Rob Blokzijl

Rob Blokzijl
Born Robert Blokzijl
October 21, 1943
Nationality Dutch
Known for founding member of RIPE

Robert "Rob" Blokzijl (born 1943, Amsterdam) is a Dutch physicist and computer scientist, former Chairman of the National Institute for Subatomic Physics (NIKHEF), known as early internet pioneer.[1][2]

Life and work

Born in Amsterdam, Blokzijl graduated from the University of Amsterdam in 1970, and received a doctorate in experimental physics from the same university in 1977.[3]

Blokzijl has been active in building networks for the particle physics community in Europe. He was founding member and chairman of NIKHEF, the National Institute for Nuclear and High energy physics in the Netherlands.[4] At the Réseaux IP Européens (RIPE), the European open forum for IP networking, he was spokesperson at its foundation in 1989 and later chaired this forum. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) in 1992 as the first Regional Internet Registry (RIR) in the world. In 1999 he also was selected for the ICANN Board by the Address Supporting Organization, where he served until December 2002. In 2013 Blokzijl announced his resignation as chairman of RIPE, as per RIPE68, after being in this position for 25 years. He has appointed Hans Petter Holen as his successor.[5]

In 2010 Blokzijl was awarded Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau. He received this Royal Honour from Lodewijk Asscher, the Acting Mayor of Amsterdam.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Olivier Martin. The “Hidden” Prehistory of European Research Networking. 2012. p.50
  2. ↑ Monique Doppert (2013). Internetpioniers: De eerste internetgeneratie.
  3. ↑ R. Blokzijl, 1943 - at the University of Amsterdam Album Academicum website
  4. ↑ RIPE Chairman Emeritus Created: Oct 2010 - Last updated: 11 Jun 2014 — RIPE.
  5. ↑ RIPE Chair Dr. Rob Blokzijl Announces Retirement, Publication date: 22 Oct 2013
  6. ↑ Rob Blokzijl Receives Royal Recognition for his Work as an Internet Pioneer Publication date: 13 May 2010

External links