Traveling salesman with two suitcases of scrap metal

Piet van Rens. Photo: Loraine Bodewes - Alumnus Piet van Rens receives Lifetime Achievement Award for his work within the Dutch precision engineering community. The American Society for Precision Engineering recently awarded its annual Lifetime Achievement Award to TU/e alumnus Piet van Rens. While he is regarded as one of the pillars of precision engineering in the Netherlands, he himself feels he is being unduly celebrated. -Evidently, a traveling salesman with two suitcases of scrap metal and a passion for imparting knowledge can come a long way. Beneath the brim of a large leather hat, his features at first glance appear impassive, but in fact Piet van Rens is often deep in thought as he strides across the TU/e campus. Since retiring a few years ago, he can usually be found in the Meulensteen House of Robotics.