Gerard van der Steenhoven and Linda Steg both play an important role within the KIN. As chairman of the KIN steering committee (Gerard) and chair of the Strategy and Advisory Board (SAR) (Linda), they are closely involved in the strategic direction and further development of KIN. A great duo to conduct a joint interview with about the startup phase of KIN, the growth of the organisation, and their expectations for the future.
The founding of KIN: enthusiasm and boldness
Gerard and Linda were both involved in KIN from the beginning as vice-chairpersons of the NWO-KNAW Taskforce on Climate, playing a crucial role in its establishment. Gerard explains: “The taskforce fully embraced a transdisciplinary approach aimed at accelerating system transitions to a sustainable society. This was a radical idea, fundamentally different from what we were used to in Dutch science. It was an adventure where we knew there would be resistance, but we still managed to get many colleagues on board.”
Linda also recalls the energy and enthusiasm during that early phase. “We had a group of highly motivated people who all understood that the impact of research needed to be increased in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change. We really wanted to do things radically differently, which fostered an innovative, outside-of-the-box mentality. It was an inspiring time during which we developed plans together on how to better connect science and society.”
Growth through learning
Both agree that KIN has made significant progress since its founding, but it is still a process of learning and exploration. Linda explains that KIN is still searching for the best way to combine impact with inclusivity. “It’s a challenge to achieve quick impact while ensuring that no one is excluded, especially in the scientific community, but we are increasingly succeeding at this. The broader involvement of societal partners in the SAR is also an important step forward.”
Gerard describes KIN’s growth as ‘growth through learning.’ He elaborates: “One of KIN’s core principles is that we listen to the needs of our societal partners. What do they need to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society? Through this approach, we are learning more and more about how to structure our work, and we are continually developing new working methods.” A highlight for Linda was the dedication and commitment of the SAR members, despite their busy schedules. “The SAR members bring broad expertise and strong networks, and they are all incredibly motivated to make KIN a success. This gives me great confidence in the future.”
KIN: not finished yet, but full of potential
While KIN has made great strides according to Gerard and Linda, they both agree that the initiative is still not where it needs to be. “KIN has become what I expected, but also not,” says Gerard. “I anticipated the enthusiasm and innovative working methods, but the way those methods have evolved is very different from what I had foreseen. And that’s probably for the best. We’ve laid a foundation, but now we need to be more concrete with projects and programmes.”
Linda agrees: “We are still in development. Because we want to do things radically differently, not everything will work immediately. But that’s fine, because we learn from failures, and that allows us to do better next time.”
Looking to the future
For both leaders, the focus in the coming period is on concretising KIN’s plans and initiatives. Linda hopes that in the coming year, KIN will start more concrete projects that truly contribute to accelerating system transitions. “My wish is that societal partners will recognise the value of KIN, and that we will launch projects that have an impact,” she says. She is pleased with the dedication of everyone involved in KIN and expresses her gratitude for their commitment. Gerard hopes particularly that more progress can be made internationally and in the field of biodiversity. “The concepts and structures are in place, now we need to get concrete projects and programmes off the ground,” he states. “KIN has managed to establish a different, more inclusive (co-creation) way of conducting research, but we are still learning from that every day.”
A message for KIN: keep fighting
Both have a clear message for the people within KIN. Gerard calls for courage and determination: “Keep fighting for our concepts and continue to trust each other and the programmes we are developing. There will be setbacks, but ultimately, in this way, we will really contribute to a new and better society. Linda concludes with a call to the next generation of researchers and stakeholders: “We must continue striving for scientific and societal impact. KIN should not only belong to scientists, but to society. We must collaborate with practice to have a greater societal impact.”
Besides this evaluation of Gerard and Linda, there are five other key people who have been involved with the KIN from the beginning. Wondering how they look back on the past year? Read the interviews in the interview magazine.
