Two days later, she is still recovering from all the congratulations from friends and colleagues. "I experienced the ceremony in the town hall as very honorable, and I am proud of it."
Inspiration
The Mayor of Bloemendaal took ten minutes to explain to the packed Civic Hall why Van de Bunt had earned one of the highest Royal Awards. In his speech, he stated that the esteemed VU researcher had not only worked hard since the 1970s to create a harmonious connection between science and society but that she also inspires others not to park academic knowledge and experience in ivory towers, but to share this knowledge with their peers, policy makers and business leaders as an engaged professional or volunteer. Creating social impact is important, and Van de Bunt embodies this VU mission like no other.
Her many publications on topics such as talent diversity, e-learning, cross cultural management and servant-leadership are highly acclaimed at home and abroad. From 2003-2007 she coordinated a European study in twelve countries to raise awareness about cultural filtering on the internet, at the time in the early days of Alta Vista (search engine) and Hyves (social network). There was no awareness in society yet of the social impact of algorithms. This innovative research resulted in her book publication 'World Wide Work' (VU University Press, 2007). A Zembla TV interview with her about this book led to an invitation for consultation with Mark Rutte, the then State Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, and subsequently a Lower House debate about the serious influence of algorithms.
In addition to the many voluntary board positions that Van de Bunt has held in education and business in the Netherlands and internationally, she is also closely involved as a volunteer in an initiative to connect young and old in Bloemendaal in an inspiring way. The Mayor could not help but to conclude with pride that the Royal Decoration is therefore more than justified.
Giving Back
The SERVUS Platform for Mentoring Communities, established to give vulnerable youth and refugees, among others, a better chance in the labor market, is perhaps one of her dearest projects. "I think this is important because everyone should have equal opportunities. These young people often have hidden talents. What is missing is a social network, a mentor who will get them to a good place. We therefore work together with Giving Back who match schoolchildren and VU students with a buddy, and other community projects such as Edu4U and VoorUit."
Van de Bunt glows when she talks about this collaboration. "Our years of cooperation have already produced a lot. For example, you see that the young people who were coached to make the jump to a job back then and stood on the shoulders of a mentor are now the highly motivated mentors for a new generation."
Pioneers in sustainability: Martin Luther King Jr and Godfrey Bomans
The energy and passion she puts into her work is not something she comes from a stranger to. In her youth, she was already inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. when he received a VU honorary doctorate in 1965. "Our society is pretty segmented, everyone lives in their own pillar. What I like then is to find a common denominator to promote precisely that togetherness and social cohesion."
Thus, since 2017, she has been leading the SERVUS-VU community project on Martin Luther King. In his fight for nonviolence and social justice, Dr. King is an enduring inspiration for a more inclusive VU community. In her own region of Kennemerland, she initiated a community belonging project around writer and resident Godfried Bomans as a TimeSavings volunteer. Multitalented Bomans sits deep in the hearts of Dutch people and is a role model for social connection.
Women
The brand new Officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau does want to say one more thing and that is that there are too few women with such a Royal Decoration. "So if the VU wants to nominate new scientists next year as I have had the opportunity to do, look again for female scientists."