This dissertation, Layered Loyalties: The Natuurkundige Commissie in the Netherlands Indies (1820-1850), studies the Natuurkundige Commissie. The Commissie was established by Royal Decree on May 2,... Show moreThis dissertation, Layered Loyalties: The Natuurkundige Commissie in the Netherlands Indies (1820-1850), studies the Natuurkundige Commissie. The Commissie was established by Royal Decree on May 2, 1820, by King Willem I and its purpose was to ‘to promote the knowledge of the natural condition and the products [of nature] of our possessions in the East Indies.’ Between 1820 and 1842, eight members and six assistants were appointed and sent to the Dutch East Indies. An additional two members and 14 assistants were appointed in the East Indies. These 30 naturalists mapped the nature of the Netherlands Indies over a period of 30 years until the Commissie was dissolved in 1850. The main goal of this dissertation is to find out how the Natuurkundige Commissie functioned across space (between the Netherlands and the Indies) and time (over a period of thirty years). Studying the relationship between the participants and the three main stakeholders (the Dutch government, the natural history museum in Leiden, and the colonial government) of the Commissie leads to a new understanding of how the Commissie functioned and fulfilled its intended purposes. Show less
Human capital is indispensable for regional innovation and economic growth, and PhD graduates (PhDs) play an important role in these processes. This is the first study describing the geographic... Show moreHuman capital is indispensable for regional innovation and economic growth, and PhD graduates (PhDs) play an important role in these processes. This is the first study describing the geographic origin and current work location of PhDs from Dutch universities, which are located in a densely populated area with a high concentration of basic science and science-based industries. Our study shows that their country of origin is strongly related to the field of study, as engineering PhDs were born outside The Netherlands much more often than PhDs from other fields. Furthermore, we show that PhDs disproportionally come from the same region as where the PhD university is located. PhDs also frequently did their pre-PhD degree at the university where they obtained their PhD degree. Finally, a disproportionate number of PhDs stay in the PhD region to work, especially if they also did their pre-PhD degrees at the PhD university. The extent of PhDs staying in the PhD region varies by sector, with PhDs in the higher education sector staying in the PhD region more often than PhDs working in other sectors. This implies that the geographic concentration of PhDs in the region of the PhD university is mainly due to PhDs staying to work at the same university rather than employment opportunities in other (science-based) industries—a finding at odds with Dutch science policy, which promotes mobility in academia but also stresses the importance of the region in innovation by science-based industries. Show less
