Knowledge Broker at Luris – What does that mean?
Stefan de Jong is Knowledge Broker at Luris. But what does Luris actually do? And what is a Knowledge Broker? This week we take a closer look at Stefan’s work.
Meet Stefan de Jong: you’ve probably seen him around at Stichthage, Schouwburgstraat or at other Leiden University locations and you might even have spoken to him. As Knowledge Broker at Luris he divides his time between the Luris office in Leiden and the two locations of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs.
First of all, how did Stefan end up working for Luris?
Following a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Wageningen and an MSc in Information Sciences from Utrecht University, Stefan found a position at the Rathenau Institute in The Hague. There he conducted research on the social relevance of scientific research, also referred to as valorisation. How do you make sure that the knowledge created in scientific circles is used beyond these circles? In practice, the interaction between scientific research and social stakeholders does not always run smoothly. The insights Stefan acquired at Rathenau serve him well in his work for Luris.
But what is Luris and what does Luris do within the University?
Luris is the Knowledge Exchange Office of Leiden University and it is concerned with the ‘shell’ of scientific research: in other words everything but the actual research. This means that Luris helps researchers apply for grants, creates and supports collaborations with social and commercial partners, provides legal support, helps develop entrepreneurship, and promotes the interests of the researchers. Essentially, Luris creates and facilitates connections between Leiden University researchers and market actors in order to promote the use of scientific research. These connections lead to projects that are valuable to society, for instance in the form of new drugs, software, innovative educational insights, or a translation programme.
And what does a Knowledge Broker do in this context?
Stefan works as a Knowledge Broker, among others for the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs. This means that he is your first port of call for questions about valorisation and the support services offered by Luris. If you want to know where you can get grants, or if you are looking for a way to increase the impact of your research in a social context, Stefan can help you. This might involve him acting as your guide WITHIN the University, for example by bringing you into contact with other institutes or by brainstorming with you about potential opportunities. Or it might mean that he brings you into contact with people OUTSIDE the University. All in all, he is the right person to ask for help on all matters relating to your research.
What else should we know about Luris or Stefan?
First of all, Stefan frequently organises workshops in Leiden, together with Luris, on how to write grant applications. If there is enough interest, he is open to organising this kind of workshop in The Hague.
Furthermore, for those who are interested in optimising the impact of their scientific research, free tickets are available for the conference on ‘Optimising the Impact of Humanities and Social Sciences Scholars’ on 8 December. You can e-mail Stefan for a ticket.
Interested in the conference or the workshops?
You can reach Stefan by e-mail or telephone, or you can drop by his office at Stichthage on Thursdays from 09:00 to 12:00 hrs. and at Schouwburgstraat from 12:00 to 17:30 hrs. For more contact information, see Stefan’s profile.