The Rathenau Institute’s Programme Council is an advisory board which convenes several times each year to discuss new developments and the Institute’s research programme. Its members are appointed by the Board of the Rathenau Institute.
The current members of the Programme Council are:
Dr Ellen de Brabander, is Chief Scientific Officer with the pharmaceutical company Merial, where she heads nine R&D departments in various countries.
Prof. Marc Chavannes is the political columnist for NRC Handelsblad and, since 1 January 2006, professor of journalism at the University of Groningen.
Drs. Wim Deetman has been a member of the Council of State since 1 January 2008. Mr Deetman is currently chairing the commission charged with investigating allegations of sexual abuse within Catholic institutions. His past appointments include Minister of Education and Science, President of the House of Representatives and Mayor of The Hague.
Drs. Sander Dekker is the alderman with special responsibility for Finance and Administration with the City Authority of The Hague. He is also an alderman for the city borough of Segbroek.
Prof. Wim van de Donk succeeded Hanja Maij-Weggen as Queen’s Commissioner for the Province of Noord-Brabant in October 2009. From 2004 to 2009 he was Chairman of the Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR).
Ir. Marijke Vos is a prominent politician representing the GroenLinks (‘Green Left’) party. She is a member of the Biodiversity and Natural Resources Taskforce. Past appointments include leader of GroenLinks and chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Construction Industry (which investigated allegations of widespread corruption in the sector). Marijke Vos has also been a member of the Municipal Executive of Amsterdam.
Mr. drs. Jan Staman (secretary) was appointed to head the Rathenau Institute in 2002. As its director, he is responsible for the day-to-day management of the institute. He began his career as a researcher at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University before going on to hold various positions at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.