News

Professor Kofi Makinwa appointed member of the KHMW

• Tuesday, 24 February 2026

The KHMW: committed to strengthening the connection between science and society

The KHMW was founded in 1752 and is the oldest “Learned Society” in the Netherlands. Since its inception, it has been committed to strengthening the connection between science and society by awarding prizes for scientific achievements, and by organizing public lectures, debates, and symposia. The KHMW consists of both leading scientists as well as socially engaged individuals interested in science.

Designing chips is like building with Lego

“My mission is to design sensors based on chips,” shares Kofi Makinwa enthusiastically. “It’s like building with Lego. Chip technology provides a set of standard bricks, which can then be combined in an incredible amount of different ways.” Kofi designs tiny silicon sensors that can interact with the outside world with incredible precision. They can sense light, temperature, and magnetic fields, to name just a few of the possibilities. Sensors are everywhere, explains Kofi, “there are probably more than 20 different sensors in your smartphone,” and most of them are made from silicon “Lego.” 
Kofi is enthusiastic about his KHMW membership. “I’m looking forward to engaging with people from different backgrounds with a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Such people can clearly explain the importance of their own fields, why they are relevant and exciting, and so I expect that we will learn a lot from each other.”