Eindhoven Young Academy Welcomes Nine Exceptional Researchers to Drive Innovation
Eindhoven, Thursday, 8 October 2026.
The Eindhoven Young Academy of Engineering inducted nine new members to tackle major societal challenges, including an assistant professor who cycled 1,150 kilometers to join the university.
A New Cohort to Address Interdisciplinary Challenges
On October 7, 2026, the Eindhoven Young Academy of Engineering (EYAE) at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) officially welcomed nine early-career researchers into its prestigious ranks [1][2]. These new inductees join 18 existing members to bring the total EYAE membership to 27 researchers representing various departments across the university [2][3]. This expansion is designed to facilitate interdisciplinary research and help early-career academics address complex scientific, institutional, and societal challenges [1][3]. The new cohort represents key departments, including Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Computational Science [3].
Diverse Talents and Unique Journeys
The incoming members bring a wide range of academic expertise and highly diverse personal backgrounds [1]. Among the inductees is Elisa Perrone, an Assistant Professor in Mathematical Statistics who focuses on statistical theory for weather forecasting [1]. Interestingly, university profiles highlight unique personal milestones of the inductees; for instance, a 1,150-kilometer cycling journey from Austria to Eindhoven over a 14-day period is associated with the new members [1]. Other new members include Jemima Tabeart, an Assistant Professor in Computational Science researching numerical linear algebra and data assimilation, who has climbed nearly half of Scotland’s 282 highest mountains [1]. Meanwhile, Assistant Professor of Computational Biology Shauna O’Donovan uses machine learning to study gut microbiome impacts on Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease [1]. The cohort also features Ahmed Dorrah (Photonics and Semiconductor Nanophysics), Alessandra Galli (Signal Processing System/Biomedical Diagnostic Lab), Cian Scannell (Medical Image Analysis), Claire Bourquard (Dynamics and Control), Marta Gil Pérez (Sustainable Structural Design), and Rianne Conijn (Human-Technology Interaction) [1][2].
Strategic Priorities and Regional Collaboration
In the upcoming academic year, the EYAE has outlined several core strategic initiatives [1][2]. These include promoting Open Science, improving onboarding processes for international staff, establishing AI integration guidelines, and addressing sustainable workload practices to support early-career researchers [1][3]. On an institutional level, the academy will focus on the sustainability of its financial model, transparent governance development, and assessing the impact of Project Beethoven on non-participating departments [2]. Furthermore, the academy is initiating a new collaboration with Tilburg University through small-scale synergy grants to foster interdisciplinary research with high societal impact [2][3]. This academic year also marks a leadership transition: during the inauguration dinner in September, Ruud van Sloun took over as the new chairman of the EYAE from Bart Jansen, working alongside board members Fons van der Sommen, Pepijn Moerman, and Tommaso Ristori [3].