Thomas Röckmann
Professor Atmospheric physics and chemistry - Department of Physics
When I started my studies in physics my main motivation was curiosity. Curiosity was also a reason to explore Great Britain and the United States of America during my studies. I discovered that the fundamental principles in each branch of physics were an entry into a world of discovery and innovation. However, I soon experienced that the more I understood, the more difficult it became to communicate to non-physicists about my work. This was the reason for me to focus the last years of studying on the more applied field of atmospheric physics. An additional motivation was that my research could help solve some of the environmental problems that emerged at that time. Back then, few people expected that now, 30 years later, climate and environmental issues would be on everyone’s mind, and one of the most important challenges facing society.
With a good variety of colleagues and content in my research group, it developed in a fantastic way.
By earning ‘Nachwuchsgruppe’ research funding in Germany, comparable to a Vidi-Vici in the Netherlands, I worked at Max Planck in Heidelberg. I left Germany for good when I was able to start my own research group in Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry at Utrecht University. As one of the youngest professors here, I learned how to build a good team. With a good variety of colleagues and content in my research group, it developed in a fantastic way.
What is still open for improvement, is the decision making process in academics. The hierarchy within the Faculty of Science and its research institutes is flat and open. Whether you are a PhD candidate or an Associate Professor, your opinions are equally valuable, and that’s great. Nevertheless, the final decision making is often still of a top-down style. My feeling is that important decisions could be taken more transparently and bottom up by involving the people who shared their opinion or advise.
After almost 20 years as head of the research group within the Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU), it is time for a change again. My goal of working on a topic with societal relevance and public interest has clearly succeeded scientifically. Now, as director of the IMAU, I will work to ensure that our core activities, research and education, remain of high quality. Our collaboration with Wageningen University of Research on the dynamics between terrestrial surface and atmosphere is a new promising initiative.
My conviction is that knowledge comes with a responsibility to speak out.
In addition, I also want IMAU as scientific institute to take a position in the public climate debate. But how? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasises the role of all actors in society —individuals, industries, policymakers, and institutions — in tackling climate change. At universities, we contribute through the classical pillars of education and a new generation of knowledge, but is this enough? My conviction is that knowledge comes with a responsibility to speak out. Yes, human greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of climate change and these emissions must be greatly reduced very quickly to limit the harmful environmental effects that we see all around us. Some questions seem to have simple scientific answers, but to what extent will we engage in influencing concrete policy decisions?
prof. dr. T. (Thomas) Roeckmann
Professor