A surprise celebration: CogniGron’s leadership handover

On Monday 15 September, the CogniGron community gathered for a very special edition of CogniGron@Work. What many thought would be a regular meeting turned into a surprise celebration, marking both the official handover of leadership to Prof. Dirk Pleiter, and a heartfelt tribute to Prof. Beatriz Noheda, who has guided CogniGron with vision and dedication for the past eight years.

Honouring Beatriz’s legacy

Beatriz played a decisive role in the foundation and consolidation of CogniGron. Together with her team, she built the centre from the ground up, turning it into an internationally recognised hub for neuromorphic and unconventional computing. As Prof. Herbert Jaeger emphasised in his speech, CogniGron’s daring scope—from quantum-level physics to intelligent agents—was only possible because Beatriz dared to think and act big.

She was instrumental in launching CogniGron’s ambitious programme of professorships and PhD positions, connecting materials science with mathematics, computer science, and AI. Beyond the scientific vision, she became the outward face of the centre, navigating university politics, forging national and European partnerships, and securing crucial funding such as the Ubbo Emmius Foundation grant.

Her leadership was deeply hands-on: motivating new generations of PhDs, supporting the coordination office through changes, and even shouldering administrative work herself when needed. All of this while running her own thriving research lab and balancing family life. As Herbert concluded, while CogniGron’s creation was a collective effort, its thriving growth over the past eight years is owed to Beatriz “more than to any other single person.”

A celebration full of surprises

The event was not only about looking back, but also about celebrating together. Jasper van der Velde, CogniGron’s first Scientific Coordinator, and Herbert Jaeger both reflected on Beatriz’s leadership and the solid foundation she leaves behind for CogniGron’s next chapter.

Because Beatriz knows CogniGron inside out, Dr. Judith Paridaen, our current Scientific Coordinator, added a playful twist with a quiz—challenging the community on how much they know about Beatriz. Laughter and anecdotes filled the room, reminding everyone that CogniGron’s story is also one of people, friendships, and shared curiosity.

Finally, Prof. Joost Frenken, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, expressed gratitude on behalf of the faculty, recognising Beatriz’s hard work and invaluable contribution to the university.

The evening concluded with food, drinks, and many toasts—to Beatriz, to Dirk, and to the bright future of CogniGron.

Looking ahead

With Dirk Pleiter stepping into the role of Scientific Director, CogniGron is poised to continue its bold trajectory. As Herbert noted, “our exciting adventure will boldly continue its trajectory with Dirk moving forward in the vanguard.”

Beatriz leaves behind a strong legacy of interdisciplinary collaboration, ambitious vision, and resilience. And as a community, CogniGron carries that spirit forward—curious, daring, and future-proof.