28 Facts About Eppo Bruins

Eppo Egbert Willem Bruins was born on 19 September 1969 and is a Dutch politician and physicist.

Eppo Bruins has been serving as Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024 on behalf of New Social Contract.

Eppo Bruins was a member of the House of Representatives for the Christian Union from 2015 to 2021.

Eppo Bruins was born on 19 September 1969 in Apeldoorn, Gelderland.

Eppo Bruins attended high school at the preparatory scientific education level at the Myrtus College in his hometown between 1982 and 1987.

Eppo Bruins subsequently went to Utrecht University, where he graduated with a Master of Science degree in physics in 1991.

Eppo Bruins played the piano at a conservatoire, but he never earned a diploma.

Eppo Bruins later lived in the United States, where he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1995 to 1997.

Eppo Bruins then returned to the Netherlands, where he was a project coordinator at his former employer FOM between 1997 and 2004, as well as subsequently director of the Leiden Institute of Physics of the Leiden University from 2004 to 2007, before his time as director of the FOM between 2007 and 2015.

Eppo Bruins was a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal.

Eppo Bruins switched to the more socially conservative Christian Union in 2011, because he felt that the latter party put more emphasis on Christianity.

Eppo Bruins served as editor-in-chief of the magazine of Christian Union's scientific institute.

Eppo Bruins was his party's spokesperson for matters including education, media, and aviation.

Eppo Bruins opposed the opening of an expanded Lelystad Airport, and he advocated for the reintroduction of a basic grant for students.

Eppo Bruins was a strong defender of the Constitution's freedom of education.

Eppo Bruins became chairperson of the Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation in 2022.

In 2023, following the resignation of then party leader Gert-Jan Segers as a parliamentarian, a seat in Parliament was proposed to Eppo Bruins, who declined to return.

Eppo Bruins headed the committee that determined the party list of the Christian Union in the November 2023 general election.

Eppo Bruins was about to become a professor by special appointment at Leiden University, when he joined the Schoof cabinet.

Eppo Bruins serves on behalf of NSC, and he canceled his membership of the Christian Union.

Eppo Bruins responded that he would not reverse any cuts, and he called them necessary in light of the cabinet's financial priorities.

Eppo Bruins continued a bill by Dijkgraaf aimed at reducing the number of international students.

Eppo Bruins intended to define the latter two grounds more narrowly than his predecessor.

Eppo Bruins is married to Marlies, and they have two sons.

Eppo Bruins played piano in the backup band of a Christian choir, and he has told that he converted to Christianity at the age of 18 after he was asked to sing "And in That Day" by Adrian Snell.

Eppo Bruins initially was a member of the Reformed Association in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands before becoming a Baptist.

Eppo Bruins became the second Baptist member of the House of Representatives after Janmarc Lenards.

Eppo Bruins regularly visited the House of Representatives after his departure as an informal religious counselor along with a member of Justice House of Prayer, praying for members of parliament, and he blessed the temporary house of parliament, when the Binnenhof was closed due to a renovation.