During the NBC-18 prof. Jack Pronk was awarded the Zilveren Zandloper.

Prof. Jack Pronk, is professor of Industrial Microbiology at the Delft University of Technology. He has a most impressive academic career in scientific research with, among others, over 250 pubs, an H-index of 75, ERC advanced grant. Besides being an eminent researcher, Pronk is an amazing teacher as well. Talents seem sometimes to be unequally distributed, and clearly here great scientific research and teaching skills are concentrated in a single person.

Jack Pronk is the leading figure for Life Science and Technology education in Delft, and he functions as magnet for students interested in Biotechnology. He is involved in multiple very well evaluated BSc courses (including Biotechnology and Microbial Physiology) as well as post-graduate courses, organised by the BioTech Delft foundation. Over the past 5 years his average student evaluation score resulted in a most impressive 9 out of 10. At MSc level Pronk is involved in the Cell Factory Specialization. In 2014 he was chosen as best “teacher of Faculty of Applied Science”, and in 2015 recipient of the “Best Professor Award” from the Delft University of Technology. His key teaching skills are based on humour, anecdotes, patience, patience and patience. One of his intriguing and innovative teaching concepts is the so-called duo-class, where he presents a class together with a colleague via a dialogue in front of the students. Under his guidance, over 150 Master students have graduated, and his inspiring as well as committed teaching skills are widely recognized. Learning is a life-long road, and Pronk acts as teacher and coach at all levels, including supervising PhD students, post-docs and people starting their academic careers.

All together prof. Jack Pronk is an invaluable person in biotechnology education, not only for TU Delft, and Leiden, but for the whole of Biotechnology in the Netherlands. And that is why he is honoured with the 2018 Zilveren Zandloper Education award.