Scheffer is one of 25 new foreign associates. The professor became famous for his research on the resilience of complex natural systems. He feels honoured by this recognition by fellow scientists.
It’s an impressive list of names I’m in amongst
Only 19 Dutch people, of whom 12 are still living, have ever been appointed associates in the entire history of NAS. They include the Nobel Prize winners Gerard ’t Hooft, Martinus Veltman and Jan Tinbergen. This year, the Groningen Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry Ben Feringa was also made an associate along with Scheffer. ‘It’s an impressive list of names I’m in amongst,’ says Scheffer.
Incidentally, Wageningen is well represented among the Dutch NAS associates with three of the 19 scientists. Professor of Theoretical Crop Science Cees de Wit became an associate in 1992, one year before his death. In 1998, it was the turn of plant geneticist and emeritus professor Maarten Koornneef