Expertise
Rinie van Est coordinates research within the work programme themes Digital Society and Democratic Information Society. He focuses on the energy transition and digital transition. He zooms in on the social significance of emerging technologies, such as geological disposal of radioactive waste, digitisation of the energy supply, synthetic cells, artificial intelligence and immersive technology.
Academic background and career
Rinie van Est studied applied sciences at Eindhoven University of Technology and political science at the University of Amsterdam. In 1999, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, Winds of Change, examining the interaction between politics, technology and economics in wind energy, focusing on case studies in California and Denmark. He joined the Rathenau Instituut in 1997, bringing a wealth of experience in Technology Assessment methods, most notably participative methods. Since 2000, he also works part-time at the Eindhoven University of Technology, where he currently holds the chair of Technology Assessment and Governance. This is an unpaid professorship paid for by the Rathenau Instituut.
Other activities
- Professor of Technology Assessment and Governance at Eindhoven University of Technology (School of Innovation Sciences).
- Member of the Ethics Committee of Eindhoven and Brainport Smart District.