Last week, most of our Thesis Labs held their Round Table sessions, one of the key components of the programme. In these sessions, students presented their individual thesis research to an invited group of professionals from companies, public bodies, and civil society organisations. What followed was a structured exchange: professionals offered critical perspectives from practice, and students had the opportunity to probe the realities of working on these complex sustainability transitions. It was a moment where academic research was tested against and enriched by the expertise of those navigating these challenges every day.
Below, we highlight three of this year's Round Table sessions.
Circular Horticulture Lab at Tomatoworld
The Circular Horticulture Lab held their Round Table at Tomatoworld, a living field lab and knowledge centre for sustainable greenhouse horticulture. It was a fittingly immersive setting for a lab exploring circular transitions in the sector. Students presented their ongoing thesis research to an expert group of professionals drawn from across the horticultural industry, waste management, and regional networks.
Following the session, students and a number of the participating professionals joined a guided tour of the field lab, offering a tangible look at the innovations being researched and implemented in practice.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the following professionals for their time and contributions: Liesanne Wieleman (Glastuinbouw Nederland), Annelie Verstraaten (Koninklijke Hordijk), Willem Kemmers (Greenport West-Holland), Joop Suurmeijer (Renewi), Dominic Bersee (LetsGrow.com), and Matthijs Plas (Greenport Boskoop).
Future of Repair Lab
The Future of Repair Lab convened a diverse group of professionals spanning local and regional government, academic research, and industry. This reflected the breadth of actors involved in scaling repair as a meaningful strategy within the circular economy. Students presented their thesis research on the barriers, enablers, and systemic conditions that shape the future of repair in the Netherlands, receiving critical and constructive feedback from practitioners working on these questions from very different vantage points.
We would like to thank the following professionals for their participation and contributions: Peter van den Boogert (Gemeente Waddinxveen), Franco Donati (Leiden University), Debbie Mous (Techniek Nederland), Daphne Koning (Provincie Zuid-Holland), Pascal van de Poll (Reparatiecoalitie), Joost van der Giessen (MrAgain), Heather Logan (Leiden University), and Fenna Kwakernaak (Provincie Zuid-Holland).
Sustainable Aviation Lab: Wings of the Future
The Sustainable Aviation Lab, running this year under the theme Wings of the Future, held its Round Table with a broad and high-profile group of professionals from across the aviation and energy sectors. Their presence reflected the broad coalition needed to drive the transition towards net-zero aviation. Participants included representatives from TU Delft Aerospace Engineering, Airbus, NAG, Eneco, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, NLR - Netherlands Aerospace Centre, the Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, and Leiden Law School.
This lab is part of the Luchtvaart in Transitie and Flying Vision Accelerator programmes, supported by the Nationaal Groeifonds, a Dutch Growth Fund initiative aimed at achieving climate-neutral aviation by 2050.
Applications for the next cohort of the LDE Thesis Labs open in autumn, across all labs from Sustainable Aviation to Circular Horticulture, Future of Repair, and beyond. More information will follow on our homepage.
