Silvia Lenaerts

Silvia Lenaerts is a professor of environmental chemistry, manager and innovator. She studied chemistry at KU Leuven and was the first chemist to obtain a PhD at IMEC. After an industrial career, during which she co-founded a start-up in gas sensors and was in charge of the development of air purification technology at Seghers better technology, she became an auditor at Lloyd's Register of Shipping. In 2007, she joined the University of Antwerp, where she established a research group on sustainable energy and became Vice-Rector for Valorisation & Development. She also launched open innovation hubs such as BlueApp, The Beacon and Vaccinopolis. Since May 2023, Silvia Lenaerts has been Rector Magnificus of Eindhoven University of Technology, where she founded the Institute for Future Chips and High Tech Systems. She advises the European Commission and sits on the board of directors of the EIT.