Addressing Societal Challengesby Engineering Science

Connect and Fund

25 October 2016

Herry Nijhuis

STW Approach

� Funding applied and engineering sciences

� Evaluating on scientific quality and utilisation perspective

� Bringing researchers and potential users together

� Optimising opportunities for transfer of knowledge

Introduction

Background

• Importance of engineering research in theNetherlands

• Societal challenges

• Role of engineering sciences

• Dutch position

• Ambition of NWO/AES

Dutch National Research Agenda

• 11.700 Questions• 140 Cluster Questions• 25 Routes• 5 Chapters

• Man, the environment and the economy• Individual and society• Sickness and health• Technology and Society• Fundamentals of existence

Cluster Questions

• How can we make (bio)chemical production processes more sustainable, more efficient and cleaner

• How should we undertake the transition to an entirelysustainable energy supply

• Smart Industry: How do we make our factories smarter

• How can we create a truly Circular Economy

• How can we develop the stable and selective catalysts that we need to make the transition to sustainable energy, productionsystems and a biobased economy

Example routes

• Regenerative medicine

• Smart Industry

• Smart, liveable cities

• Circular economy and resource efficiency.

• Sustainable production of safe and healthy food

ElectricityWaste

Wastewater

FoodCleanwater

Today

CO2

Fuels Chemicals

ElectricityWaste

Wastewater

FoodCleanwater

CO2

Fuels ChemicalsSustainable Energy

(Blue) Energy

Na+

Na+

Cl-

Cl-

SeaRiver River

(Blue) Energy

Na+

Na+

Cl-

Cl-

SeaRiver River

2 HBr + electricity H2 + Br2

Charge

Discharge

Power

Dis

char

ge ti

me

ElectricityWaste

Wastewater

FoodCleanwater

CO2

Fuels ChemicalsCO2capture

Biogas production

CO2 conversion12

CO2 conversion13

Power-2-GasConversion of surplus renewable energy into gaseous fuels and chemical building blocks

CO2, CO, O2,

H2, H2O, CH4

Membrane

separations

ElectricityWaste

Wastewater

FoodCleanwater

CO2

CO2capture

H2Ocapture

Sustainable Energy

Fuel cells/Storage

WWTP

Biogas production

Minerals

Fuels Chemicals

What is engineering science

• Engineering science is a broad discipline that encompasses many different scientific

principles and associated mathematics that underlie engineering. It integratesengineering, biological, chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences with the arts,

humanities, social sciences, and the professions to tackle the most demanding challenges and advance the well-being of global society

What do engineering scientists do?• The unique knowledge and interdisciplinary skill set of

engineering scientists allows them to merge multidisciplinary resources to propose and develop innovative, enduring solutions and transform the latest scientific discoveries into enabling new technologies.

• Engineering scientists research, develop, and design new materials, devices, sensors, and processes for a diverse range of applications.

* Penn State University

Engineering sciences in theNetherlands

Excellence by Public Private Partnerships

�Nanonet/next�Qutech�Chemical Building Blocks Consortium�BE Basic�Brainport�Chemelot�Bio Science Park

Horticulture

Life sciences &

health

HTSM

Agri&food

Chemistry

Water

Energy� Advanced Production Engineering

� Aquatic Biotechnology and Bioproduct Engineering

� Products and Processes for Biotechnology in the

Biobased Economy

� Product Technology

� Discrete Technology & Production Automation

� Smart Manufacturing Systems

� Green Chemical Reaction Engineering

Funding excellent research

M€ 50

M€ 25

M€ 25

Funding schemes 1/2

VENI-VIDI-VICI

Goals user committee• Stimulate valorisation• Maximise mutual knowledge transfer• Wide application• Creation of network beyond project period

Technology Foundation STW

• Powerful in Public Private Partnerships• Strong focus on Valorisation/Utilisation• Appropriate Toolbox

Ambition• Strengthen internal (NWO) and external

cooperation• Increase possibilities for the fundamentals• Further develop and extend utilisation skills• Guardian of the engineering sciences

Community22

Working together towards a new reality