A look at the winners of the 2024 NBN Expert Award
Last updated:
22/1/2025
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At the end of last year, three exceptional professionals were honored with the prestigious NBN Expert Award. NBN presents this award annually in recognition of those who have made a significant contribution to standardization in their field.
Winners Caterina Brusasco, Mercedes Mira Costa and Raf Hens stand out not only for their deep expertise, but also for their dedication to innovation and collaboration within complex technological and industrial challenges. Each has uniquely demonstrated how standardization not only provides structure, but can also be an essential driver of progress.
In the following interviews, they share their insights, experiences and personal motivations. From the role of standardization in digital documents to innovative technology, their stories offer an inspiring glimpse into the power of standards and the far-reaching efforts to develop them.
Caterina works for IBA, a spin-off from UCL in Louvain-la-Neuve. "The technology we are developing has to do with radiation," Caterina begins. In fact, IBA specializes in developing large accelerators used in both medical and industrial applications.
In the medical world, IBA is focusing on particle therapy, a groundbreaking cancer treatment. Caterina explains: "We use cyclotrons, a special type of accelerator, to accelerate protons that are then directed at the tumor, and this is what kills the tumor cells."
Caterina's work in standardization began in 2009, when she was sent by IBA to participate in an IEC project focused on standards for particle therapy. "There was then a project at the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) for a specific standard applicable to particle therapy," she shares.
As a physicist specializing in particle therapy, her expertise was crucial. "I was there as an expert to explain the technology and to make sure this technology was properly covered in standardization," she adds.
For IBA, these standards play a vital role in communicating the safety and effectiveness of their technology to regulatory authorities. "It is very difficult to explain why or how particle therapy is safe, or if it performs as it should. Standards now provide a common ground to show what the state of the art is in this technology," Caterina said.
In addition to the technical benefits, Caterina finds personal satisfaction in her work in standards development. "It is quite interesting because on the one hand there is the technical aspect ... but also from the perspective of soft skills," she notes. "Skills such as negotiating, persuading and influencing are developed in committees."
She stresses the importance of working together on committees, "You have people from very different backgrounds there ... you're really confronted with the different ways people engage in discussions." Despite the challenges, she says, "From my experience, discussions are always very constructive and focused on safety and performance."
When asked what she would advise others considering a role in standards development, Caterina is encouraging. "I would say don't be afraid. The most important thing is expertise in the technology. The rest you learn over time," she says.
Looking back on her contributions, Caterina is proud of the role IBA played in moving particle therapy forward. "In 2009, the development was about the specific standards applicable to particle therapy. And in a way, this technology was still in a research phase," she recalls.
At the time, IBA's technology was groundbreaking. "We were the only ones in the group of experts who could describe this new technology. So we were the ones who wrote an entire chapter on this technology," Caterina concludes.
Through Caterina's contributions to particle therapy and standards development, she not only promotes groundbreaking cancer treatments, but also paves the way for others in this dynamic field. Caterina won the 2024 NBN Expert Award in the large enterprise category.
Mercedes Mira recalls her first steps into the world of norm development, "The reality is that when I was fresh out of college, I wasn't very aware of what a norm actually was. I knew about it, but I didn't know the role norms really play."
Only in her professional career did she really begin to understand what standards mean. "It's not just a technical document, but it's so much more than that. Standards play an important and strategic role," she adds.
The benefits of standards for businesses
Mercedes emphasizes that standards not only benefit its own Organisation, but also the industry as a whole and other stakeholders. "For my Organisation, HP, standards enable technological interoperability and ensure that products are safe and meet consumer requirements."
She adds, "Another important aspect is that standards are a tool for removing trade barriers and demonstrating regulatory compliance. That is why we actively participate in standards development."
For Mercedes, working in standards development has greatly enriched her career. "Working in standards development allows you to grow professionally. It helps you develop many of those soft skills that are important not only for your work in standards, but also within your own Organisation."
She especially appreciates the networking opportunities it provides. "Participating in standards development improves your communication and negotiation skills, and it provides a great opportunity to make connections with other stakeholders participating in the process."
Mercedes encourages everyone to step into standards development, even if it seems intimidating at first. "I would say don't be afraid to not be the most experienced person or the greatest expert on a topic," she says.
"Everyone who participates in standards development brings added value, whether through their experience or background. It is precisely through diversity in participation that we get better standards," she explains.
Her advice is clear: "Seize the opportunity to participate in standards development. You will learn a lot and gain new competencies, such as soft skills."
Mercedes won the NBN Expert Award 2024 in the "young experts" category. Her passion and enthusiasm show that standards development is not only a crucial pillar for the industry, but also a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Raf Hens, VP of Engineering at Apryse Software, gives an insight into his work: "I lead a number of software development teams that develop our products. Our products are all about PDF technology."
Standardization plays a crucial role in this industry. "In digital document technology, more specifically PDF technology, almost no one in the ecosystem is complete owner. One Organisation might create the document, another will consume it," Raf explains. Standards ensure compatibility and interoperability between different software systems and guarantee that old and new documents continue to function correctly.
"If we think back 25, 30 years, there was no guarantee that a document would look the same everywhere," Raf says. He emphasizes that this was a problem, especially for contracts and documents with legal or financial implications.
"PDF was designed to provide that assurance. The concept that a document looks the same everywhere has brought many benefits," he says. Today, development focuses not only on visual reliability, but also accessibility. "We make sure that people with disabilities or devices like smartwatches and dashboards in cars can also consume the content."
Working in standardization provides Raf personally with great satisfaction. "The interesting aspect for me is that it gives me the impression of being part of a leader in the industry rather than a follower," he shares.
He stresses the importance of participation: "Having the seat at the table and being able to be heard. Being able to have an impact on where our industry is going, that's important to me personally in terms of motivation and ambition."
Raf encourages others to participate in standardization. "It allows us to be very short on time and implement new technologies quickly," he says. He adds that it provides an opportunity to experiment with new technologies and turn standards into practical applications.
A big misconception about standardization, according to Raf, is that it is seen as "boring" compared to innovation. "Innovation is invariably in the news. People think standardization is the boring antithesis; as if it pours everything into rigid shapes and takes away space for innovation," he notes.
However, he argues that both are necessary: "We need to innovate, but also in a controlled way. Because if everyone starts doing things their way, we wouldn't have a successful file format like PDF."
With his insights, Raf Hens shows that standardization is not only essential for technical compatibility, but also provides a platform for collaboration and innovation.
