Scott Douglas appointed as new member of the Dutch Safety Board
On September 1, 2024, Scott Douglas will begin his role as a permanent member of the Dutch Safety Board (Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid, OvV). He will fill the vacancy left by Stavros Zouridis, who departed in August 2023. The Council of Ministers appointed Scott on June 21, 2024, for a four-year term in this position.
Scott Douglas is an Associate Professor of Public Management at the Utrecht University School of Governance (USBO). As a scholar, his expertise lies in developing and implementing innovative research methods with maximum societal impact. Scott will primarily be responsible for bridging the work of the Dutch Safety Board with academic research.
We are very pleased with Scott's arrival. We are confident that his expertise and experience will contribute to further enhancing the quality of our investigations.
The Dutch Safety Board (OvV) is an independent administrative body that can investigate the causes and consequences of disasters, major accidents, or other incidents. The Board has previously conducted investigations into the handling of the Coronavirus crisis, among other things.
Mirko Noordegraaf, head of USBO, stated: Scott’s new role aligns in many ways with our university’s values: rigorous research with societal relevance. Meanwhile, Scott’s substantive knowledge of (un)safety, his methodological perspective on innovation, and his impact-driven approach will strengthen the Dutch Safety Board.
About the Role of Board Member
The Board consists of at least three permanent, and seven extraordinary members. The permanent and extraordinary members participate together in the bi-weekly board meetings where they share their knowledge and experience. The permanent section of the Board comprises: Chris van Dam (Chairman), Erica Bakkum, and Scott Douglas – as of September 1.
Collaborating around (impossible) problems
Scott will combine his duties at the Dutch Safety Board with his work at Utrecht University, including the long-term research project Adapt!. In this project, researchers from Utrecht University (of the platform Security in Open societies), Leiden University, Radboud University, and the University of Twente collaborate to build knowledge and skills about societal adaptability during times of crisis.