Winner SURF Research Support Champion Awards 2024: Jelle de Plaa
Jelle de Plaa is Senior Software Design Engineer at SRON, the Netherlands Institute for Space Research. He wins the SURF Research Support Champion Award 2024 for his great commitment and passion for Open Science at SRON.
Video to be uploaded later.
Research Support Champion Awards ceremony on 30 May 2024
On 30 May, Jelle de Plaa was presented with the Research Support Champion Award 2024. Watch this celebratory moment below. Below the video, read more about Jelle and why he won the award.
Jelle de Plaa: Research Support Champion 2024
Pivot between research and research support
As Senior Software Design Engineer, Jelle is the pivot between researchers and research support. He goes beyond what is expected of his job and keeps an eye on all his colleagues. The activities he organises are open to both researchers and support staff.
Heart and soul of Open Science at SRON
Jelle is the heart and soul of Open Science at SRON. With passion, he dedicates himself to various aspects of Open Science. He organises information sessions, presentations and workshops on FAIR data and software management, open access and AI use. He keeps a keen eye on developments and updates his colleagues on important insights. Jelle leads the SRON data stewardship consultation and is active at NWO-I, the umbrella institute organisation, in the Digital Competence Centre and the Open Access sounding board group.
Local and international impact
Jelle plays an active role at NWO-I, the umbrella institute organisation, within the Digital Competence Centre and the Open Access Sounding Board Group. His ideas and contributions thus spread to other disciplines in the Netherlands. He is also active within NOVA, the Dutch research school for astronomy. Internationally, Jelle contributes to standardising Open Science in astronomy by leading the development of an Open Source software package for high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy in high-energy astrophysics.
Co-author of AI policy
Besides organising information sessions, Jelle is also actively involved in their content. For example, he led a session on the use of generative AI-such as ChatGPT-at SRON. This session was very well received by his colleagues. In addition, he also co-authored the AI policy at SRON. Similarly, he is now also organising a session on Coalition S's new Open Access publication plans.
What does the jury say about Jelle?
Jelle is very important for Open Science at SRON. He dedicates himself day in and day out with great passion. For instance, he organises information sessions, presentations and workshops on topics such as FAIR data and software management, Open Access and the use of artificial intelligence.
Jelle also closely follows developments and makes sure his colleagues are up to date with all important insights. Jelle also co-authored SRON's AI policy. In doing so, he is currently organising information sharing on Coalition S's new Open Access publication plans.
As Senior Software Design Engineer, Jelle is the connecting link between researchers and research support. He also contributes at an international level to promoting Open Science in astronomy. The jury feels that he has a great influence locally, nationally and internationally.
He goes beyond his original role and his contributions find their way to other disciplines in the Netherlands and beyond.