Alumnus of the Year

We are enormously proud of our alumni. That is why TU Delft has awarded an ā€˜Alumnus of the Yearā€™ prize every year since 2011. This is the prize for alumni who have more than proven themselves in the world of innovation and research. These winners have been honoured with a plaque on the ā€˜Alumni Walk of Fameā€™ on campus in the Mekel Park. There is ample room for future stars, so why not drop by and let yourself be inspired?

Alumnus of the year 2023

Hester Anderiesenā€“Le Riche elected TU Delft Alumnus of the Year 2023

Hester Anderiesen-Le Riche is the founder and CEO of Tover, the company behind innovations such as the Tovertafel, or Magic Table. While doing her doctoral research at TU Delft, Le Riche designed a type of interactive game therapy that uses light projection for people with cognitive challenges such as dementia. More than 8,000 care homes across the world now use Tover games and the company employs more than 70 people.
Alumnus of the Year 2022

Jan-Maarten Geertman

Jan-Maarten Geertman studied Chemical Engineering and obtained his doctorate in 2006 for his research on improving fermentation processes for the food industry.
Alumnus of the Year 2021

Karin Sluis

Karin Sluis studied Civil Engineering and specialised in Hydraulic Engineering. After graduating in 1989, she started working for Witteveen+Bos as a specialist in urban water management and became the CEO in 2013.
Alumnus of the Year 2020

Francine Houben

Francine Houben (1955) graduated cum laude from the Faculty of Architecture at TU Delft in 1984. She founded Mecanoo architects in 1984, that she manages as creative director.
Alumnus of the Year 2019

Joop Roodenburg

Joop Roodenburg (1950) graduated from TU Delft in mechanical measurement and control engineering in 1977. He is president of Huisman Equipment, which is one of the top 3 crane manufacturers worldwide.
Alumnus of the Year 2018

Ionica Smeets

Ionica Smeets was born in 1979 and graduated with distinction at the TU Delft in 2005. She received her PhD in 2010 at Leiden University, where she became Professor of Science communication in 2015.
Alumnus of the Year 2017

Bart Reijnen

Bart Reijnen graduated in 1995 at TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering. He has already made a great career at a relatively young age and is currently CEO of Satair.
Alumnus of the Year 2016

Ronald Prins

Ronald Prins graduated from TU Delft in 1994, in Applied Mathematics. In 1999 Prins founded Fox-IT with fellow TU Delft alumnus Menno van der Marel. The company would eventually be in the very first rank of internet security providers.
Alumnus of the Year 2014

Adrian van Hooydonk

Adrian van Hooydonk studied Industrial Design at TU Delft. He began his career with BMW in 1992, as a designer. Today, Van Hooydonk is Senior Vice President, BMW Group Design.
Alumnus of the Year 2013

Daan Bruggink

Daan Bruggink studied Architecture at the faculty of Architecture at TU Delft. In 2007 he founded ORGA architect ā€“ a modern and ecological architectural firm that is a leader in biobased construction.
Alumnus of the Year 2012

Rinske Geerlings

Rinske Geerlings studied Industrial Design at TU Delft. In 2006 she founded Business As Usual. She provides precautionary measures to ensure ā€˜business as usualā€™ in the event of a catastrophe or natural disaster.
Alumnus of the Year 2011

Arnoud Greidanus

Arnoud Greidanus combined studying Chemical Engineering at TU Delft with competitive rowing at the highest level. At the end of 2013 he ended his rowing career to focus on his PhD research.