different aspects in the assessment." TU/Eindhoven's Irene Curie Fellowship programme is bearing fruit, as discussed in the article TU Eindhoven trekt na radicaal beleid spectaculair meer vrouwelijke medewerkers aan | de Volkskrant | deVolkskrant (TU Eindhoven attracts huge increase in female staff after radical policy).Wouldn't something like this also be a good idea for us? Hans: "I believe it would. If you want to increase the number of women in academic positions, you have to put energy and effort into incentive policies. We tried it for years without such measures and it had little effect. So it would seem that it is necessary." What would you suggest to promote the advancement of women at TU Delft?I strongly advocate the hiring of women. More women joining the TU Delft team means more women being able to advance in their careers. However, I take a rather cautious approach to promoting advancement because it can quickly raise eyebrows. Importantly, women should be given the same opportunities as men when it comes to places on career development committees. Combining family and an academic career is still often seen as a source of a lot of stress. Do you think enough is being done to change this perception? Hans: "I completely understand that point. Young women have to deal with a lot of challenges, including project-related issues that arise during their maternity leave, inadequate breastfeeding areas and overcrowded childcare facilities. Psychological complaints, such as having a colicky baby, can also weigh heavily. Instead of offering direct solutions, we should organise more listening sessions with young parents to discuss their experiences and look for solutions together. Unfortunately, maternity leave is often seen as a problem instead of a cause for celebration." Have you noticed changes within the university over the years when it comes to diversity and inclusion? What exactly has changed? How did that go? Hans: "It’s a lot different now compared to when I did my PhD in Computer Science. Back then it was a predominantly male community with women mainly in supporting roles. It is a lot more diverse now and there is a far greater understanding of the need for increased diversity." What is your vision of the ideal inclusive university of the future? Hans: We still take too narrow a view of the career path of an excellent academic and often place too much emphasis on traditional things such as the number of publications, grants and conference speeches. These are obviously important, but we must also learn to look at it from a broader perspective because there's more than one way to be an excellent academic.I hope we remain open to and create more space for these diverse paths and develop new forms of recognition and appreciation. Does your ideal inclusive university also need new leadership? Hans: "Yes, I think so. We can learn a lot from other universities, both nationally and internationally, in terms of leadership and regarding the process of choosing administrators. We don't have to adopt everything but we can certainly get some valuable insights. My biggest wish is for all of us to take staff issues seriously and not trivialise them." Society also demands a new kind of engineer - one who can help solve complex social issues.What additional skills are important for the engineers of the future? Hans: "Engineers used to provide solutions within our society, often with a 'here is the solution to your problem' mentality. Modern society is more empowered and outspoken and people demand that engineers listen more to their needs. So our new engineers must not only provide solutions but also be more attuned to what people really want, which requires adifferent approach to research and education. This will be more effective if our teams include a good balance of men and women and reflects the actual makeup of society as a whole." What would you say to women who are unsure whether an academic career is for them? Hans: "If you enjoy academia, science and research, we invite you to join us. Strengthen and lend your voice to our team and we’ll work together to change the culture. These changes are already underway and will continue gradually. Several women have already told me that this is a good place to work, so join us and see it for yourself." What advice would you give to women who encounter resistance in advancing to senior positions? Hans: "If something doesn’t seem right or fair, you need to discuss it with a colleague,manager or confidential adviser. You can also visit me if necessary. Patience is important because careers tend to develop slowly, mostly over a period of about 40 years. But injustices need to be addressed. We are now in a situation where that is not just possible, it’s actively encouraged." When do you foresee DEWIS no longer being needed? Hans: "DEWIS has facilitated a much greater understanding of the barriers women face.Cross-faculty organisations where people meet are important and must continue. We should stop DEWIS only when nobody comes to those meetings anymore." Questions or comments can be sent to dewis@tudelft.nl

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Onderzoekers overhandigen Position Paper aan Tweede Kamer

Uit naam van het TU Delft PowerWeb Institute overhandigen onderzoekers Kenneth Brunninx en Simon Tindemans op 14 november 2024 een Position Paper aan de Tweede Kamer, met een mogelijke oplossing voor de grote netwerkcapaciteit-problemen die in Nederland steeds vaker opspelen. Waarschijnlijk haalt Nederland de klimaatdoelen 2030 niet, en dat komt onder andere doordat de grote industrie niet snel genoeg kan overstappen op elektriciteit, mede doordat er steeds vaker problemen ontstaan rondom netwerkcapaciteit en netcongestie. Naar alle waarschijnlijk zullen die problemen dit decennium eerst zelfs toenemen, voordat ze kunnen afnemen, stellen de onderzoekers. De oplossing die de onderzoekers van het TU Delft PowerWeb Institute aanbieden, is de ‘flexibele backstop’. Met een flexibele backstop kan de huidige capaciteit van het elektriciteitsnet efficiënter gebruikt worden zonder aan veiligheid of betrouwbaarheid in te winnen. Een flexibele backstop is een veiligheidsmechanisme dat automatisch en op korte termijn de hoeveelheid elektriciteit vermindert die een elektrische eenheid van het elektriciteitsnet kan onttrekken (een elektrische laadpaal of een warmtepomp) en leveren (een PV-installatie). Het is een klein apparaatje dat is aangesloten of ingebouwd in een elektrische eenheid, zoals een laadpaal of warmtepomp, en dat ‘communiceert’ met de distributienetwerkbeheerder. In geval van extreme stress op het netwerk geeft de netwerkbeheerder een signaal aan het apparaat om de hoeveelheid stroom te beperken. Duitsland heeft recent een vergelijkbaar systeem ingevoerd met elektrische laadpalen. De backstop wordt enkel geactiveerd in periodes van acute congestieproblemen, nadat alle andere maatregelen uitgeput zijn. “Het opwaarderen van het elektriciteitsnetwerk blijft essentieel, maar zal in de praktijk nog jaren duren. Er is dus behoefte aan kortetermijnoplossingen die geïntegreerd kunnen worden in de langetermijnplanning. Wij, de leden van het TU Delft PowerWeb Institute, roepen de overheid, netwerkbeheerders en regulator op om de flexibele backstop als extra veiligheidsmaatregel voor het netwerk te onderzoeken”, aldus de onderzoekers. Het gehele Paper is hier te lezen. Kanneth Brunninx is universiteit hoofddocent bij de faculteit Techniek, Bestuur en Management, waar hij met kwantitatieve modellen energiebeleid en marktontwerp evalueert met als doel CO2-uitstoot te verminderen. Simon Tindemans is universitair hoofddocent in de Intelligent Electrical Power Grids groep van faculteit Elektrotechniek, Wiskunde en Informatica. Hij doet onder andere onderzoek naar onzekerheid en risicomanagement voor elektriciteitsnetwerken. Het TU Delft PowerWeb Institute ontwerpt het elektriciteitsnetwerk van de toekomst.

Empowering professionals – vital for the longevity of any organisation

Empowering professionals – vital for the longevity of any organisation “Employers need to recognise that allowing employees to develop themselves is essential to business success, and space must be made for that,” says Willem van Valkenburg, Executive Director of TU Delft’s Extension School for Continuing Education. In a recent Topic Talks interview on New Business Radio , van Valkenburg highlighted the need for a robust learning culture within organisations to keep pace with an evolving job market and rapid technological advancements. Barriers to continous development Reflecting on the learning culture in the Netherlands, as an example, van Valkenburg pointed out an often-overlooked barrier: although resources for professional development exist, business needs frequently take precedence, sidelining employee growth. “Employers must actively create environments that encourage continuous learning and foster dialogue about upskilling and growth opportunities. This is especially crucial for companies struggling with unfilled vacancies. When staffing is low, the demand on existing employees intensifies, making it harder to prioritise time for learning.” Recognising these challenges, TU Delft has developed short-duration online courses to help professionals fit learning around their work responsibilities. The importance of up-to-date skills is clear: businesses need to adopt new technologies to remain competitive, yet they often face skills gaps that traditional training does not cover. Van Valkenburg shared an example of a professional who, after completing TU Delft’s AI in Manufacturing course, applied their learning to increase production by 50%. To address the need for specialised knowledge, TU Delft’s approach goes beyond standard coursework, fostering innovation through collaborative learning communities. “Our learning communities bring together researchers, professionals, and policymakers to collaboratively address real-world problems. This structure enables participants to learn while actively solving practical challenges,” explained van Valkenburg. Throughout the conversation, van Valkenburg emphasised the value of aligning academic expertise with industry needs. By integrating TU Delft’s research into their courses, participants have access to the latest advancements, keeping them at the forefront of their fields. “Our courses, accessible in English and designed for a global audience, allow professionals from diverse sectors to stay ahead of technological shifts,” he said. Tangible impact In addition to cutting-edge content, the Extension School maintains a learner-centred approach. Feedback is integral, helping TU Delft ensure its courses remain relevant and impactful. “What moves me the most are people in developing countries who say, ‘I took a course on solar energy. With the knowledge I gained, I wrote a project plan to install solar panels in our village. Now, we have more electricity and can develop ourselves further.'" Building lifelong learning at all levels is essential to creating a resilient workforce and a sustainable future. TU Delft’s Extension School is committed to keeping these conversations alive, empowering professionals worldwide to drive meaningful change. For those interested in hearing the full interview in Dutch, please click the link. Luister hier Support Willem van Valkenburg and our work by giving us a shout-out on LinkedIn linkedin