Prof. Dr. Rietje van Dam-Mieras

The Royal Netherlands Chemical Society is pleased to appoint

Prof. Dr. R. van Dam-Mieras

as an honorary member of the Society for her significant contributions at the intersection of chemistry and educational innovation, and her dedication to the KNCV, where she served on the board from 2003 to 2006. Van Dam-Mieras was the first female chair of the KNCV.

Van Dam-Mieras is professor emeritus of Sustainable Development and Educational Innovation. She studied chemistry at Utrecht University and obtained her PhD from the same university. She then worked as a research assistant at Maastricht University and the Open University. In 1992, she was appointed professor of Natural Sciences, specialising in biochemistry and biotechnology, at the Open University, and in 2007 she became vice-rector magnificus of Leiden University. From 1998 to 2003, she was a member of the WRR (Scientific Council for Government Policy). Rietje Van Dam has also held – and continues to hold – various advisory and supervisory positions on committees and advisory boards for Akzo Nobel Nederland, Unilever Nederland, TNO, NWO and the Top Consortium for Knowledge and Innovation BioBased Economy, among others.

Throughout her career, Van Dam-Mieras has been committed to building bridges between chemistry and education. She has developed a large number of study programmes and courses, and has collaborated with other branches of science, business and politics wherever possible. During her time on the board at Leiden University, Van Dam-Mieras made a special effort to develop an excellence programme for students. Under her responsibility, Leiden University College in The Hague was launched.

Van Dam-Mieras was also a bridge builder on the international stage. From 2009, she held the UNESCO Chair in Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable Development, and from 2005, she was a member of the Bureau of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).