Chairman of the Jury
Cees Buisman is scientific director at Wetsus. This European centre for sustainable water technology strives for intensive cooperation between universities and the business community with the aim of accelerating innovation. Every year, dozens of researchers from all over the world obtain their doctorates at Wetsus.
Wetsus contributes to (inter)national pioneering research. One of the best known examples is Blue Energy. This involves generating sustainable energy by bringing salt and fresh water together. By passing the salt and fresh water through membranes, a voltage difference is created which is converted into electrical energy. There is a pilot installation on the Afsluitdijk where the generation of energy from salt and fresh water is being tested in practice.
Cees Buisman obtained his PhD in 1989 from Wageningen University & Research with his thesis Biological sulphide removal with oxygen. From 1989 to 2003 he worked as director technology & business development at Paques bv, where he played a role in translating biotechnological concepts into commercial installations. Since April 2003, Cees Buisman has been Professor of Biological Recycling Technology at Wageningen University & Research. He combines this position with his function as scientific director of Wetsus. In 2011, Cees Buisman received the Entrepreneur Award from Wageningen University Fund. As a scientist, he has personal experience of being ridiculed around innovation. Persevering then takes guts.
Permanent Juror
Ir. Cora Uijterlinde is research Coordinator of Wastewater systems at STOWA, STOWA (Acronym for Foundation for Applied Water Research) is the centre of expertise of the regional water managers (the Dutch Water Authorities). She has been part of the Jury since the very beginning of the WIS Award, a familiar face so to say.
STOWA’s mission is to develop, collect, distribute and implement applied knowledge, essential for an effective and efficient water management. Topics of expertise range from applied technical, scientific to administrative-legal, health and social science.
Waste water technologist Cora Uijterlinde graduated from Wageningen in 1988. For many years, she was involved in wastewater treatment at a regional level, first with the province of Utrecht and later with the Hoogheemraadschap De Stichtse Rijnlanden. In 2002, Cora joined STOWA as research coordinator for wastewater systems. Central to her work is the optimization of the treatment process and the testing and introduction of new treatment techniques. In recent years, the focus has been increasingly on energy and raw material savings at wastewater treatment plants, on recovering the energy present (sludge) and on recovering the raw materials present in wastewater (such as fertilizer, toilet paper fibers and raw materials for bioplastics).
Permanent Juror
Willem Buijs is CEO at Hatenboer-Water. In shipping, Hatenboer-Water is known worldwide, the company designs and produces drinking water installations for ships and offshore platforms.
Since July 2011, Willem Buijs has been ceo (and co-owner) of Hatenboer-Water. Hatenboer-Neptunus was established in 1906 as a supplier of supplier of drinking water for ships and industry in the port of Rotterdam. Previously Buijs worked (from 1998 to 2005) as a as a sales engineer and manager sales at Hatenboer-Water.
Juror
Riksta Zwart has been CEO at Waterbedrijf Groningen since 2014, originally a legal expert, she has an impressive track record in the energy sector. At Essent she worked for more than 10 years in managerial positions in various business units. For a few years she also worked as an independent consultant and project leader for, among others, the municipality of Groningen, supervising sustainable heat projects. Zwart is also socially involved in the renewable energy sector.
Non Permanent Jurors
Every WIS Award non permanent jurors complete (and complement) the full jury. These seats are not just available for anyone. What does it take to become a jury member of one of the water sector most influential awards? The answer depends on whether you are an academician, water professional, press member or an entrepreneur, in all instances you need an understanding of the water tech landscape and an excellent capability to be able to assess the viability and commercial success of water innovations.
Would you like to play an active role in choosing the water tech innovator of tomorrow?
If yes, apply to become a jury member. WIS Award jury members not only make an oath to fairly judge all entries, they also sign a legally binding contract to make sure that they vote on the innovations fairly, in addition a non disclosure form is signed to not spread ideas to third parties.