Erik Jacquemyn holds a Masters’ degree in engineering of the Catholic University of Leuven. After a few years of academic research in the field of biomedical electronics, he entered the field of science policy and science communication as an adviser to the Minister-President of the Flemish Government, Gaston Geens. He was responsible for the organization of the technology event Flanders Technology International until 1999. Since the early 90’s he developed, together with his team, numerous activities in the field of science communication such as the Flemish Science Week, the Science Truck, the Science Festival, Science contests …. In 1996 he launched the idea and started the development of Technopolis®, the Flemish Science Centre that opened its doors in 2000 and of which he was the CEO until 2016.

Throughout the years Jacquemyn became an expert in science communication and in science centres, and museums worldwide. His international reputation reached the top when in 2010, he was chosen to host the 1st Science Centre World Summit to be held in 2014. In 2011 he became Chair of the International Program Committee (IPC), that prepares and coordinates the Summit and of which he was already a member since 2008.

Together with his colleagues in the editorial team, he wrote the Mechelen Declaration, the global action plan for local science centres which was signed by the various international science centre networks in March 2014.