Highlights from ESI Symposium 2025
At the 2025 ESI Symposium, the call to action was clear: to meet today’s engineering challenges, we must innovate collaboratively. As Director of Science and Operations at TNO-ESI, Masoud Dorosti emphasized in his opening remarks:
“Collaboration is our advantage. It’s how we will respond to today’s productivity challenge.”
The symposium brought together industry leaders, researchers, and young professionals to explore how engineering organizations can stay resilient, productive, and future-ready. The sessions offered diverse perspectives on the evolving role of systems engineering in a rapidly changing world.
At ESI Symposium 2025, the keynote speakers challenged attendees to rethink the future of engineering.
As the academic keynote, Professor Gerrit Muller addressed the capabilities needed in a world of evolving, interconnected systems. He introduced STEACAL - Socio-Technical Ecosystems As Classroom And Laboratory - a method for embedding learning in real-world contexts, where education, research, and practice converge.
Wei Li, Senior Vice President of Development and Engineering Software at ASML, emphasized the importance of collaboration in shaping engineering as a dynamic and intelligent ecosystem. Her message: to stay competitive, we must evolve together.
How can engineering organizations remain resilient and human-centric in the face of constant change? In the session “Future-fit organizations”, moderator Joana Teixeira (TNO-ESI) led a dynamic discussion on the evolving role of systems engineers in driving transformation.
“We discussed agility, cultural transformation, and the evolving role of systems engineers as change catalysts, with the ability to reflect, adapt and cross-collaborate. The future isn’t something we wait for – it’s something we shape together.”
In the session on synthesis-based engineering, speakers explored how starting from system specifications can unlock automation and scalability across domains. The shift from model-based design to synthesis-based approaches was presented as a key enabler of engineering productivity. Ben Pronk, the moderator of this session, emphasized:
“The road may be bumpy, but the productivity gains are real.”
AI-powered diagnostics are helping engineers make smarter decisions. Moderator Marco Vicari summarized it as follows:
“The key lies in maximizing equipment effectiveness while empowering engineers and customers through model-based insights and AI reasoning.”
Generative AI is reshaping how engineers interpret data, process feedback, and improve software development. In this session, the focus was on trust, empowerment, and the role of AI as a supportive tool - not a replacement. Rosilde Corvino explained:
“Generative AI is transforming how we interpret system data, process feedback, and improve software development. Trust and empowerment are key - AI offers hints, not replacements.”
Led by Nan Yang, a special mentoring track connected students with experienced researchers through storytelling and informal chats.
“A great mix of experience and fresh perspective – conversations that continue beyond the symposium.”
Showcasing cutting-edge work from TNO-ESI and its partners, the innovation market offered a dynamic space for applied research, cross-sector dialogue, and meaningful collaboration. Alongside it, the poster market brought together 25 academic posters, sparking lively discussions and new ideas. Business Director Jacco Wesselius observed:
“A lot of business happened right there – the innovation market proved to be a ground for collaboration and new connections.”