Inaugural lecture Jasper Veldman: Designing for a long life cycle

On Friday, 28 November, Professor of Technology and Operations Management Jasper Veldman will deliver his inaugural lecture titled “Designing for a long life cycle”. In his lecture, Veldman focuses on the life cycle of products: from design and production to use, maintenance, and ultimately reuse or dismantling. Whether it concerns a smartphone or an offshore wind turbine, in all cases, manufacturers, users, and other parties must make choices that influence sustainability, costs, and performance. The Technology & Operations Management chair investigates how we can organize these life cycles more intelligently. In his inaugural lecture, Veldman addresses strategic issues, including the optimal organization of auctions for wind farms and cooperation between companies in the use of scarce resources, such as maintenance vessels. Improving the logistics for dismantling offshore wind farms is also discussed. Veldman argues that knowledge about the life cycle of capital goods can be used for the life cycle of consumer products.

More consumer rights and creating a circular ecosystem

As Professor of Technology and Operations Management, Veldman focuses on practical, realistic solutions for more sustainable products and infrastructures. During his inaugural lecture, Veldman will discuss consumer products and the ‘Right to Repair’. New legislation gives consumers more rights, but raises questions about reliability, repair options, costs, and new service models. Veldman also advocates for the development of circular ecosystems for wind energy, in which companies collaborate to recover materials, share knowledge, and streamline dismantling more efficiently. Finally, he considers the development of better decision-making models for sectors in transition, such as the electrification of road transport, where there is considerable uncertainty surrounding technology and infrastructure.

More information:

 Jasper Veldman’s inaugural lecture will take place on Friday 28 November 2025, 16:15 - 17:00, in the Aula of the Academy Building.

Please register by Friday 21 November via the registration form.

Livestream on 28 November 2025, see https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/latest-news/events/digitale-oratie