3 May 2011 - Dave Blank wins Simon Stevin Meester 2011 prize

The STW Technology Foundation has awarded Prof. Dave Blank the title of Simon Stevin Meester 2011. Blank is Professor of Inorganic Materials Science at the University of Twente and scientific director of MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. He will receive half a million euros to be spent on research of his choice. Blank will use the money to explore new ideas and develop technology in the area of nanosensors. The prize will be presented on 6 October during a conference organized in honour of STW's 30^th anniversary.

The Simon Stevin Meester prize is the largest award given for technological-scientific research in the Netherlands. The prize is intended for top researchers who are successful in linking excellent fundamental scientific research to socially-relevant issues and applications.

DELIGHTED

Blank is delighted with the prize: "When I was appointed professor in Twente in 2002, I had just been awarded an STW/NWO Vici grant. This enabled me to make a fantastic flying start. The Simon Stevin Meester prize is one of the best awards you can be given, as it's a performance-related prize."
Blank's group works at the interface of chemistry and technical physics. A lot of physics is needed to turn the chemical properties of materials into new nanotechnological applications.
The Inorganic Materials Science research group led by Blank and Prof. Guus Rijnders consists of about forty people. Their research has led to new techniques for producing, studying and understanding complex materials at micro and nano-scales. Blank is co-inventor in five patents and together with Rijnders, founder of three spin-off companies at the University of Twente.
Blank has been scientific director of MESA+, Institute for Nanotechnology since 2007. In 2008, he was lead author of the Strategic Research Agenda on Nanotechnology, which is one of the documents used to make decisions affecting Dutch nano research both now and in the future. He is also Chair of the Executive Board of the new NanoNextNL research programme, and scientific representative in the 'Top high tech materials and systems team', which is responsible for advising the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation on policy relating to the top sector of the same name.

SIXTH SIMON STEVIN MEESTER FOR UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE/MESA+ INSTITUTE FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY

Blank is the sixth scientist from the University of Twente/MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology to have been awarded the Simon Stevin Meester title. Previous winners include Detlef Lohse (2009), Albert van den Berg (2002), Cock Lodder (2002), Miko Elwenspoek (1998) and David Reinhoudt (1998).
Alongside Blank, the molecular-geneticist Oscar Kuipers from the University of Groningen was also made Simon Stevin Meester.

Note for the press
For more information, please contact Huub Eggen from the STW Technology Foundation (h.eggen@stw.nl), or Joost Bruysters from the University of Twente (j.c.p.bruysters@utwente.nl, +31 (0)53 489 2773).

	Home > News > 3 May 2011 - Dave Blank wins Simon Stevin Meester 2011 prize
Home News Events Strategic Orientations research groups Publications PhD students Education MESA+ NanoLab Starting entrepreneurs Tech Park Industrial Partners Vacancies Links Sitemap Search	3 May 2011 - Dave Blank wins Simon Stevin Meester 2011 prize The STW Technology Foundation has awarded Prof. Dave Blank the title of Simon Stevin Meester 2011. Blank is Professor of Inorganic Materials Science at the University of Twente and scientific director of MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. He will receive half a million euros to be spent on research of his choice. Blank will use the money to explore new ideas and develop technology in the area of nanosensors. The prize will be presented on 6 October during a conference organized in honour of STW's 30^th anniversary. The Simon Stevin Meester prize is the largest award given for technological-scientific research in the Netherlands. The prize is intended for top researchers who are successful in linking excellent fundamental scientific research to socially-relevant issues and applications. DELIGHTED Blank is delighted with the prize: "When I was appointed professor in Twente in 2002, I had just been awarded an STW/NWO Vici grant. This enabled me to make a fantastic flying start. The Simon Stevin Meester prize is one of the best awards you can be given, as it's a performance-related prize." Blank's group works at the interface of chemistry and technical physics. A lot of physics is needed to turn the chemical properties of materials into new nanotechnological applications. The Inorganic Materials Science research group led by Blank and Prof. Guus Rijnders consists of about forty people. Their research has led to new techniques for producing, studying and understanding complex materials at micro and nano-scales. Blank is co-inventor in five patents and together with Rijnders, founder of three spin-off companies at the University of Twente. Blank has been scientific director of MESA+, Institute for Nanotechnology since 2007. In 2008, he was lead author of the Strategic Research Agenda on Nanotechnology, which is one of the documents used to make decisions affecting Dutch nano research both now and in the future. He is also Chair of the Executive Board of the new NanoNextNL research programme, and scientific representative in the 'Top high tech materials and systems team', which is responsible for advising the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation on policy relating to the top sector of the same name. SIXTH SIMON STEVIN MEESTER FOR UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE/MESA+ INSTITUTE FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY Blank is the sixth scientist from the University of Twente/MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology to have been awarded the Simon Stevin Meester title. Previous winners include Detlef Lohse (2009), Albert van den Berg (2002), Cock Lodder (2002), Miko Elwenspoek (1998) and David Reinhoudt (1998). Alongside Blank, the molecular-geneticist Oscar Kuipers from the University of Groningen was also made Simon Stevin Meester. Note for the press For more information, please contact Huub Eggen from the STW Technology Foundation (h.eggen@stw.nl), or Joost Bruysters from the University of Twente (j.c.p.bruysters@utwente.nl, +31 (0)53 489 2773).