Rector magnificus Peter-Paul Verbeek is very pleased with Van der Maas’s appointment: ‘Han is a principal investigator at the IAS and a member of the management team, and he was closely involved in its establishment and development. He therefore knows the institute very well and can build on what has been established in its first ten years. Moreover, he knows better than anyone the scientific capabilities of the UvA, allowing him to simultaneously focus on innovation and further develop the IAS and all the scientists within it.’

Complex issues

‘At the IAS, scientists work across disciplinary boundaries on major, fundamental, societally complex issues. Han’s profile aligns seamlessly with this, partly due to the pioneering work he did in translating complexity theory – which was already in use the natural sciences – to the social sciences. But Han is not only an enterprising and excellent scientist; he is also someone who brings people together and is passionate about the UvA. All these qualities make him the ideal person to shape the future of the IAS over the coming years,’ says Verbeek.

Han van der Maas: ‘I look forward to taking on the scientific leadership of the IAS. The IAS plays a special role at the UvA, and I hope to strengthen it even further.’