Organisation

NIOZ consists of four research departments and two support departments. The institute is led by our director and the management team (MT), under the supervision of the NWO-I foundation. An Institute Advisory Committee (IAC), a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the University Forum and the Works Council advise the institute.

Management

At NIOZ, management is carried out by two complementary functions. Our director builds bridges between science, policy and society and strengthens cooperation with national and international partners. In doing so, he makes a direct contribution to NIOZ's mission. In addition, our institute manager focuses on the day-to-day running and business management of the institute, ensuring that researchers and staff have the right conditions to succeed. They are assisted by the management team (MT), consisting of the heads and one extra representative of each department.

Current director: Prof. dr. Han Dolman

Current institute manager: Peter Smit

Contact the management office

Departments

NIOZ is composed of four science departments and two support departments.

Our departments

The Foundation Board of NWO-I

The Foundation Board of NWO-I supervises and advises the institute. Since January 1, 2018, Royal NIOZ is merged with NWO-I, together with the other NWO institutes AMOLF, ARCNL, ASTRON, CWI, DIFFER, HFML FELIX,  Nikhef,  NSCR and SRON. These institutes are governed by a single board, the Foundation Board of NWO-I. The NWO-I Foundation Board forms a personal union with the NWO Executive Board, which means both boards consist of the same people. The NWO-I office (located in Utrecht) supports NIOZ in the area of financial management, strategy, communication, legal affairs and personnel.
 
The Board of the Dutch Research Council (NWO) consists of:
  • Prof. dr. Marcel Levi | president NWO
  • Drs. Anka Mulder | vice-president
  • Prof. dr. Arfan Ikram | president ZonMw
  • Prof. dr. Jan de Boer | chair NWO Domain Science
  • Prof. dr. ir. Margot Weijnen | chair NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences

  • Prof. dr. Antal van den Bosch | chair NWO Domain Social Sciences and Humanities

     

Advisory boards 

Institute Advisory Committee (IAR)  

The Institute Advisory Committee (IAR) functions as a societal network in the broadest sense. It contributes to maintaining and strengthening strategic relationships with science, corporate businesses, local, regional and national policies, and other relevant national parties within society. The IAR members all have an affinity with the research carried out at NIOZ and contribute expertise and advice from a wide range of perspectives. The IAR keeps the interests of NIOZ in mind and functions as a critical sparring partner for the institute director. The IAR meets once a year, while for specific issues the director consults with individual group members. 

Members: 

  • Thecla Bodewes (chair), CEO of Thecla Bodewes Shipyards
  • Dr. ir. Bas Buchner, President of MARIN
  • Mr. Ing. Jan Hendrik Dronkers, Secretary-General at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
  • Mark Pol, Mayor of Texel
  • Annemieke Nijhof, Managing director of Deltares 
  • Prof. dr. Maarten van Aalst, Director General and Chief Science Officer of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and Professor at the Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) at the University of Twente
  • Prof. dr. ir. Wilco Hazeleger, Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University and Professor of Climate System Science at Utrecht University

Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)  

The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) advises the institute through the director and management team. It advises on the scientific programme, general strategy, and scientific infrastructure, and annually reviews the scientific developments at NIOZ. The SAC meets once a year. 

Members: 

  • Prof. Caroline Katsman (chair), Professor of Oceans and Climate, Delft University of Technology
  • Prof. Erik van Sebille, Professor Oceanography and Public Engagement at the Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research and Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht University
  • Prof. Colin Janssen, Professor at Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University
  • Prof. Corinna Schrum, Professor and Director Institute of Coastal Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, University of Hamburg
  • Prof. dr. Heide Schulz-Vogt, Professor of Biological Oceanography, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research
  • Prof. dr. Laura Airoldi, Professor Ecology, University of Padua
  • Prof. dr. Alf Norkko, Professor of Marine Ecology, University of Helsinki
  • Prof. dr. Bärbel Hönisch, Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University

University Forum NIOZ (UF-NIOZ)  

Because of the institute’s national role in seagoing marine research and as national  facilties provider (NMF), NIOZ installed a new networking body ‘University Forum NIOZ’ in 2022 to strengthen the links with the Dutch universities involved in marine research. The members of this Forum are at the level of dean, sometimes at the level of professor, at their universities. The aim of the Forum is to enhance collaboration and to strengthen marine scientific research in the broad sense in the Netherlands, with a view to developing joint research programmes and expeditions. 

Works Council NIOZ 

The Works Council (OR) of the NIOZ represents the employees and contributes to important decisions within the institute. The Works Council consults regularly with the management, advises on policy and has the right of consent on matters affecting the staff. In this way, the Works Council contributes to an open, safe and well-organised working environment for everyone at NIOZ. 

Members:

  • Iakovos Petrou (chair)
  • dr. Rob Middag (secretary)