The creation of the Stichting Computational Science NL is an implementation of the National Agenda for Computational Science, developed by a coalition of Dutch scientists and industry representatives and presented to the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2022. The agenda emphasizes the importance of computational models and simulations in finding solutions to the challenges of a sustainable future. The newly established foundation aims to build a strong community in this field and encourages strategic investments in research, infrastructure, and human capital.
Board
The founding members of the board are Johan Mentink (Radboud University, chair), Bianca Giovanardi (TU Delft, secretary), and Linn Leppert (University of Twente, treasurer). Together with Alfons Hoekstra (University of Amsterdam), Mark Roest (VORTech), and Wil Schilders (TU Eindhoven), they also form part of the Computational Science NL Strategy Board, established earlier this year. CWI, the NWO institute for research in theoretical computer science and mathematics, serves as the foundation's headquarters.
Johan Mentink, chair of the Computational Science NL Foundation and researcher at Radboud University, states: "The establishment of the Computational Science NL Foundation marks a important step for the Netherlands towards a leading position in the international scientific community."
Focus areas
Radboud University holds a strong position in the focus areas of Computational Science NL, such as energy-efficient computing (e.g., in the Radboud Neuromorphic initiative), data-driven methods (ICIS), Multiscale Modelling (in the Institute for Molecules and Materials), machine learning (including researchers like Marcel van Gerven, Johan Kwisthout, Ton Coolen), and uncertainty analysis (e.g., Gabriel Lord).
Johan Mentink adds: "Computational research is very inspiring for interdisciplinary work because the same methods appear in different fields and can reinforce each other. Even though we have only just officially started, new collaborations have already emerged thanks to Computational Science NL, such as between the Radboud institutes ICIS and IMM. These institutes, together with researchers from TU Delft, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, University of Twente, Eindhoven University of Technology, SURF, and KNMI, are writing a joint research program on energy-efficient computer infrastructure."
