Professors by special appointment
Leiden University has many special chairs. Three special chairs are funded by LUF.
| Professor | Faculty | Chair |
|---|---|---|
| Prof.dr. B.U. Forstmann | Social and Behaveioural Sciences | Neuroscientific testing of psychological models |
| Prof.dr. P.J.A. Kessler | Science | Botanical gardens and botany of South East Asia |
| Prof.dr. D.J. de Vries | Archaeology | History of Building |
One of these professors by special appointment is Dr Paul Keßler, prefect of the Leiden Hortus Botanicus and an affiliate of the Faculty of Science. He has held the chair in Botanical Gardens and the Botany of Southeast Asia since 2017.
Oldest academic garden
The Hortus Botanicus in Leiden is the oldest academic garden in Western Europe and has an impressive collection of plants mainly from Southeast Asia. Thanks to his chair by special appointment, Dr Kessler will intensify the botanical research on groups of orchids and carnivorous plants. He will also broaden the contacts with universities and botanical gardens in Indonesia and China.