SERVIR Global Program Manager Delivers prestigious Schermerhorn Lecture

On September 22, 2016, SERVIR NASA Global Program Manager Dan Irwin delivered the prestigious Schermerhorn Lecture at the Opening of the Academic Year 2016-2017 of the University of Twente, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation. He was invited by Professor Tom Veldkamp, Rector/Dean of the organization, to deliver the lecture, addressing newly arrived students, as well as officials, guests, staff, and current students.

This lecture has been institutionalized in honor of Prof. Willem Schermerhorn, who founded the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, originally known as ITC, in 1950.

“Schermerhorn was not only the first Prime Minister of the Netherlands after World War II, he was also a Professor of Geodesy, Surveying and Photogrammetry at Delft University,” explains Veldkamp. “Through his involvement in mapping programs in the Dutch Indies (now Indonesia), he understood the importance of modern maps for the new free countries. Schermerhorn founded ITC to provide training in map making as an aid to developing countries.”

Irwin’s lecture made headlines on The University of Twente’s website, and was featured as a News article on the ITC website.