The Executive Board has appointed Dr. Dave Blank as the new scientific director of Mesa+ as of January 1, 2007. He replaces Dr. David Reinhoudt, who will retire next year.
In 2000 Blank became supervisor of the research program Materials Science of Interfaces, one of five strategic research orientations within Mesa+. Upon his appointment as professor, Blank received a Vici-subsidy of 1.25 million euros from the Nederlands Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO, Dutch Organization for Scientific Research). NWO gives a limited amount of Vici-subsidies to top experienced researchers who have developed an innovative line of research and are among the best ten percent in their field of research.
Mesa+ is the biggest of five UT research institutes. The multi-disciplined, result-oriented research is mostly aimed at the fields of nanotechnology, micro system technology, materials science and nanoelectronics. Over four hundred researchers work on new materials and systems. The institute, which has a turnover of 31 million euros, has spawned over thirty spin-off businesses in a short time.
Trans. H. van Dorp
