Daily Image
29-10-2012
Dutch eyes on the skies
| Submitter: | Femke Boekhorst & Ronald Halfwerk |
| Description: | ASTRON was one of the institutes that exhibited in the "Dutch Eyes on the Skies" pavilion in the Amsterdam RAI, in early July 2012. The Dutch pavilion was among the highlights of the largest-ever SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation exhibition. It showcased several Dutch knowledge institutes, including ASTRON and NOVA. With more than 92 companies, the exhibition was a big draw for the flood of (over 2300) visitors to the hall, and a valuable opportunity for exhibitors to gain exposure in the community. On opening night, Hans de Groene, Director General of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), gave a speech at the Dutch pavilion. He emphasized the importance of industry working together with scientific institutes in big research facilities. For industry and small and medium sized businesses, the institutes are the gateway to large-scale scientific infrastructures, such as the LOFAR telescope of ASTRON, and in the future the Square Kilometre Array. In the recent issue of NWO magazine "Hypothese", de Groene continues: "Almost every NWO institute has an industrial liaison officer, whose job it is to connect research with business. We regard our institutes as important partners for the national Topconsortia for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI). NWO is involved with 70% of the TKIs. Our institutes can contribute their research, and use the experience they already have with public-private partnerships." (see Hypothese of September 2012: http://www.nwo.nl/files.nsf/pages/NWOP_8YAGPU/$file/Hypothese%202012-3.pdf). Want to know more about the SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation conference of 2012? http://spie.org/x87376.xml. |
| Copyright: | ASTRON |
| Tweet |  |