Description
"Delft University of Technology seems traditionally drenched in oil", Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant noted in 2023. The influence of the fossil industries on the university was indeed far-reaching. To mention two examples, Delft was the only place in the Netherlands where mining and petroleum extraction could be studied. A more concrete example is that in 1951, a 'pilot plant' for physical and chemical technology was paid for by the oil industries.During the full twentieth century, the relationship between the university and fossil industries was strong and multifaceted. Research was financially supported by Shell or others, while education was (partly) aimed at delivering engineers for these companies. During the first two decades of the twenty-first century this changed rapidly, although there are voices within the academic community that argue that this change has not gone – and is not going – fast enough.
In this paper, I will explore the long history of Delft University of Technology with the fossil industries. In what ways were the fossil industries present in the university? When and why has this changed?
| Period | 21 Jun 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 10th Gewina Woudschoten Conference 2024: Ecology & Economy: History of Knowledge during the Unequal Anthropocene |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Zeist, NetherlandsShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |
Keywords
- History of University
- fossil entanglements
- Shell