Public Summary Maas van Apeldoorn

Thank you for considering my application for the KIVI EngD Award. I believe I am a strong candidate because I have gone beyond the expectations of the EngD program during my graduation project at the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER). 

During my 10-month graduation period, I developed a simulation framework that addresses a key tooling gap in the design of self-driving laboratories (SDLs). These SDLs have the potential to accelerate sustainable energy research and other scientific domains by automating and optimizing experimental workflows. The framework will be released open-source on GitHub in 2026, extending its impact beyond DIFFER to the wider SDL research community. 

My project was awarded a cum laude distinction (9.5/10) by Eindhoven University of Technology, recognizing both its technical quality and societal relevance. I also presented my work at NWO’s ICT.OPEN conference, and a scientific publication based on the project is currently in preparation for release alongside the open-source tool.

My project was awarded a cum laude distinction (9.5/10) by Eindhoven University of Technology, recognizing both its technical quality and societal relevance. I also presented my work at NWO’s ICT.OPEN conference, and a scientific publication based on the project is currently in preparation for release alongside the open-source tool.

Beyond my core project work, I contributed actively to the institute’s community by organizing technical workshops on Git and software quality, as well as professional skills training on presentation skills. Both my company and academic supervisors commended my proactivity, professionalism, and the high quality of my deliverables.

I am proud of having combined scientific rigor, practical engineering, and social contribution within my EngD trajectory, and I believe this embodies the spirit of the KIVI EngD Award. 

Thank you for your consideration.