Please find the jury dates and deadlines for online registration of your candidature and file submission in the table overview below. Only if you are selected and contacted by the VITO co-promotor (who is mentioned below the job description), you will be invited to prepare your PhD file.

+32 14 33 55 47
Overview planned PhD juries Deadline candidate application Deadline file submission
28/02/2024 07/01/2024 05/02/2024
22/05/2024 25/03/2024 02/05/2024
25/09/2024 08/07/2024 03/09/2024
15/11/2024 11/09/2024 28/10/2024

Each PhD student who is supervised by VITO researchers and/or is (co)financed by VITO, must be evaluated by the VITO PhD jury before starting the PhD. This jury consists of VITO researchers who are also active as a professor at a university, supplemented by independent experts from the academic and industrial world.

The jury evaluates whether:

  • the applicant is qualified to carry out his/her PhD successfully
  • with attention for:
    • the alignment of the PhD project with the VITO research strategy
    • the high-quality elaboration of the PhD project.

Presentation of jury members

Chairman: Prof. dr. ir. Luc Sterckx

Master in Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven
PhD in Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven
Postgraduate Business Administration, ULB Solvay                                                                     

KU Leuven, Faculty of Engineering
Willem de Croylaan 46 - Box 2423
B-3001 Heverlee (BE)
E-mail: luc.sterckx@cit.kuleuven.be

Prof. dr. Ronny Blust

Master in Biology, University of Antwerp
PhD Biology, University of Antwerp

Vice-rector Research, University of Antwerp
Department of Biology, Sphere research unit,
Middelheim 1, 2020 Antwerpen
E-mail: ronny.blust@uantwerpen.be

Prof. dr. Jef Hooyberghs

PhD in Physics, UHasselt
Master in Physics, KU Leuven

Professor – Hasselt University
Data Science Institute
Campus Diepenbeek, 3590 Diepenbeek (BE)
E-mail: jef.hooyberghs@uhasselt.be

Em. Prof. dr. Paul Janssen

Master in Mathematics, KU Leuven
PhD in Statistics, KU Leuven/UHasselt

UHasselt, Campus Diepenbeek
Agoralaan Gebouw D, 3590 Diepenbeek (BE)
E-mail: paul.janssen@uhasselt.be

Dr. Luc Peeters

Master in Chemistry, UAntwerpen
PhD in Science, UAntwerpen

R&D Manager
Performance Polymers Solutions Vehicle
Kaneka Belgium N.V.
Nijverheidsstraat 16, 2260 Oevel (BE)
E-mail: luc.peeters@kaneka.be

Prof. dr. ir. Piet Seuntjens

Master in Chemistry and Bio-industries Engineering, UGent
PhD in Sciences, UAntwerpen
Postdoctoral fellow at ETH Zürich

Visiting Professor – UAntwerpen en UGent
Innovation Manager at VITO
Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (BE)
E-mail: piet.seuntjens@vito.be 

Em. Prof. dr. ir. Bruno Van Mele

Master in Chemical Engineering, VUB
PhD in Applied Sciences, VUB

Research Group Physical Chemistry and Polymer Science
Department Materials and Chemistry, VUB
Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels (BE)
E-mail: bvmele@vub.be

Prof. dr. Luc Int Panis

Master degree in Biology UAntwerpen
PhD in Sciences, UAntwerpen

Visiting Professor - UHasselt
Staf management Walter Eevers at VITO
Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (BE)
E-mail: luc.intpanis@vito.be / luc.intpanis@uhasselt.be

Prof. dr. Inge Mertens

Master in Biochemistry, KU Leuven
PhD in Biochemistry, KU Leuven

Research Professor (hoofddocent) – University of Antwerp
R&D Professional at VITO Health
Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (BE)
E-mail: inge.mertens@vito.be

Dr. ir. Jan Luyten

Master in Engineering Sciences: Chemical Technology, KU Leuven
PhD in Engineering Sciences: Chemical Technology, KU Leuven

Principal Scientist Recycling and Extraction Technologies
Umicore, Corporate Research & Development
Watertorenstraat 33, 2250 Olen (BE)
E-mail: Jan.Luyten@eu.umicore.com