Marcel Levi new chair of NWO
Professor Marcel Levi is set to become the new chair of the Dutch Research Council (NWO) on 1 April 2021. He will succeed Stan Gielen, who is retiring. Levi is currently CEO of University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and professor and clinical dean of University College London. Ingrid van Engelshoven, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, has formally appointed the new chair. On 1 April 2021 Marcel Levi will also join the board of Stichting NWO-I.
Levi has been in charge of seven academic hospitals in London since 2016. In addition to his work as a director, he regularly assists as an internist in the emergency care unit, holds weekly consultations at the outpatient clinic and is still active academically. He also appeared regularly on the work floor during his years as chair of the executive board of the Academic Medical Centre (AMC) in Amsterdam, where he worked before leaving for England. He has extensive national and international experience organising and funding academic research.
Talent
"In the coming years, I believe there will be opportunities to reinforce the link between fundamental, experimental and applied research to try to accelerate the development of new basic inventions into innovations that can be applied in society," explains Levi. He also stresses that there are good opportunities for making the Netherlands attractive for Dutch talent currently working abroad, as well as foreign talent. Furthermore, Levi would like to be a prominent ambassador of scientific research in the Netherlands and try to make it clear to a broad audience how relevant Dutch research is to society.
Career
Marcel Levi studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam, became a doctor and obtained his doctorate. He always remained connected to the university and later became professor of internal medicine there. He held various positions at the AMC, before becoming chair of the board there in 2010. He currently holds various other positions in the academic world, including chair of the international scientific advisory board of the Nederlandse Hartstichting (Dutch Heart Foundation) and the Aidsfonds (AIDS Fund). He is also a member of the supervisory board of the Netherlands Cancer Institute and the Centre for Human Drug Research. He has already been involved in activities at NWO and is part of the evaluation committee of the Stevin Prize and chair of the cardiovascular IMDI (Innovative Medical Devices Initiative) committee.
Minister Van Engelshoven
Following the positive recommendation of the search committee with broad representation from the scientific field, NWO’s supervisory board submitted Marcel Levi's nomination for the post to Minister Van Engelshoven of Education, Culture and Science. The supervisory board is convinced that, on the basis of Gielen's important work, Levi will enhance the significance of NWO for science in the Netherlands and strengthen the position of (young) scientists. The Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science (KNAW) are also consulted about proposed appointments proposal and responded positively in this case as well.