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Jury

These are the members of the jury of the Dutch Aerospace Fund:

Chairman Ruud Hirdes – Read the interview with Ruud Hirdes
Deputy chairperson Johanneke ter Hennepe – NLR
Elise Bavelaar – TU Delft
André Kuipers o.a. Techniekpact
Lt-kolonel Marcel de Pee – Koninklijke Luchtmacht
Ronald Schnitker – Schnitker Law Practise
Bastiaan Bom - Spherical Systems
Chris Verhoeven – TU-Delft
Denise Eikelenboom – NLR
Mathijn Korf – CvBlo
Annemarie Schuite - Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid

All NLF jury members are connected to the aviation and aerospace sector through their work. From that expertise, they decide which projects or graduation assignments are eligible for one of the annual awards. In daily life, jury chairman Ruud Hirdes provides hands-on consultancy as an aerospace specialist to civil and military clients and to governments (including the European Commission), both domestically and abroad.

Ruud has been chairman of the jury since 2020. Like all jury members, he was asked for this role. Why did he say ‘yes’? Ruud: ‘Every year, the NLF receives submissions via educational institutions from students whose projects or graduation assignments make a special contribution to aviation and/or aerospace in the Netherlands. It is important to put these young people in the spotlight and reward the best achievements with a prize. That way, we can encourage and enthuse them for a career in the sector.’

Assessing entries together

Before entries go to the jury, a pre-selection takes place. Projects and graduation assignments that stand out in this round stand a chance of winning a prize. Judging contest entries is based on two criteria, Ruud explains: ‘The first is about how exceptional an entry is and the second is about what the work can mean for the future of the sector.’ Each jury member first grades an entry individually. Then the results are put side by side to determine where there are differences. ‘We then discuss those differences,’ Ruud says. ‘Sometimes a jury member can best judge from his or her own field why a certain entry is more promising for the sector than others. Incidentally, we usually agree pretty quickly.’

Strengthening the sector

Based on his international experience, Ruud observes that the Netherlands produces a lot of knowledge in the field of aerospace: ‘To continue that, the sector needs people who are future-oriented and competitive thinkers. The NLF awards underline the importance of good education. At the annual awards ceremony, companies are therefore happy to engage with the winners.’ At the European level, Ruud did evaluations of major international projects. The Netherlands does still play a role at that level, he believes. ‘Our country has several leading knowledge institutions and companies, but I also see that other countries are catching up with us. To turn that tide, we need to strengthen the base from the bottom up with young people laying a foundation for the future. That is what the NLF is contributing to.’

Looking for top students

In laying that foundation, special attention is needed for secondary vocational education (MBO), Ruud believes. ‘The aviation sector is a complex world. The people working there do not always realise what they contribute to the bigger picture. Of course, pilots and engineers are needed. But there is also a great need for mechanics, service desk workers, planners and cargo handlers. And instrument makers, especially for aerospace. Many of these positions stem from MBO programmes and if we don't find enough good people for them, the whole sector will suffer.’ That the NLF is committed to the development of aviation and aerospace, he says, is much needed, as the sector receives a lot of criticism, including for environmental pollution. ‘Especially young people with their brainpower and creativity can contribute to making the industry more sustainable. Think, for instance, about using or reusing materials more economically. Sustainability is therefore also a criterion in the jury assessment.’

Drive and creativity

Ruud doesn't have to think long about what motivates him as chairman of the jury: ‘Every year, I am pleasantly surprised by the extraordinary projects submitted by students. It touches me how much they manage to achieve with often minimal resources. And also, the drive with which they present their work. They believe in what they are doing and its impact. Some, for example, have built a rocket and launched it. It’s great to see their joy of having succeeded. I doubt I could have done something like that at their age.’

‘How driven young people are touches me every time’

Jury chairman Ruud Hirdes:

Students from MBO, HBO and university programmes can compete each year for prizes awarded by the Dutch Aerospace Fund (NLF) for special achievements. Ruud Hirdes chairs the jury that judges the entries.