The Dr. Hans Heerkens – Passion for Aviation Fund was established by Mrs. Bernadette Pol in memory of her partner, UT researcher Dr. Hans Heerkens (1958–2025).
Purpose of the fund
The fund makes aviation tangible, inspiring, and personal for students. It provides grants for activities that stimulate a passion for aviation, such as excursions, guest lectures, workshops, access to external data sources, participation in international competitions or conferences, extracurricular simulation projects, and the use of Hans Heerkens’ flight simulator. In this way, students experience that aviation is more than engineering or logistics: it connects people, bridges borders, and offers space for research, design, and wonder.
Scientist and passionate lecturer
Hans, born in Gouda, breezed through his secondary education (havo and vwo) and began studying Mechanical Engineering at the Technische Hogeschool Twente (now: UT) in 1978. After a few months, he switched to Public Administration. During his student years, he lived on campus and was active in student life. In 1982, he helped establish the Drienerlose Algemene Studentenvereniging (DAS), a general student association open to a broad student audience. This became the third student association at the University of Twente, alongside a Christian association and a choir association. In 1984, he joined the Liberal Student Association Drienerlo (LSD), founded on the principle of “free thinking.”
After graduating, he began his PhD research. He became one of the founders of the Managerial Problem-Solving Method (MPSM), a framework that supports students and professionals in complex decision-making. As an assistant professor in Industrial Engineering and Business Information Systems at the University of Twente, he gained wide recognition for his expertise in research methodology and aviation.
Passion for Aviation
When he was two years old, his family moved to Liberia for his father’s work. They lived there for two years. Hans remembered the return flight vividly, nestled against his mother. From that moment on, he was fascinated by everything that flies. Despite an eye condition, he earned his ultralight pilot’s license and flew for ten years from Lelystad. He was one of the first in the Netherlands to acquire an advanced flight simulator, custom-built especially for him. His home was filled with display cabinets containing model aircraft. He shared his vision on his own website, designed as a boarding pass.
Aviation expert
Hans became an internationally recognized aviation expert, with frequent appearances in the media and more than 900 contributions to newspapers, radio, and television, cementing his status as the Netherlands’ most sought-after media expert on airspace issues. He consistently earned the UT Media Award. He was also a columnist for ‘Piloot & Vliegtuig’ magazine for decades. At the University of Twente, he helped establish the minor Aerospace Management & Operations, inspiring countless students with his expertise and enthusiasm by connecting them with various industry stakeholders and by organizing excursions to the Aviodrome aviation museum.
Unmanned Cargo Aircraft
In recent years, Hans focused on Unmanned Cargo Aircraft (UCA). As chairman of the Platform for Unmanned Cargo Aircraft (PUCA), he brought together government, industry, and knowledge institutions to develop applications. This laid the foundation for the XL CargoDrones knowledge center. His vision proved ahead of its time: in 2024, the World Food Programme used drones from Wings for Aid to deliver the first life-saving food supply flights to remote communities in Madagascar.
For more information about nominating a candidate for the Dr. Hans Heerkens – Passion for Aviation scholarship and the applicable criteria, please visit our page about the Dr. Hans Heerkens – Passion for Aviation scholarship.