Professor Judi Mesman's portrait festively unveiled in Senate Chamber
A truly special moment in the Senate Chamber of the Academy Building: the portrait of Professor Judi Mesman has been unveiled. 'Leiden University only reserves places in this chamber for its foremost scholars, and you are certainly one of them,' said Rector Magnificus Hester Bijl.
Read the (partial) speeches by FGGA Dean Koen Caminada and Rector Magnificus Hester Bijl at the bottom of this article.
Judi Mesman brought change
Surrounded by proud family members, friends, and colleagues, Judi was finally able to unveil her portrait on Monday. The work hangs among the busts of professors from previous centuries – predominently men. FGGA Dean Koen Caminada acknowledges this in his speech: 'That 450-year history looks rather masculine.' Judi herself brought change to it. In 2016, she was one of four female professors – the ‘Athena’s Angels’ – who displayed photos of female professors here during a unique exhibition.
'Judi conducts groundbreaking research on diversity and inclusion in upbringing and education'
Until that moment, therw was only one woman on the wall: Sophia Antoniadis, the university's first female professor, holding the chair in Greek and Byzantine literature. Since 2018, she has permanent company. On International Women’s Day of that year, fourteen painted portraits of female professors were hung. A break with tradition: they were given their place during their lifetime.
Read more below the photo block.
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Luc Sels also takes a photo of the work. -
Thanks to Athena's Angels, (many more) portraits of women came into the Senate Chamber.
The painter is present too
Nowadays, the unveiling is a celebratory moment where the person portrayed is allowed to remove the curtain. Judi does this together with Hester Bijl, in the presence of the other Athena’s Angels already on the wall – Naomi Ellemers, Eveline Crone, and Ineke Sluiter. Painter Fred Schley, who also created portraits of the other 'Angels', is present to see his new work in the chamber for the first time. Though he admits Judi was somehow a bit trickier to portray. Not because of the many books in the painting – which refer to the Dutch East Indies and Judi’s family history.
Judi Mesman: perhaps we should be more critical
'This is a wonderful place to be part of,' says Judi. Yet she remains modest. 'We could certainly be more critical about honouring individuals. How can we also explicitly honour teams and team achievements alongside this? Privileges and traditions inevitably shift: flying used to be for the elite, now everyone can fly and it’s bad for the climate. People who have only recently gained access to certain opportunitiesare suddenly told that it is no longer appropriate. So: celebrate inclusion, but also reflect on how we recognise achievements in the academic context.'
Koen Caminada:
As Judi herself once aptly put it: 'When it comes to diversity and inclusion in education and science, my goal is that it is no longer seen as a nice-to-have, but as a must-have – a self-evident necessity whose value is obvious.'
Those words sum up extraordinarily well why we are here today: inclusion is not an extra, but a foundation of academic quality. We continue that movement with the unveiling of Judi’s portrait, a woman who has not only enriched her field but also exemplifies great perseverance. This portrait is more than art. It is a symbol of inclusion and progress. Judi Mesman is regarded as an excellent scholar because she conducts groundbreaking research on diversity and inclusion in upbringing and education, with international impact and innovative methods. This is evident, among other things, from the prestigious Stevin Prize she received in 2021.
With Judi Mesman’s portrait, we add a new chapter to the history of Leiden University’s Senate Chamber. A chapter in which talent, regardless of gender, gets full scope. A chapter in which young researchers and students see that they belong here.'
Hester Bijl:
'With your unique combination of in-depth research, societal relevance, and policy engagement, you demonstrate what real impact is. Your work contributes to a fairer, more inclusive society. Not just in theory, but concretely in policy, education, and daily life. I am proud that this portrait in the Senate Chamber is more than a tribute to a researcher; it is an ode to a leader of societal change.
- Your work is so societally relevant: it provides tools to make upbringing, education, and policymaking more inclusive. It furthermore reminds us that justice does not come automatically, but requires conscious upbringing, critical education, and collective effort.
- You make research highly accessible and visible, with publications for the general public, books, podcasts, and media appearances.
- You hold numerous board and advisory roles in culture, youth, education, and societal organisations. Most recently, you were appointed to the Scientific Council for Government Policy.'
