Introduction of the Speakers

24-04-2017

Dear Solar Teams,

We have already lifted the veil by announcing the names of our speakers on the 3rd of May: Marcelien Bos-de Koning, Joris Melkert and Jeroen Droogsma. Perhaps the names ring a bell, but you got stuck in the details: Who are the actual persons behind the names? What’s their expertise? And most of all: What makes them so committed to Solar Racing?

Marcelien Bos-de Koning (Chief Solar Officer)



As a former Olympic sailor I’ve felt the power of technology. In those times the forces of nature used to be my enemy as well as my brother-in-arms. An enemy as the wind could be too rough, cold, wet or unstable. Despite not always responding in the way I wanted it to I was always having a good time when competing on the water. Feeling the waves, wind, water and sun: Nature in all its elements! Now assigned as Chief Solar Officer (CSO) I enter a new discipline within the maritime world. I’m keen on learning more about sustainable technology on our waters. Our nature is precious and mankind has the obligation to use it wisely. Enjoying nature and competitive spirits are my personal cornerstones. The game element encourages creativity and boosts the team spirit. Let Sport Solar One be a pathway for talented technicians and lead the way to a more sustainable future!

Joris Melkert (Technical Committee)



I used to work for the astronaut Wubbo Ockels at the famous solar races in Australia. As an aerospace expert the creative idea to stimulate technical improvements through a solar race appealed so much to us that we looked into the possibilities of organizing a similar race in the Netherlands. But as Australia is famous for its sun, The Netherlands unfortunately is not. What we do have is lots and lots of water; canals, rivers, lakes and the sea. That’s where the solar boat racing has its origin. We started off with a slowly sailing icon of a wooden shoe and we now already have boats competing which have a top speed a little over 50km/hour! Multiple times I’ve experienced that through solar racing students of different ages learn to think and act like real entrepreneurs. And what pleases me the most is to see former students starting companies in fields related to solar energy. I think it’s fantastic to help innovative developments on renewable energy flourish through such a fun event. The Technical Committee strictly monitors the technical aspects as well as the game regulations and I can’t wait to see the improvements the teams come up with this year.

Jeroen Droogsma (Teams and Innovation)



As three times A-class participant in the solar race, I know the ins and outs of building and competing with a solar boat. I’m familiar with the interaction of the technics and the fabrics and finding the loopholes in the legislation to gain advantage. My personal ambition is to stimulate your creativity by accommodating an organization with a steady foundation for the present and the future: Solar Sport One. We aim to organize the race from the racers point of view and we strongly emphasize the improvement of expertise in the fields of innovation and scientific developments for all teams. By setting new standards we challenge you to adjust to limitations and optimize your creativity. Furthermore we arrange the event and accommodation to attract sponsors and audience so the solar community can expand, startups can be established and technical students can be connected with innovative companies. Because that’s what Solar Sport One stands for: Innovation of Today, Is Energy for Tomorrow.

We hope that after reading this newsletter you’re just as excited as we are to meet you in person on the 3rd of May. See you soon!

Best regards,

Solar Sport One