PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Joost N. Kok

Also known as Joost Kok

Joost Kok is a computer scientist whose work on data science, natural computing and artificial intelligence runs through Leiden, Twente and Eindhoven. After working at the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica from 1986 to 1988, he became a professor of computer science at Leiden University in 1995 and a professor of medicine in 2005, serving as programme director of its computer science programmes and then as scientific director of the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science. He co-edited the Handbook of Natural Computing in 2012 and was editor-in-chief of the journal Natural Computing by 2017. In 2016, the Sport Data Center he founded received 250,000 euros as a Sportinnovator expert center, and he became a member of the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities. He was dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Twente from 2018 to 2024, and since 2024 he is vice-dean of Mathematics and Computer Science and a professor of Applied Data Science at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Born
1961
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 1986–1988

    Early career at CWI

    He works at the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica in Amsterdam from 1986 to 1988. His career also includes posts at the Free University in Amsterdam, Utrecht University and Åbo Akademi University in Finland. He holds a Master's in Mathematics and a PhD in Computer Science.

  2. 1995–2018

    Professor at Leiden University

    He joins Leiden University in 1995 as Professor of Computer Science and becomes Professor of Medicine there in 2005. He serves ten years as programme director of all Computer Science programmes and then eight years as scientific director of the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS). By 2005, he heads LIACS's group Algorithms and Programmethodology.

  3. 2008–2014

    Monitoring the Hollandse Brug

    From 2008, he and colleagues design the computer architecture and software for the Hollandse Brug on the A6 between Amsterdam and Almere, a bridge fitted with cameras and weather stations so that its need for maintenance can be predicted earlier. By 2014, 528 computers together analyse three months of measurements in two minutes. He is also involved in the Leiden Centre of Data Science, a network of statisticians, computer scientists and scientists doing fundamental research on big data.

  4. 2012–2017

    Editor of Natural Computing

    In 2012, he co-edits the Handbook of Natural Computing, published by Springer, with Grzegorz Rozenberg and Thomas Bäck. The handbook covers computing inspired by nature and computing that takes place in nature. By 2017, he is editor-in-chief of the Springer journal Natural Computing, chairs the Council for Intelligent Data Analysis, sits on the board of the Dutch Foundation of Neural Networks, and represents the Netherlands on the Artificial Intelligence Technical Committee of the International Federation for Information Processing.

  5. 2016

    Founding the Sport Data Center

    He is the founder of the Sport Data Center, which combines the data science groups of Leiden University and Technical University Delft with the Amsterdam Institute for Sport Science and Delft's Sport Engineering Institute. In 2016, the center joins the Sportinnovator expert centers and receives 250,000 euros.

  6. 2016

    Royal Holland Society membership

    In 2016, the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW), the oldest learned society in the Netherlands, welcomes 36 new members, among them Joost Kok, professor of fundamental computer science at Leiden University.

  7. February 2018–May 2024

    Dean at the University of Twente

    He becomes Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) at the University of Twente in February 2018, succeeding Peter Apers. In May 2024, he leaves Twente, pointing to new collaborations with municipalities, companies and public organisations.

  8. Since 2024

    Vice-dean at TU Eindhoven

    In May 2024, he becomes vice-dean of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Eindhoven University of Technology and works there up to one day a week as professor of Applied Data Science. He calls the move a special return to Eindhoven and recalls being a regular at the Natlab during his PhD days. He researches and advises on artificial intelligence and data science in areas such as health, sports and exercise, and biodiversity, and is a board member of the Netherlands eScience Center.

Career

  1. Since 2024Eindhoven University of TechnologyVice-Dean
  2. Since 2024SURFBoard Member
  3. 2018–2024University of TwenteDean
  4. From 2016Sport Data CenterFounder
  5. 1995–2018Leiden UniversityProfessor of Computer Science, Professor of Medicine
  6. 1986–1988Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science
  7. Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer ScienceHead
  8. Council for Intelligent Data AnalysisChair
  9. Dutch Foundation of Neural NetworksBoard Member
  10. International Federation for Information ProcessingNetherlands Representative

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Eindhoven University of Technology. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Eindhoven University of Technology. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  3. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Eindhoven University of Technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes Leiden University. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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  1. Joost N. Kok new Board Member Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica cwi.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Professor Joost N. Kok liacs.leidenuniv.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Joost Kok - Eindhoven University of Technology tue.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Professor Joost Kok new dean of University of Twente's EEMCS faculty utwente.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Leer Joost Kok kennen en ontdek de onzichtbare kracht van big data universiteitleiden.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Handbook of Natural Computing universiteitleiden.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Sport Data Center receives 250,000 euros universiteitleiden.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. Zeven Leidse hoogleraren lid van de KHMW universiteitleiden.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. Joost Kok leaves UT to become vice-dean at TUe utwente.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  10. New vice dean for department of Mathematics & Computer Science tue.nl. Checked 21 October 2026.