TU/e Distinctions

Our university has a history of awarding honorary doctorates to external researchers with an exceptional track record. And among our own researchers we have appointed  university ambassadors.  

University professors

TU/e’s university professors are the ambassadors of our university. They are appointed for a term of five years. There is no specific learning assignment associated with these university professorships. The Board can decide, in consultation with the Doctoral Degree Board, to commission the university professor to (further) develop a new field.

TU/e fellows

The TU/e and Departmental Fellowship are intended to connect leaders from a specific field of expertise to the TU/e. They act as ambassadors for the  university. From the nature of their careers, they emphatically perform in the field of Valorization. They also actively contribute to scientific research and education. This could include people with a special track record of R&D responsibility in a particular area in the business community.

University professors

TU/e Fellows

Michael Boot, Mechanical Engineering

Jeroen van Duivenbode, Electrical Engineering

Koert van Mensvoort, Industrial Design

Elke den Ouden, Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences

Eduard Pelssers, Mechanical Engineering

Carlo van de Weijer, Strategic Area Smart Mobility

Wim van Houtum, Electrical Engineering 
(departmental fellow)

Honorary doctorates

TU/e conferred its first honorary doctorate on Dr. ir. H. Kramers in 1976, on the occasion of the celebration of the university's 20th foundation day. From 1981 to 2005 honorary doctorates were conferred only during university lustrum celebrations, always three at each time. As of 2005 honorary doctorates are also to be conferred in the intermediate years in order to raise the academic stature of TU/e foundation day celebrations.

Distinguished professors

In 2008, TU/e started appointing a distinguished professor annually. In this way, the University wants to perpetuate contacts with a number of honorary doctors. A distinguished professor is appointed for four years and during that period he spends one week a year at a research group at the university. 

Honorary doctor 2023: Craig Hawker

Craig Jon Hawker (born 11 January 1964) is an Australian-born chemist. His research has focused on the interface between organic and polymer chemistry, with emphasis on the design, synthesis, and application of well-defined macromolecular structures in biotechnology, microelectronics, and surface science. Hawker holds more than 45 U.S. patents, and he has co-authored over 300 papers in the areas of nanotechnology, materials science, and chemistry. He was listed as one of the top 100 most cited chemists worldwide over the decade 1992–2002, and again in 2000–2010.

In 2021, Hawker was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to polymer chemistry through synthetic organic chemistry concepts and the advancement of molecular engineering principles. He is the director of the California Nanosystems Institute and holds a number of other laboratory directorships at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2022

Craig Hawker  received the honorary doctorate during TU/e Research Day on Thursday, June 8, 2023.

Honorary doctors

  • Prof.dr. Craig Hawker, 2023
  • Prof. dr. Margot Gerritsen,2021
  • Prof. dr. Klavs Jensen, 2021
  • Prof. dr. David Mooney, 2021
  • Prof. dr Peter Winzer, 2019
  • Prof. dr Jodi Forlizzi, 2019
  • Prof. Dame Ann Dowling 2018
  • Prof. dr. Lars Arge, 2017 († 2020)
  • Prof. dr. Gilbert Laporte, 2016
  • Prof. dr. Joanna Aizenberg, 2016
  • Prof. dr. Mark Kushner, 2016
  • Prof. dr. Theodore Stathopoulos, 2015
  • Prof. dr. Norman Fleck, 2014
  • Prof. dr. Sabine van Huffel, 2013

Distinguished professors

  • Prof.dr. T. Stathopoulos, Building Physics, Urban Physics and Wind Engineering, Concordia University (till 30-04-2023)
  • Prof.dr. G. Laporte, Distribution Management, HEC Montréal (till 01-09-2024)
  • Prof.dr. J. Aizenberg, Bio-inspired Materials Engineering, Harvard University (till 01-10-2024)
  • Prof.dr.ir. M.G. Gerritsen, Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University (till 1-11-2026)
  • Prof.dr. D.J. Mooney, professor of bioengineering, Harvard University and Wyss Institute (till 25-1-2027)
  • Prof.dr. T. Stathopoulos, Building Physics, Urban Physics and Wind Engineering, Concordia University (till May 1, 2027)
  • Prof.dr.ir. M.G. Gerritsen, Computational Science and Engineering, Stanfort University (till 1-11-2026)