Jasper's Day - A special Wednesday for Hermen Overkleeft and the Faculty
The day begins with meetings filled with strategic decisions and ends in a festive atmosphere at the Royal Theatre in The Hague. There, Hermen Overkleeft receives a Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific distinction in the Netherlands.
Jasper Knoester is Dean of the Faculty of Science. How is he doing, what exactly does he do, and what does his day look like? In each newsletter, Jasper offers a glimpse into his daily life.
Wednesday, 7 October
‘Today is a celebratory day: the Spinoza and Stevin Prizes will be awarded this afternoon, and the weather seems to match the occasion. Just like in recent days, it looks set to be almost summery again. I have breakfast, prepare lunch for Kamiel and get ready to leave.
A wide range of topics on the agenda
I arrive in Leiden just before nine o’clock. Wednesdays usually involve internal meetings with policy advisers, and this morning is no exception. A wide range of topics comes up: promotions, prize nominations, the faculty’s profiling themes, the design of the national process for new sector plans (for which we hope funding will become available), agendas for upcoming meetings with the scientific directors, collaborations with regional partners, our contacts with relevant organisations in the region and across the country (‘public affairs’), and international collaborations and scholarship programmes.
There is a lot going on and as is true for everyone, these meetings are often about making choices: where do the best opportunities lie, and what should we focus on with the institutes? How can we best serve the faculty?
Between meetings, I find time to catch up on emails and briefing notes. As faculties, we are in intensive discussions with Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science about the framework for the sector plans. Many parties are involved, and memos are constantly being exchanged. Step by step, we are moving closer towards a shared position.
Off to the Royal Theatre for the Spinoza Prize ceremony
At the beginning of the afternoon, I travel to the Royal Theatre in The Hague for the 2026 Spinoza and Stevin Prize ceremony. It is a celebration of science, and even more so when someone from your own faculty receives one of these awards.
This afternoon, Hermen Overkleeft, Professor of Bio-organic Synthesis at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), receives a Spinoza Prize for his work as one of the pioneers of chemical biology. This field develops molecules to study, influence and understand biological processes. Such work can lead to a better understanding of diseases and, potentially, to new medicines.
Hermen Overkleeft in the spotlight
Today, Hermen’s work, carried out together with many PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers and collaborators, is being recognised with this award. Alongside Hermen, there is one other Spinoza laureate and two Stevin laureates. It promises to be a wonderful afternoon.
One by one, the winners are invited onto the stage and briefly interviewed by moderator Eveline van Rijswijk. Hermen does an excellent job. Using a bottle of water and a glass, he vividly explains how processes in the body can go wrong and what the consequences can be. He also makes clear how he intends to use the prize money. The interview concludes with a video in which family members and friends share a few words about Hermen, creating a warm and personal portrait.
Between the various programme segments, cabaret performer and “decision-tree artist” Katinka Polderman gives two short performances. With characteristic irony, she walks the four laureates through a decision tree on whether they might win a prize. The audience thoroughly enjoys it and, as a fan of cabaret myself, so do I.
A photo together
The awards are eventually presented by Minister Rianne Letschert, who does so warmly and with great respect for both the laureates and for science itself. Once the formal ceremony has ended, Rector Magnificus Sarah de Rijcke and I quickly make our way onto the stage to take a few photographs with Hermen. We certainly cannot claim any credit for his winning the prize, but it is a great privilege to witness such a moment from so close by.
The reception is very well attended. There are many colleagues from the LIC, of course, but also many guests from outside the institute, as well as supporters of the other laureates. I run into a former colleague from Groningen with whom I shared many administrative adventures. It is wonderful to catch up and talk about both work and family.
I leave the reception for a telephone meeting while enjoying the late-afternoon sunshine on the Lange Voorhout. Afterwards, I take a leisurely walk home. Following dinner, I still have a considerable number of documents to prepare for tomorrow. I end the day with exercises for my hips and upper legs. Unfortunately, I do not have time for swimming, but this afternoon’s walk through the warm city was an excellent form of exercise as well. It was a festive Wednesday and a day very well spent.’