Dutch Research Council Appoints TU Delft Professor Ena Voûte to Executive Board and Chair of Applied and Engineering Sciences Domain

Dutch Research Council Appoints TU Delft Professor Ena Voûte to Executive Board and Chair of Applied and Engineering Sciences Domain

(IN BRIEF) The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has appointed Delft University of Technology professor Ena Voûte to its Executive Board and as chair of the Applied and Engineering Sciences (TTW) domain. Voûte, who currently serves as Pro Vice-Rector for International Affairs at TU Delft and previously led the university’s Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering as dean, will take on the new role alongside her existing responsibilities. Her appointment reflects her extensive experience in academic leadership and international collaboration, as well as her involvement in European networks such as CESAER. As domain chair, Voûte will represent applied and engineering sciences within NWO’s governing body and help guide policies that promote innovation, societal impact and stronger connections between academic research and practical applications.

(PRESS RELEASE) THE HAGUE, 17-Mar-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Dutch Research Council has appointed Ena Voûte to its Executive Board, where she will also serve as chair of the Applied and Engineering Sciences domain (TTW). Her appointment took effect on 16 March 2026.

Voûte is a professor at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology. Between 2012 and 2022 she served as dean of the faculty, and since 2022 she has held the role of Pro Vice-Rector for International Affairs. In that position she works closely with the university’s executive leadership on international academic strategy, with particular attention to innovation, sustainability and strengthening global collaboration.

Her responsibilities include shaping TU Delft’s international engagement and maintaining relationships with academic partners worldwide. In 2026 she also became involved in CESAER, reflecting her focus on strengthening cooperation among leading technical universities across Europe.

Voûte originally trained as an industrial design engineer and earlier in her career worked in marketing and management roles at multinational companies including Unilever and Philips. She will carry out the new NWO role on a part-time basis while continuing her responsibilities at TU Delft.

The Executive Board is the highest governing body of the Dutch Research Council and includes the president, vice president and the chairs of NWO’s four research domains. Members are appointed by the Minister of Education, Culture and Science following a recommendation from the Supervisory Board. While the president and vice president serve five-year terms, domain chairs are appointed for three years. In her new position, Voûte will represent the Applied and Engineering Sciences domain on the board.

She succeeds Margot Weijnen, who stepped down on 1 March after completing two terms.

Marcel Levi welcomed the appointment, noting that Voûte brings extensive academic leadership experience and a strong international perspective. He highlighted her contributions to strengthening the role of European technical universities and her advocacy for changes in academic culture, including new approaches to evaluating research and researchers.

As chair of the TTW domain board, Voûte will help shape research policy that emphasizes the importance of applied and practice-oriented research alongside fundamental, curiosity-driven science. She said she looks forward to supporting innovation and generating societal impact through the domain’s work, emphasizing the importance of linking scientific knowledge with real-world applications.

Media Contact:

Freek Hofland
Spokesperson
+31 6 58920086
f.hofland@nwo.nl

SOURCE: NWO