Wageningen Young Academy
Wageningen Young Academy
Wageningen Young Academy (WYA) is an independent platform that brings together enthusiastic, ambitious, and engaged young academics of Wageningen University across all its scientific disciplines.
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Send us an email or follow the WYA LinkedIn page.
WYA Mission statement
WYA aims at strengthening the position of this young generation of academics within the University as well as promoting scientific dialogue within and among science groups of Wageningen University.
To meet these goals, WYA:
- Creates an international network of enthusiastic and ambitious academics at Wageningen University and beyond.
- Acts as advisor in academic and political debates at the University.
- Inspires current and future academics.
- Communicates science to society.
Organization of WYA
- WYA is a network of 25 – 30 academics at Wageningen University.
- Membership of WYA is 5 years. Each year, a new cohort is selected and added to WYA.
- Members of WYA are young (preferably younger than 45; at most 15 years post-PhD, exceptions may apply due to, e.g., parental leave) academics with a primary affiliation in the Academic Career Framework at Wageningen University, a strong motivation to contribute to the academic quality of Wageningen University, and a clear independence in their scientific career.
- We aim for a good representation of the science that is performed and taught at our university across the disciplines and science groups, as well as a fair representation of our academic staff.
Selection of new members
- Each year a new cohort of five to six members spread over the different science groups of Wageningen University are added to the WYA.
- Members are elected on the basis of their CV and motivation. The Call for new members will be broadly advertised and open to all young academics in the Academic Career Framework at Wageningen University that meet the criteria (see WYA membership). Current WYA members evaluate the applications and select new members.
WYA has a daily board of three members who oversee the general functioning of WYA, and represent WYA both within and outside Wageningen University. Board members have a tenure of 2 years.
Events or activities are organized by Working Groups that are led by at least one person. Current Working Groups include: Academic Career Framework; Sustainability; Diversity & Inclusion; Big Speaker Event; Science to Society; Visibility; and Book Club.
WYA meets once every month, presenting science and education, discussing on-going topics.
Each WYA meeting is chaired by one science group, on a rotational basis. Plenary meetings start with a short research presentation by a WYA member. Time is reserved for members to bring up ongoing issues, exciting new ideas, calls for collaboration, scientific questions or other content.
The language of all internal and external communication of WYA is English, unless specific situations demand otherwise. An English website and LinkedIn page are accessible to all those interested, and feature content related to the WYA members and activities.
Daily board of WYA
WYA members
Members until 2025
- dr. IE (Emilie) Wientjes, Universitair hoofddocent
- dr. NJHP (Nico) Claasssens, Associate Professor
- dr. SA (Sjouke) Kingma, Universitair hoofddocent
- dr. EC (Eveline) Verhulst, Assistant Professor
- dr. MG (Mark) Sterken, Assistant Professor
Members until 2024
- dr. P (Pariya) Behrouzi PhD, Assistant Professor (Tenure Track)
- M (Mehdi) Habibi PhD, Universitair hoofddocent
- dr. J (Janneke) Pieters, Associate Professor
- dr. M (Maryna) Strokal MSc, Assistant professor
- dr.ir. MJ (Maarten) Voors Associate Professor
- prof.dr.ir. HHE (Hannah) van Zanten Associate Professor
- prof.dr.mr. JAW (Josephine) van Zeben Professor/Chairholder
Members until 2023
- dr. B (Bernice) Bovenkerk associate professor
- dr. FJB (Fränzel) van Duijnhoven Associate Professor Nutrition, genes and cancer
- dr. IT (Ingrid) Luijkx Associate professor
- prof.dr. DZ (Diana) Machado de Sousa Professor
- dr.ir. Y (Yann) de Mey Associate Professor
- dr. R (Reindert) Nijland Associate professor
Members until 2021/2022
- dr. LE (Lisa) Becking Associate professor tropical marine biodiversity
- dr. IJC (Ingrid) Boas Associate Professor
- dr. S (Sylvia) Brugman Associate Professor
- dr. JAB (Jessica) Duncan Associate Professor
- dr. KD (Kevin) Matson Associate Professor
- prof.dr. MH (Marnix) Medema Professor
- dr. B (Betina) Piqueras Fiszman Universitair hoofddocent
- dr. BJA (Bart) Pollux Associate Professor
- prof.dr.ir. LCPM (Louis) de Smet Professor
- dr.ir. MMJ (Maarten) Smulders Associate Professor
- Dr.ir. GJ (Gert-Jan) Steeneveld Associate professor
- dr.ir. CR (Cathelijne) Stoof Associate Professor dr. V (Vivian) Valencia Externe medewerker
Members until 2019/2020
- dr. R (Roy) van Beek Assistant professor
Members until 2018
- prof.dr. DK (Duur) Aanen Personal Professor
- dr. S (Sanne) Boesveldt Associate Professor
- dr.ir. JE (Liesbeth) Bolhuis Associate professor
- prof.dr.ir. TB (Bas) Rodenburg Special Professor Animal Welfare
- prof.dr. AH (Aldrik) Velders Professor/Chairholder
- prof.dr. EWML (Emely) de Vet Universitair hoofddocent