Dr. ir. Sjoukje Heimovaara

Portrait Sjoukje Heimovaara

Dr. ir. Sjoukje Heimovaara was appointed to the position of President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research on 1 July 2022.

Secondary activities

Heimovaara is member of the Supervisory Board of Naturalis Biodiversity Center and chair of the 4TU Federation. In addition, she is an SDG 12.3 Champion, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UN Food System Coordination Hub and member of the recommendation committee of Museum Staal. She is also member of the recommendation committees of Varsity and the Wageningen Student Choir and Orchestra Association. In 2024 Heimovaara was a member of the Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture, spearheaded by the President of the European Commission.

Career

  • Managing director of the Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group (AFSG) at Wageningen University & Research (WUR)
  • CEO of Royal Van Zanten
  • Managing director of Van Zanten Breeding BV
  • R&D director of Royal Van Zanten
  • Head of the Applied Plant Science (APS) department of TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research)
  • Research associate/theme lead at TNO
  • PhD candidate at Leiden University

Former secundary activities

  • Vice President of Netherlands Academy of Engineering
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT)
  • Council member and deputy chair of the Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (AWTI)
  • Member of the Dutch Academy of Technology and Innovation (ACTI).
  • Executive member of ALW/NWO
  • Executive member of NAKtuinbouw sector council
  • Member of the VNO/NCW technology committee
  • Executive member of TKI Horticulture and Basic Materials
  • Executive member of the Groene genetica (green genetics) top institute
  • Member of the Raad van Plantenrassen (council of plant varieties)
  • Member of the Productschap Tuinbouw (horticulture commodities board) research committee
  • Member of the Plantum research committee
  • Executive member of Top Institute Food and Nutrition (TIFN)
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of the Carbohydrate Competence Centre (CCC)
  • Member of programme committee of NWO KIC
  • Member of programme committee of One Planet
  • Member of the Bètaraad (Exact Sciences Council)
  • Board Member of Universities of the Netherlands