Wageningen University appoints three professors holding personal chairs

The post of professor holding a personal chair is awarded to researchers with an excellent track record in research and education. Being full professors, they are eligible to supervise young researchers (PhD candidates), thereby increasing awareness of their field within and outside the organisation.

Hedwig te Molder (Terheijden, 1967) studied Social Sciences in Nijmegen. She was awarded a PhD in 1995 for discourse-analytical research into the practical dilemmas facing government communicators. Until recently, she was a part-time Professor of Science Communication at the University of Twente and a part-time Associate Professor of Strategic Communication at Wageningen University. In her position at Wageningen, Te Molder studies communication about science and technology in the context of life sciences, with a particular focus on the interaction between scientific experts and consumer-citizens, and the significance of science and technology in and to everyday life.

After obtaining a higher vocational degree, Henk A. Schols (Heenvliet, 1956) spent a number of years working as an analyst in the Laboratory of Food Chemistry at Wageningen University. In 1995, he was awarded a PhD for his work on classifying pectin and pectin fragments in fruit and vegetables. Schols was previously an Associate Professor of Food Chemistry. His teaching and research underline his expertise in the analysis and biochemical conversion of carbohydrates, such as those present in food.

Geert F. Wiegertjes (Hoogezand-Sappemeer, 1963) studied Aquaculture and Fisheries in Wageningen, where he was awarded a PhD in 1995 for his thesis entitled Immunogenetics of disease resistance in fish. He was previously an Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Immunology. Wiegertjes’ teaching and research revolve around fish health in general, and more specifically on immunity against pathogens in fish.