Passionate professor surprised with a Royal Honour on his birthday

During his farewell symposium on 29 October, Harro Meijer, Professor of Isotope Physics at the University of Groningen, was surprised with a Royal Honour. Meijer (Eindhoven, 1959), celebrating his 67th birthday that day, heads the Centre for Isotope Research (CIO) at the Faculty of Science & Engineering. He received the insignia associated with the rank of Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion from Mayor R.J. Kamminga of the municipality of Groningen.

Pioneering, committed and empathetic

An intelligent, pioneering scientist and a shining example, an approachable lecturer, an outstanding leader and a warm and empathetic man: according to colleagues, students, PhD candidates and associates, Harro Meijer is all of these things. Above all, he is a physicist with a long track record as a scientist, professor, lecturer and administrator at the University of Groningen. He joined the university in 1990 as a research assistant, became a professor in 1999 and took charge of the Centre for Isotope Research (CIO): an internationally renowned scientific centre where precise measurements are carried out on rare natural isotopes.

Cutting-edge isotope research

Meijer’s scientific achievements lie in the field of atomic and molecular physics: fundamental knowledge that helps us to understand the atmosphere and climate and to improve chemical reactions. His own cutting-edge isotope research focused, amongst other things, on ‘labelling’ substances to track their movement within the environment, generating energy and dating archaeological finds. Through his research, he has provided crucial evidence of human influence on climate change. For example, a groundbreaking experiment in Greenland led to a new, reliable measurement technique, enabling the climate of the past to be reconstructed much more accurately. He also established the Lutjewad monitoring station near Hornhuizen: a station that has now been measuring the composition of the atmosphere for 25 years. This enables the CIO to determine the source of the CO₂ in the atmosphere. Partly as a result, it is now possible to map the global carbon cycle in detail. This knowledge is essential for understanding both the causes and the potential solutions to climate change.

Founder of his own institute

At the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Meijer founded his own institute: the Energy and Sustainability Institute Groningen (ESRIG). This umbrella institute now comprises seven research groups with an average of two hundred staff and students. The CIO is now also part of this. Meijer recognised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration at an early stage. For example, he successfully championed the creation of close ties with Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen. In addition, he founded the Groningen Energy and Sustainability Platform (GESP) in 2010. This platform brought together several disciplines within the faculty and was the forerunner of the current Wubbo Ockels School.

An approachable lecturer and supervisor

Meijer has also made his mark in the field of education. Students hold him in high regard because, as a lecturer, he was very approachable and enjoyed chatting with them between lectures. He wanted his students to succeed as much as possible and did everything he could to help them perform to the best of their ability in his classes. The ‘Energy and Environmental Sciences’ Master’s programme that he set up remains very popular. One Master’s student recalls how Meijer always gave students sufficient scope to work independently, yet never made them feel as though they were left to their own devices. He gave students freedom, but always remained personally involved. He was also keen to go the extra mile to guide PhD students on their path to a career as independent researchers. For example, he would regularly take his PhD students’ theses to conferences in order to recommend them to potential employers.

Personal commitment

That personal commitment was also evident in his role as professor and head of the CIO. No matter how busy Meijer was, he always made time for a cup of coffee and took a genuine interest in what was going on in everyone’s lives. He believed that everyone is entitled to respectful and fair treatment and stood firmly behind his staff in the event of injustice or problems. Whenever foreign guests needed temporary accommodation to carry out research in Groningen or give a guest lecture, he and his wife Ellen would often make their home available to them. And when he was abroad himself, he enjoyed visiting colleagues or partner institutions to offer his support and share his knowledge. He was generous with his network and shared his knowledge and insights openly and warmly.

Sinterklaas

Meijer is also active in the field of sustainability in his spare time. For example, he enjoys giving talks on the subject and, from time to time, gives children guided tours of the CIO. Furthermore, he has been closely involved in church work in Groningen for many years, as an elder and church warden, but also as someone who cares deeply about young people. For instance, he is involved in student pastoral care and pays close attention to the mental wellbeing of students within the church. Finally, there is a completely different activity that keeps him busy in December. That is when the scientist transforms into Sinterklaas and visits two primary schools with the famous big book.