“Yes, it’s something different for a change,” says Maarten Steinbuch, who will give an online lecture on ‘Key technologies’ on June the 25th, as part of the seven-part 4TU.Binnenhof lecture series. Steinbuch, who is assisted by Master’s student Beatrix Bos who was a member of the Solar Team Eindhoven (STE) in 2017, finds it important that Dutch politicians remain informed about the latest developments in the field on technology in the Netherlands. He says that he made a “passionate plea” at an earlier date for the launch of a Ministry for Technology and Innovation. “Because all ministries are increasingly confronted with technology and the rapid changes that take place in this field. Therefore, it would be a good thing if the government were to set up a ministry with its own minister specifically for this.”

Steinbuch believes that the digital series of lectures constitutes a “nice form” with which to inform politicians about technology in a way that’s different than usual. “In and around Eindhoven and in the Brainport region we’ve known for many years that collaboration between academia, industry and the government yields major benefits; our much-praised Triple Helix. We should try and launch something similar on a national level.”

That is why politicians will be kept up to date during a seven-part series of one-hour digital lectures by a professor, a student and an entrepreneur. The themes range from medical technology, agrifood and energy to sustainable mobility. The latter subject will also be addressed by TU/e, among others by Margriet van Schijndel, program director Smart Mobility, Lisa van Etten, student of Automotive Technology and project manager of student team TU/ecomotive, and Maurice Geraerts, top executive at NXP Semiconductors.

The 4TU.Binnenhof lectures series is an initiative by the four universities of technology in collaboration with VNO-NCW and FME.