Moniek Tromp appointed new Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE)

Professor of Materials Chemistry Moniek Tromp will become the new Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) at the University of Groningen with effect from 1 January 2027. The Board of the University has appointed her for a four-year term. Tromp succeeds the current Dean, Joost Frenken.

Tromp is delighted with her appointment: ‘I am honoured to become Dean of the FSE and look forward to getting to know the staff and students better, and to working with them.’ The FSE Faculty Board is also looking forward to welcoming her as Dean.

Jacquelien Scherpen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Groningen, is enthusiastic about the choice for Tromp: ‘Moniek Tromp has already proven herself extensively as a researcher in the development and application of sustainable materials, including the batteries of the future. Not only that: she is also a capable administrator with national and international experience.’

About Moniek Tromp

Tromp obtained her PhD in chemistry from Utrecht University in 2004. She then worked abroad for around ten years, before eventually returning to the Netherlands. In 2018, she joined the University of Groningen. A key part of her research involves developing new techniques to characterize materials under realistic conditions. For example, she developed her own X-ray spectrometer, which she uses in her laboratory to investigate what happens inside batteries during charging and discharging. Together with her research group, Tromp is working on the batteries of the future.

In addition to her scientific work, Tromp has held various national and international administrative and advisory positions. For example, she was chair of the Dutch Catalysis Society, the National Network of Female Professors (LNVH), the Young Academy of Europe, and chair of the Young Academies Science Advice Structure, which forms part of the European Commission’s Science Advice Mechanism.

Since 2023, Tromp has been Captain of Science for the Top Sector for Chemistry and has been involved in national and regional politics and in ecosystem development; since 2025, she has been chair of the Initiative for Science in Europe. She leads or co-leads large consortia of research institutions and industrial partners, including BatteryNL and the ANION research programme, which focuses on electrochemical processes relevant to the energy transition. In 2017, she received the NWO Athena Prize for her scientific achievements and her commitment to gender equality in academia. Through these various roles, she is dedicated to promoting the societal impact of science and fostering collaboration between academic, industrial and public organizations.