Erik Deul receives royal decoration
photography: Ilse Driessen
Erik Deul was awarded a royal decoration on Wednesday afternoon. He has been appointed Knight of the Order of Oranje-Nassau. Mayor Peter Heijkoop of Leiden presented him with the honour.
Erik Deul is the man who keeps the computers at Leiden Observatory running. That may sound simple, but it certainly is not. Deul, who holds a PhD in astronomy, started working at the Observatory in 1990 as a scientific systems programmer. He built the current ICT system not only for the Observatory but also for the Leiden Institute of Physics Research and the Leidse Instrumentmakers School.
An impressive ICT system
Astronomers are heavy users of computers. The Observatory has over 300 computers and 7 petabytes of storage capacity. Deul has established the team managing this massive ICT system. The success of this endeavour is to his credit, says Huub Röttgering, former scientific director of the Observatory. ‘Deul’s leadership style played a significant role in this. Always very kind and with great attention to people.’
Ignas Snellen, the Observatory’s current scientific director, confirms that the royal decoration is a well-deserved honour. ‘For nearly 35 years, Erik has been at the heart of the Observatory, with immense knowledge and expertise, always ready to help others. We are so fortunate to have him as a colleague.’
Eppo Bruins
Eppo Bruins, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, addressed Erik Deul in a video message. Bruins, who worked at the Faculty of Science from 2004 to 2008, expressed his deep appreciation for their collaboration. ‘You have always been dedicated to everything happening in ICT and operations, and you thoroughly deserve this recognition.’
