Joost Batenburg

Joost Batenburg is a Professor at Universiteit Leiden and a Scientific Staff Member at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in Amsterdam, where he leads the Computational Imaging department. He is responsible for the FleX-Ray lab, which houses a custom-designed CT system linked to advanced data processing and reconstruction algorithms. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical applications across diverse fields including cultural heritage, agriculture, and industrial inspection.

Batenburg has pioneered the field of discrete tomography, developing the first large-scale reconstruction methods. His research spans tomographic image processing, X-ray tomography, and real-time imaging systems. He is particularly focused on creating a real-time tomography pipeline funded by an NWO Vici grant. His work integrates classical algorithms with modern computational approaches like auto-differentiation to improve CT workflows, and applies these techniques to diverse domains from agricultural quality control to industrial inspection systems.

His publication record shows a consistent focus on advancing tomographic reconstruction techniques while addressing practical challenges in diverse application domains. Recent work demonstrates strong integration of machine learning with traditional tomographic methods, particularly in optimizing real-time performance for industrial applications. His research shows particular strength in developing methods that work with limited data or challenging physical constraints.

• Dutch Award for ICT research 2018
• C.J. Kok Prize (2007)
• Philips Mathematics Prize (2006)

Batenburg has secured significant research funding including an NWO Vici Innovational Research Grant for Real-Time 3D Tomography (2016) and an NWO Vidi Grant (2010). He currently leads two major externally funded projects: CORTEX (Center for Optimal, Real-Time Machine Studies of the Explosive Universe) and UTOPIA (Universal Three-dimensiOnal Passport for process Individualization in Agriculture). He chairs the International Association for Pattern Recognition's Technical Committee on Discrete Geometry and previously chaired the EU COST Action EXTREMA on advanced X-ray tomography (2013-2017).

As director of the FleX-Ray lab at CWI, Batenburg oversees a highly flexible, programmable custom-built X-ray CT scanner developed by TESCAN-XRE NV. This facility enables cutting-edge research in computational tomography across multiple disciplines. He serves on scientific advisory councils for the Netherlands Institute for Conservation + Art + Science (NICAS) and the Hemlholtz Imaging Platform, demonstrating his interdisciplinary impact.