Leuven, March 2022

The O&J Péters Grant for Development Cooperation.

Since its foundation in 1986, the Oscar and Jacques Péters Fund has awarded the triennial O&J Péters Prize, honoring excellent scientific research in the field of production engineering. After Professor Jacques Péters passed away in December 2018, at the blessed age of 95 years, the Fund decided to pay tribute to the scientific work in production engineering of Professor Oscar Péters and his son Jacques Péters, who both have played a prominent role at world level by turning manufacturing research into a full-fledged scientific discipline, by establishing The International O&J Péters Prize.

The International O&J Péters Prize will be triennially awarded to one or more individuals for an excellent scientific and/or technological contribution, with positive societal impact, in the broad field of production engineering. The following areas are relevant for the Prize: production processes, production systems, dimensional metrology, precision engineering, production management, mechatronics, robotics, medical technology, sustainable production.

The Prize consists of a diploma and a cash prize of 50000 euros.

Besides awarding this important International Prize, the Board of the O&J Péters Fund has decided to honor the special interest of Prof. Jacques Péters in including the developing nations to benefit from the new developments in production engineering research and technology, by establishing The O&J Péters Grant for Development Cooperation.

The triennial O&J Peters Grant for Development Cooperation consists of a scholarship or grant awarded to one or more applications in one of the following three categories in the broad domain of production engineering.

Category 1. Postdoc scholarship for a research period at KU Leuven, between 3 and 12 months, of a researcher of an academic engineering school in a developing country, preferably to an alumnus/alumna of the Faculty of Engineering Science or the Faculty of Engineering Technology of KU Leuven.

Category 2. Financial support of a research or educational project in a developing country executed supported by the Department of Mechanical Engineering of KU Leuven.

Category 3. Starting grant to a young academic in a developing country, with a Ph.D. degree from KU Leuven, who starts off his/her academic career at an engineering school in his/her country.

The Grant amounts up to 35000 euros.

For The International O&J Péters Prize 2022, an email of intent to nominate received by May 15, 2022, is encouraged. The deadline for completed nominations is June 30, 2022. Details of the eligibility conditions and the nomination procedure can be found at https://www.mech.kuleuven.be/o-j-peters-fund. Self-nominations are not withheld. The nominated proposals will be carefully screened and the laureate assigned by the Selection Committee.  The award ceremony will take place in November 2022.

The nomination procedure for O&J Peters Grant for Development Cooperation can also be found on the abovementioned website.