Honorary Fellowship

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Through our Honorary Fellowship we express our appreciation of individuals who distinguish themselves in their dedication to joint water cycle-related research. Honorary Fellows constitute our professional reference; their importance lies in their commitment, energy and support. Among other things, the honorary title underlines our awareness that serving the public good in the field of Dutch and international water management requires special knowledge, expertise and experience that only in exceptional cases are to be found in a single person.

KWR’s CEO appoints a maximum of one lifelong fellow every year upon the recommendation of the management team, which previously consults the chairs of the KWR Scientific Council and Supervisory Board on the matter. KWR’s first Honorary Fellow was appointed in 2015: Wim van Viersen appointed Martien den Blanken, former director of PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland, as the first KWR Honorary Fellow. In the following years, Joan Rose, Willy Verstraete, Ad van Wijk, Harry Seah, Marion Koopmans and Luc Keustermans were appointed KWR Honarary Fellow.

	Martien den Blanken was appointed Honorary Fellow in 2015, because of his considerable and years-long dedication, as the director of a drinking water company, to developing a compelling joint research programme and strengthening the innovation power of the Dutch water sector. Read more
	The prominent international researcher, Joan Rose, was appointed Honorary Fellow in 2016, because of her enduring and pioneering research into microbiology, water quality and health, and her strong international commitment to stimulating excellent, socially-embedded research. Read more
	KWR bestowed Professor Willy Verstraete in 2017 the Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his great contributions to research into microbial processes and to responsible resource and environmental management. Read more
	In 2018, KWR awarded Ad van Wijk this Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his great contribution to the institute. Van Wijk was not only the inspirer of the line of research on water and energy at KWR, but he also helped set it up. Read more
	KWR awarded Harry Seah in 2019 this Honorary Fellowship, because he has been an inspirational leader and driving force for setting up international research and innovation programmes. Read more
	Marion Koopmans, Professor of Virology, receives the KWR Honorary Fellowship 2020. Koopmans has been granted the honorific title in recognition of her huge commitment to connecting science and professional practice during the corona pandemic. Read more
	In 2021, Luc Keustermans was appointed KWR Honorary Fellow for his commitment and drive in shaping Flemish-Dutch collaboration in applied water research. The honorary title was presented during the 40th anniversary of the collective research of the water companies in 2023. A postponement due to the corona pandemic. Read more
	At a special event organised on 9 November at KWR, Rita Ugarelli was proclaimed KWR Honorary Fellow 2022. The Adjunct Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering was praised for her exemplary role in transcending and connecting the scientific fields of water infrastructure and hydroinformatics. Read more