prof. F.W.A. (Frans) Brom

Role

Council Secretary and Director of the WRR Office

Frans Brom studied ethics at the Catholic Theological University in Amsterdam, with an extended minor in philosophy of law at Free University Amsterdam. He obtained his doctorate in ethics in 1997 at Utrecht University with a thesis on animal biotechnology as a moral problem (Onherstelbaar verbeterd. Biotechnologie bij dieren als een moreel probleem).

From 2007 to 2015 he was Head of Technology Assessment at the Rathenau Institute. From 2010 to 2015 he was professor of Ethics of Technology Assessment at Utrecht University, and from 2004 to 2009 he worked as professor of Ethics of Life Sciences at Wageningen University. Between 1991 and 2007, he worked as a lecturer and researcher in ethics at Utrecht University. Amongst others he was member of the Board of the Commissie Genetische Modificatie (COGEM),Chair of the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Bio-ethiek (NVBe), secretary of the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics (EurSAFE) and Chair of the Central Research Ethics Advisory Group of Unilever Internationaal.  

Other positions/public offices held

• Professor Normatieve aspecten van wetenschappelijke beleidsadvisering Ethics Institute, Utrecht University (https://www.uu.nl/medewerkers/FWABrom&t=0)

• Member Program Commission of the Nationale Wetenschapsagenda, NWO (https://www.nwo.nl/onderzoek-en-resultaten/programmas/nationale+wetenschapsagenda/organisatie)

• Member of the valorisation panel of the NWO-funded project ‘Just Editing? A comparative responsible innovation approach to animal genome editing’. As a member of the panel, his role is to provide independent advice on the progress of the project and on future directions’

• Member Program Advisory Committee of Evidence for Policymakers, international conference for connecting academia and governmental professionals on the interface between evidence and policymaking (from 2019 onwards)

• Member of the editorial board for Policy Research Online (BOOM Uitgevers)

• Member of the board of experts Stichting Stimulerings kader Integere Organisatie

• Member of the Academic member group for Sustainable Industry Lab