Huib Bakker interim director of AMOLF

Huib Bakker has been appointed as interim director of AMOLF as of September 1st 2015. Bakker knows AMOLF well; he carried out his doctorate research at AMOLF and since 2003 he leads the molecular biophysics department. He has a background in physics and combines this with a strong multidisciplinary focus, oftentimes working with companies. Bakker is professor at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and he is a member of the Royal Dutch Academy (KNAW). At AMOLF he succeeds Vinod Subramaniam, who will take on the position of Rector Magnificus at VU University Amsterdam on September 1st.

Bakker (1965) is an expert in the study of the properties of water interacting with ions, (bio)molecules and surfaces. These interactions are of paramount importance in many chemical and biological systems, like the folding of proteins and the transport of ions along and through membranes. Bakker developed special nonlinear optical techniques that enable the study of the structure and dynamics of water in these highly complex systems. The obtained insights find applications in the food industry, energy storage and in water purification.

On July 10th interim FOM director Christa Hooijer announced the news at AMOLF. Hooijer is “extremely happy to see that Huib Bakker is willing to take on this task. He is an excellent scientist with a multidisciplinary background and he feels strongly connected to the institute with its scientists and support staff”.

Huib Bakker