Outlook DelftMAGAZINE of DELFT university of technology 2013 • 1

Bible for boats 40 years measuring yacht hulls

Digital Dora Black box in the operating room

Paul Rullmann ‘I value students’ contribution’

Leading ladies Finding talented women

1 Contents Delft in Brief no. 1 3 Delft in brief 13 Column Remco de Boer Efficient dredging

13 Work in progress The dredgers seem to be fighting a losing battle in the river Waal; the water- way is silting up more quickly as a result of the floodplains being lowered 20 New Applied Sciences building and the summer dikes moved. Reason enough for student Tim van der Lugt 2013 (CEG) to spend this winter trying out something new, together with the 22 Hora est, propositions, cartoon and soundbites captain of dredger M.S. Dintel. Rather than levelling the sandbanks with a vertical plate, the dredgers take a ‘bite’ of sand, which they then move under 23 View: Maarten van Ham on deprived neighbourhoods water and deposit elsewhere. This reduces friction tremendously. The tech- nique has not yet been fully developed. On one occasion, the stern of the 23 Since you asked: Money for Groningen ship completely disappeared under water when the flap valve of the plough failed to open quickly enough. Bible for yacht builders 24 In person

Photo: Tomas van Dijk van Tomas Photo: delta.tudelft.nl/26160 6 25 The firm 25 Life after Delft Get out of here 26 Alumni news Evacuations could be accomplished more effectively and efficiently by equipping people in the affected area with simple means of naviga- tion and communication, so argues PhD candidate Lucy T. Gunawan. Her crowd-sourcing evacuation is based on the assumption that most 10 people in the area will be able to walk, and bundles their observations Paul Rullmann: ‘Worldwide in the recommended evacuation routes. As a result people are less likely to make mistakes and get lost than only armed with a map. Gunawan there are millions of people believes her system could support and indeed replace the current cen- screaming out for knowledge’ Lifework tralised evacuation system.

In this edition two Delft icons tell us about their lifework. Lex Keuning delta.tudelft.nl/26249 is a familiar figure at the Delft towing tank. Indeed his fame is surpassed only by that of the old canine companion he always has with him. Drawing: TU Delft After nearly forty years of researching yacht hulls and two years before 16 retiring, this boat expert is sharing his life’s work with yacht builders Can I help you? New lab quantum computer and researchers. The Delft Systematic Yacht Hull Series is online. Paul Rullmann, a member of the Executive Board for nearly eleven years, is Now that most shops are full of cameras anyway, we might as well do To make the first working quantum computer circuit, based partly on the Black box in the also always accompanied by a faithful old friend, his car. He will leave something useful with them, Dr Mirela Popa (EEMCS) thought. She recently discovered Majorana fermions, that is the ambition of nanoscien- operating room the TU at the end of March. His portfolio was education. Under his managed to get the computer to track customers on video footage and tists Prof. Leo Kouwenhoven and Prof. Lieven Vandersypen of the Kavli leadership the university grew from over 13,000 to 17,500 students and to identify whether they are near any merchandise. Another system Institute of Nanoscience and Carlo Beenakker (Leiden University). In education changed drastically. Anyone who ever attended the opening of could recognise typical searching behaviour. The prototype could December the European Union announced that it would provide fifteen an academic year will recollect the inspiring way in which he can capture make staff observant of interested visitors in the shop. million euros of funding for this research. A new laboratory is to be built the attention of weary students with a cabaret-style speech. A talent the especially for this research. former sociologist no doubt acquired during the early days of his career delta.tudelft.nl/26186 as a musician in a folk band. After retiring, Rullmann hopes to have more delta.tudelft.nl/26100 20 time for music and wild water rafting. Wild water rafting is one of his New building for Applied passions. We wish him plenty more wild waters. Electric Sciences Frank Nuijens Editor-in-Chief Delft Outlook highways

If it were up to Dr Pavol Bauer (EEMCS), the Colophon drivers of electric cars would never again have to worry about being stranded at the side of the Coverphoto Contributing writers road with an empty battery. He foresees a future Sam Rentmeester Remco de Boer, Auke Herrema in which cars are wirelessly charged as they drive along a motorway with magnetic coils in the as- Editorial staff Subscriptions phalt. Solar panels and wind turbines at the road- Frank Nuijens (editor-in-chief) [email protected] Dorine van Gorp, Katja Wijnands (managing editors) side generate electricity. “I have calculated that it Saskia Bonger, Tomas van Dijk, Design & typesetting is possible”, Bauer says in Delta. “Now to convince Sam Rentmeester (image editor), Saskia de Been, Media Solutions TU Delft the financiers.” In January Bauer published three Connie van Uffelen, Jos Wassink articles on this subject in the magazine ‘IEEE Printing Transactions on Industrial Electronics’. T (015) 278 4848 Deltahage BV, The Hague E [email protected]

delta.tudelft.nl/26205 Roosegaarde Studio impression: Artist

2 3 Delft in Brief Robot institute

Late January saw the official kick-off of the TU Delft Robotics Institute, the Refreshing The American Super Bowl event new ‘umbrella’ for all robotics research in Delft. Practically everything made is all about big names and big in Delft that communicates, flies, rolls, walks, runs, swims, creeps or grabs, money. IDE student Alexandra was set up at 3mE. And that included the walking robot Leo, the running Izeboud did some defining work Phides and care robot Eva. for the event. During the interval, singer Beyoncé performed, sponsored by the soft drink brand Pepsi. A photo had already From walking... Eva cares been taken of the singer with the date on her cheeks but they “Look, there’s Eva”, says one of the receptionists cheerfully at the Viva were still looking for a picture Zorggroep nursing home in Heemskerk. “We’ll be out of work soon, thanks that would link the singer and to her ”, she adds, laughing. Care robot Eva got her first taste of work at the soft drink. Izeboud shot the the end of January when she visited a nursing home for the first time. A portrait in black and white and projected the red, white and blue woman in a wheelchair recovering from foot surgery was also quite taken Pepsi logo onto her lips. Boom! by Eva. “When I go to the bathroom, she can carry my clothes.” The two big names were united During a group discussion held later that day with employees and inhabit- in one glance. ants it was agreed upon that it would not be a good idea to have the robot perform medical tasks, at least not in the near future. Eva will thus not be delta.tudelft.nl/26130 handling injection needles, that much is clear. Lively discussions were held about whether tasks such as feeding people, helping them with revalida- tion exercises, washing patients and measuring blood pressure could and should be performed by robots. “All tasks that need human interpretation should always be performed by people” one of the attending doctors stated Photo: Tomas van Dijk van Tomas Photo: which pretty much concluded the whole discussion. Stabilised laser Erik Schuitema met robot Leo Marcel Laan, IT-manager of the nursing home, who invited the Delft re- Researchers of MIT have developed a new tera- Robot Leo was programmed to teach himself to walk. It takes him searchers, is not disappointed. “Eva isn’t really capable of doing anything”, hertz laser, the size of a comma. PhD candidate about five hours, not counting the time it took him to pick himself up he says. “This technology still needs a lot of work. We have always been Yuan Ren (Applied Sciences) has managed to again. For his doctoral research, Dr Erik Schuitema (3mE) spent hours interested in new technologies and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of stabilise this laser, making it suitable for as- watching how the little 50-centimetre robot tirelessly moved his feet, these developments in robotics.” tronomical observations on board satellites or fell over and then pushed himself up again. “It made me realise that this In time, Dr Joost Broekens, researcher with the interactive intelligence balloon missions. The new form of astronomy research is gradually winning ground, headed for a very distant goal”, research group (EEMCS), hopes that should improve our understanding of the says Schuitema. Walking robots should be able to move among people she will be able to take lost patients creation of stars and planets. It is a great step more flexibly. back to their rooms. At the end forwards in terms of terahertz astronomy, his of the year the robot will come supervisor Dr Jiang-Rong Gao believes. This delta.tudelft.nl/25908 to the nursing home for a spring NASA will decide whether this Delft week’s trial. technology will be part of the missions.

delta.tudelft.nl/ 26246 Dijk van Tomas Photo: ...to running delta.tudelft.nl/25977

Auxiliary branch Photo: Sam Rentmeester Sam Photo: for LED

Flood disaster in In 2011, TU Delft opened its Schneider& Marion Photo: Aistleitner Christoph first research centre in China, Kunsthaus in Graz (Austria). a nutshell followed by another three centres last November. But the reverse Fascinating façades TU Delft researchers Dr Olivier Hoes (CEG) and is also possible. In January, the Fellow PhD candidate Dr Daniel Karssen also let his robot freely

Photo: Sam Rentmeester Sam Photo: Christian Kehl (EEMCS) have combined the latest Chinese State Key Laboratory PhD candidate Holger Strauss (Architecture) expects it will move round the Delft Biorobotics Lab, but then dancing like a geo-informatics with hydraulic calculations and opened an office for research into be some time yet before a 3D printer can produce whole mechanical ballerina. The objective of the running robot Phides computer graphics in an interactive 3D-image of Solid State Lighting (LED light- buildings. But such new production techniques do bring was to establish whether and how disturbing influences could be the floods of 1953 which struck the provinces of ing) within TU Delft’s research freely designed computer façades a little closer. Strauss ex- reduced for people walking with prosthetic legs - influences such as Zeeland, Zuid-Holland and West-Brabant. Dikes institute DIMES. Together, SKL pects that mounting systems with individually printed com- irregular road surfaces, or a knock on the side. Karssen discovered breached at more than four hundred locations and TU Delft aim to expand ponents will simplify the production of fascinating façades. that prosthetic legs are much more stable if special, nonlinear and some places were still flooded six months knowledge and to attract more This will be the beginning of an entirely different approach springs are used. After a certain point these actually generate less later. This setup can be perceived and experienced financing for research into LED to façades, he believes: as a dynamic shell that both separates rather than more strength. in the TU Delft Science Centre. lighting by means of these shared and connects indoors and outside. centres. delta.tudelft.nl/26207 delta.tudelft.nl/26247 delta.tudelft.nl/26169

4 5 Science Bible for boats

After nearly forty years researching yacht hulls in the Delft towing tank, boat expert Dr Lex Keuning has decided to share his life’s work with yacht builders and researchers. The Delft Systematic Yacht Hull Series is available online. Jos Wassink

Due to an unfortunate combination of events, Dr Keuning was unable to personally attend ‘There are forces above and under the presentation of his systematic series at the Hiswa Symposium – the annual symposium water which together form a on yacht design and yacht construction. TU Delft researcher Michiel Katgert did complex balance’ the honours. He explained that the full measurement data of seventy hull shapes over the last 39 years, as well as the forty new mother ship: the motor yacht ‘Rainbow “It is much more difficult to predict the publications based on these data, are now Warrior III’. When performing design velocity of sailing yachts than that of motor publicly available to anyone who takes the calculations, Dijkstra prefers to use ‘the Delft yachts”, explains Keuning (3mE faculty) in trouble to request a login (at dsyhs.tudelft.nl). series’ or ‘Sysser’ (systematic series). During his office next to the towing tank. His aged According to Katgert, these measurement data the coffee break at the Hiswa symposium he dog is lying near the door. “There are forces can then be used to develop software that will said: “I have been familiar with the series from above and under water which together predict the performance of ships during the day one and witnessed its development. That form a complex balance. This is difficult to design stage (the so-called velocity prediction inspires confidence.” calculate by hand. A programme was needed programmes or VPPs). The Delft data can Keuning (62) witnessed the beginning of the that could approximate a ship’s performance also be used to validate numerical approaches series as a student. That was in 1973 when based on its length, breadth, depth and water to a ship’s resistance, for example. Katgert Professor Jelle Gerritsma, Professor of Ship displacement.” asked designers at the symposium to post Hydromechanics, wanted to start generating The research needed to be systematic. This on the website discussion forum to let them comparative measurements of yacht hulls. He means using adjustments on the basis of a know how they use the data. “We invite you did this together with two colleagues from standard-model ship. The ship chosen as to participate in our research.” That sounded Massachusetts Institute of Technology who standard was Frans Maas’ ‘Standfast 43’, a very open-source and contemporary, but a shared his passion for yachts and sailing. The 13-metre sailing yacht of which a 1:6.25 little later Katgert had to admit that expanding two men concerned were Nick Newman, scale model was built. Keuning explains the the series was no longer an option in Delft. Professor of Ship Hydromechanics, and adjustment process: “Taking the mother Justin Kerwin, Professor of Hydromechanics. ship as starting point, we increased and Mathematical aid The objective was twofold: to create a reduced the width slightly. This resulted in Yacht designer and ocean yachtsman Gerard mathematical aid to enable yacht designers three models, which were all dragged. Any Dijkstra made a name for himself with the to determine the sailing properties of their differences in resistance that you measure are ‘Stad Amsterdam’ (which featured in the design and to develop a method of calculating consequently attributable to the difference Photos: Sam Rentmeester Sam Photos: VPRO series ‘Beagle’), the mysterious three- the handicaps of the various yachts in a in width. You can do the same with the Dr.ir. Lex Keuning at the K&M Yachtbuilders wharf in Makkum. master ‘Maltese Falcon’ and Greenpeace’s yachting race. length, draught and displacement. That

6 7 Science

(immersion). Asked how often a test is repeated, Katgert answers with a smile and the maritime adage: “Thou shall never measure twice.” In this field, absolute measured values (and the applicable margins) are less important than the differences between them. It’s all about serial comparisons. The reproducibility of the measurements is always verified. In the case of the series, for example, the models were dragged again after twenty years and the differences were within one to two percent.

Largest measurement series in the world After those nine models the Delft group wanted to continue, but the Americans pulled out: the money had run out. The research could continue in Delft as long as the researchers were still motivated enough and yacht builders were interested in the results.

Yacht designer Gerard Dijkstra: “The series inspire confidence.” A new measurement series consequently followed in 1982, based on a design by Van der Stad & Partners; in 1993 there was a series sounds simple but adjusting the width also based on a model by Sparkman & Stephens changes the displacement. There are many and in 2007 a model by Judel & Vrolijk was interdependencies.” the last mother ship for the time being. The The first systematic series consisted of nine Delft Systematic Yacht Hull Series (DSYHS) models. comprises a total of seventy systematically varying and mutually comparable hulls, Towing tank which makes it the largest systematic series in The measurements were performed in the the world. large TU Delft towing tank: 142 metres long, “Whether a boat is 4 or 140 metres long, the 4 metres wide and 2.5 metres deep. As all series still applies”, Dijkstra says. The ship the measurements were performed using the hydromechanics research group has hence same method and the same equipment, they written a bible for boats, which will serve as a are not only comparable with each other but standard for yacht builders and racing sailors It is much more difficult to predict the velocity of sailing yachts than that of motor yachts. also with the measurements of later models. for years to come. Drag tests involve a 4-ton aluminium carriage The data from Delft form the basis for the travelling along rails on either side of the velocity prediction programmes or or VPPs Handicaps And Keuning? He is working on a good tank at a maximum speed of nearly 30 km/h. that yacht builders use during the design The same applies when using the systematic handover. He will spend the last two years up Below a hull model, fully lit, cuts through stage. “The nice thing about the systematic series to determine handicaps. As a to his retirement passing on his knowledge the waves. The hull is hinged – only the series is that you don´t have to design using researcher, Keuning is a member of the and experience of sailing yachts and fast angle between the heading and the track (the a model that has been dragged”, Dijkstra International Technical Committee of the motor ships to his successor as well as drift angle) is registered and the angle with explains. “You create your own design based Offshore Racing Congress. In this competitive possible. He also plans to go sailing more respect to the vertical (slope). This is where on your experience and the client´s wishes world, the handicaps of the various yachts are often, with his twin brother for example. Not we encounter nautical terminology such as in terms of length, width and draught. This determined using VPPs based on the Delft around the world, but to Britain and the Baltic pitching, heaving and yawing (see more in the forms the operational profile of the yacht. systematic series. “This enables us to apply a would be nice enough. box on ship movements). Using WinDesign (one of the VPPs, ed.) correction for the length or weight of the ship The measurements take at least a week for you then calculate the performance and and establish who sailed best of all”, Keuning each hull. Just consider: besides the upright iteratively modify your design until you reach tells us. measurements with and without out a keel, the best compromise that meets the client´s Asked whether the series is to be extended, he measurements are performed at four different requirements. If you base your performance answers with a sigh. Followed by: Ship movements speeds, four different slopes (angle with calculations on this series, you´ll always know “There’s no money left for that.” Keuning respect to the vertical) and four different that your ship will sail properly.” would like to add lightweight, plane sailing Translation rotation drift angles (angle with respect to direction). In fact, Dijkstra doesn´t take the velocities yachts to the series. Dijkstra sometimes X-axis That’s at least 64 measurements and after each that WinDesign specifies for the various comes on to drag an extremely long, slimline (fore-and-aft) slacking rolling measurement it takes a quarter of an hour for directions all too seriously. Due to the model. “A twelve-metre yacht used to be ‘If you base your performance (change) the water in the tank to settle sufficiently for structure of the atmosphere and the wave quite spacious; nowadays a hundred metres Y-axis the next test. pattern of the water the actual velocity will is perfectly normal”, he explains. While these calculations on this series, (transverse) driven off course pitching Among others, each test produces values for often deviate from the theoretical prediction. data are added to the series, clients prefer (dynamic) the resistance (the tractive force exerted on You´d be lucky to get a match within five to keep racing yacht data to themselves. you´ll always know that your Z-axis the model in the direction of displacement), percent. But, once again, it´s all about the Contrary to what they were used to, the group (mast direction) heaving yawing the lateral forces, the fore-and-aft angle of mutual comparisons. now has to wait to see what they are offered in (dynamic) the yacht (trim) and how far the hull sinks the way of drag testing. ship will sail properly.’

8 9 Interview ‘You must believe in the steps you take’

Paul Rullmann decided to leave TU Delft in April, after nearly eleven years on the Executive Board. He started his career as a musician in a folk band but ‘bounced on’, via a tutorship at a university of applied sciences, into policy. Under his leadership TU Delft grew from over 13,000 to more than 17,500 students and education changed drastically. But times were not always good. Saskia Bonger

Did you ever imagine you’d stay this long, as a university of applied sciences. I taught social and a better balance between education and sociologist among the techies? subjects: sociology, political science, social research. The education itself was good but “I found myself in an entirely different kind psychology, social skills. I became more and it was very compartmentalized and not very of organisation to what I was used to, with a more involved in policy. I went from lecturer exciting. We started with the report Focus character all its own. It was far from certain to lecturer coordinator, policy officer, Head on Education. This led to a whole host of that I would form a good combination with of the Policy department to Secretary to the changes: more projects during the degree my colleagues, but that certainly worked Executive Board and, ultimately, to Member programme, more use of ICT, the major/ out well. I really do understand technicians’ of the Executive Board. I have never had a minor model. This has made education more passion, how they can be totally absorbed by clear-cut career in mind, I just bounced on attractive. their research, how it can keep them awake at and on.” Perhaps the most difficult thing was to create night. And, given half a chance, leap on their more cohesion within the teams of lecturers bikes at six a.m. to test whether what they Wouldn’t you secretly have liked to live a in how they thought about education. After devised in the night really works.” rock&roll life? a few years of the Bachelor/Master system, it “No. I really enjoy music, but a musician is turned out that it especially worked for us in Do you sometimes lie awake like that? something you have to be. It’s wanting to start terms of administration, but that there was “I used to. I’d lie in bed building crystal playing the second anyone wakes you in the no clear division in the study programme. receivers, wishing the night away, so that I night. I did have the choice. Friends of mine We then implemented the Bachelor-before- could do some more soldering. So I do have made a living for themselves as musicians, Master rule. Other measures followed later, technical streak. I took science subjects at I preferred it to be a hobby. We formed such as the binding recommendation on the high school. I went on to study pharmacy Crackerhash in 1968. We lasted around continuation of studies, the introduction of but didn’t complete the programme. I was 35 years. I’ve seen every youth club in the guarantee months for study projects. All in very disappointed. Maybe it had something Netherlands. We played English sea shanties; all, education has livened up significantly. to do with the programme information back later we wrote our own Dutch lyrics. Made This has contributed to the continuing then. I had expected to be helping people a record, made a CD, and in 2004 we even increase in the number of students. In 2002 with medicines, but it was much more of played a farewell concert.” there were over 13,000, there are now 17,500. a combination between chemistry and A much needed rise as there is still a shortage retailer’s certificate. It was very far removed What kind of lyrics did you write? of engineers in the Netherlands.” from medicine. But tinkering fascinated “Contemporary cabaret. Not too political as Rentmeester Sam Photos: me. I could well have become a dentist or a we wanted to be able to play a song for quite a Many of the students are from abroad. They are watchmaker.” while. They were often about the morbid side not going to solve the shortage of engineers. of life: things that go wrong or take a strange “Some of them certainly will work in the Things turned out very differently. No tinkering; twist. Things like love, or which till queue to Netherlands. International students are setting out broad outlines. join. Yes, you always choose the wrong one.” extremely important. The Netherlands can ‘I really do understand technicians’ “I got here gradually, step by step. I was a keep all the doors firmly closed, thinking we member of a folk group called Crackerhash, As the third member of the Executive Board, you can manage alone, but it doesn’t work that meaning ships biscuits. It was a fairly were given the portfolio of Education. That was way. We need international companies and passion, how they can be uncertain living so I needed to earn a little newly created. Why? relationships.” more elsewhere. So I became a lecturer at a “There needed to be more focus on education >> totally absorbed by their research’ 10 11 Interview Column

Remco de Boer is a technology & science Idiot? communication specialist You have always been an advocate of Following the OOD reorganisation in 2005 As manager implementing the changes enforced by digitalisation. Will the university eventually you were appointed Manager of the University the OOD, you have to be able to handle criticism. “Nonsense. We emphatically dismiss this hole between the authorities on the one side, step towards an attitude where ‘conformists’ disappear as a physical location? Corporate Office. What prompted that decision? It How do you deal with that? as a myth.” With these historic words, the with ‘their’ engineers and the justified need stand by the need for scientific proof while “In the Netherlands you don’t even really could lead to strange situations. “I’m a die-hard optimist. My first reaction to NAM (Netherlands oil and gas company) for proof, and the intuition and theories of openly allowing for the possibility that all need digitalisation. We have a university or “People have sometimes accused me of the problems during the OOD was always: initially quashed the theory of any possible freethinkers who don’t give a hoot about the might not be quite what it seems. An attitude university of applied sciences on every street working hand in glove with the University Oh we’ll get that sorted. You must believe connection between gas extraction and communis opinio on the other. The problem, which openly admits that every corner. But worldwide there are millions of Corporate Office. And it’s true, very in the steps you take. Something I learned the earthquakes that have been shaking however, is not that the authorities want hard technology, by definition, people screaming out for knowledge. There occasionally you do find yourself in two from Hans van Luijk (former President of the north of the Netherlands since 1986. evidence; the problem is the sharpness and has its disadvantages, though are now countless institutions that provide camps. But I would rather have that the Board, ed.) was that you should be able The hypothesis originated from provincial the disdain with which other opinions are possibly unknown when digital materials, including really large occasional tension than have to take on to explain in one or two sentences why you councillor for Drenthe Dr Meent van der rejected and their mouthpieces written off as first introduced. Or, as the ones like Stanford and MIT. They invest another manager. So we have the Executive are doing something. At OOD that was quite Sluis. The NAM said it was “unfounded idiots. That, in particular, created ill feelings, former US minister Donald millions. This is becoming so important that Board, with below them a manager and below clear: we are to ensure that by providing less nonsense”. The oil company felt the same especially when it turns out they weren’t so Rumsfeld put it: “There are it will affect the reputation of an ‘ordinary him the directors of the various support support, more money will become available about TU Delft alumnus Willem Meijborg’s ‘crazy’ after all. The authorities’ opinionated things we know we know. university’. You have to be part of it.” services. This automatically means that the for the scientific process.” warning at the beginning of the ‘Groningen attitude undermines people’s confidence in Then there are things that manager meets with the Executive Board and gold rush’ in 1963. The civil engineer them and hence their authority. As is the we know we don’t know. But This also requires lecturers to make considerable the director merely performs. How did you get the Student Council to remain – nicknamed ‘Willem Beton’ (concrete case in Groningen. there are also unknown unknowns: changes. That’s quite alarming for them. Now, we happen to have proactive directors so constructive, even if they disagreed with your Willem) – warned of the downside of gas That people who think differently are often things we do not know we don’t know.” “That may well be, but take Collegerama. who are capable of accomplishing things measures? extraction, such as subsidence. He stood shot down in flames, is because they are A wisdom worth bearing in mind during It all started rather hesitantly but now themselves. That is why we would like to keep “In some respects, students can be very alone. outnumbered. With every initiative, the the forthcoming shale gas discussion. So we can’t meet the demand. Not that all the organisation as flat as possible. The biggest conservative. But you still have to convince ‘Slochteren’ is a fine example of the gaping use of any new technology, or indeed a new should an ‘idiot’ submit a theory that seems the lectures included are good enough to advantage is that between the various boards of them. How I do that? With a lot of talking. use of an old one, there is always someone even shakier than the soil in Groningen, publicise but the lecturers are practising directors we can develop policies for the whole I don’t have a hidden agenda. Students may predicting Armageddon. Get used to it. remember: That ‘idiot’ might just be right. and improving. Research is now very highly university. Take ICT for example: when I first know where I’m headed. I am apparently Politicians, governments, scientists and valued internationally. The same cannot yet came here there was a firewall between this able to include them in the puzzles we face engineers had all better get used to it. If only be said of lecturers but they will soon have building (3mE, ed.) and CEG if you wanted to as Board. Students on the Student Council for the fact that in most cases there is at to fight international competition with very send a mail. Now we have one, open system. are exempted for a year so they can bombard least an element of truth in their warnings. good online material. It places lectureship in The professionalism, speed and reliability are you with questions. This has sometimes led The awareness of this should be the first a different light altogether, lecturers need to tremendous. The same applies to finances and to heated discussions, sometimes even to a

create a different kind of added value.” education. The cohesion within and between dispute. I value their contribution. They know Rentmeester Sam Photo: the services has grown tremendously. Of course, the organisation, they gather information there were several teething problems initially.” which we would not otherwise be able to Under construction obtain. They spot any bottlenecks sooner.”

What do you consider the highlight of your time at TU Delft? “The rise in the number of students and education being enlivened. The move to set up an independent department of Education and Student Affairs was a very good one. That was part of the OOD. This generated many incentives. The appointment of Directors of Education, one for each faculty, also helped. These eight directors can reach decisions and compromises far more easily than the room full of Directors of Studies that we used to have. It has led to more coherence with regard to assessment policy, timetables, regulation and educational renewal. There is a firm Who is Paul Rullmann? conviction that collectivity will help us more than division.” After leaving secondary school Paul Rullmann, born in The Hague in 1948, went to study pharmacy. Disappointed with this study, he And what was the lowest ebb? switched to sociology. Rullmann taught in higher education and held “The NRC affair (a series of articles in NRC several management positions at the Haarlem University of Applied Handelsblad about claims by the Executive Sciences. Between 1990 and 1995 he worked as policy officer with the Board and the financial situation of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. Rullmann university). I felt it was discourteous and was then returned to Haarlem University of Applied Sciences. Among other shocked that a journalist could arrange the things he was Secretary to the Executive Board (EB) and was appointed facts in such a way with the intent of harming member of the EB in 2000. When the university of applied sciences y ou .” was incorporated into the Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Photo: Sam Rentmeester Rentmeester Sam Photo: Rullmann moved to Delft in 2002. His function as third member of the Are you looking forward to your retirement or EB entailed various secondary activities. Among other things, he was worried you won’t know what to do? The most technologically advanced tram line in the Netherlands is to be built here. Worried about the magnetic field that the tram´s 1000 amps DC a Board Member of Studielink, Board Member of Studiekeuze 123 and “I would like to remain active in committees would generate, the executive board examined measures to prevent diffuse fields. Prof. Lou van der Sluis (EEMCS) and Prof. Pieter Kruit (Applied Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Academic Transfer. or boards but it will be lovely to have more Sciences) found a solution and patented it. In the Mekel Park the electricity supply for the overhead wire is underground to minimise the loop between time for things like music and sport.” the feed and return current. Between every two conductors the overhead wire is fed from two directions.

12 13 Science

1. Rafaela Hillerbrand ‘The degree to which (associate professor at TBM) Nationality: German 5. Nuria Llombart women lay behind Researching: the philosophy of science and technology. (associate professor at EEMCS) Examples of Hillerbrand’s work are computer simulations Nationality: Spanish is so great that of everyday scientific and engineering practice. She is Researching: how the number of photons that also working on uncertainty in climate models and the end up in the detectors of teraherzt antennae can giving them a helping relationship between energy-related technology and be maximised. That increases the sensitivity of the (social) life cycle assessment. antennae, which can be used in space and for security hand is a matter of purposes, to detect weapons for example. TEN 2. Wioletta Ruszel necessity’ (assistant professor at EEMCS) 6. Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam Nationality: Polish; grew up in Germany (assistant professor at AS) Researching: as a mathematician, Ruszel is creating Nationality: Canadian 8. Heike Vallery (assistant professor at 3mE) leading ladies models of processes on random structures at the Researching: the movement of proteins in Nationality: German fundamental level, such as the communication between membranes. “Important processes take place in Researching: robots that can help people walk neurons in the brain. membranes. The toxins from bacteria are transported and that do so in as unobtrusive a way as possible. through membranes by passing proteins. This is how For example, Vallery is researching a device that 3. Philomena Bluyssen toxins are injected into our cells. If we can understand helps people retain their balance. The device should A case of discrimination or not? That was the question asked when (full professor at Architecture) how that works, we can use the same strategy for preferably fit into a rucksack and only start working if Nationality: Dutch introducing medication into cells. There are always new when people are at risk of falling. TU Delft announced that it was going to look for talented women: Researching: the quality of the indoor environment in methods needed for doing this.” scientists who would get the chance of a tenure track in Delft in order buildings and the possibilities of improving it by taking 9. Elisa Giaccardi (full professor at IDE) the wishes and needs of users as her starting point. 7. Hayley Hung (assistant professor at EEMCS) Nationality: Italian to accelerate their careers – the aim being to raise the dismally low Nationality: British; her parents come from Hong Kong Researching: One of the projects Giaccardi is now 4. Maria Santofimia (assistant professor at 3mE) Researching: how machines can be used to understand working on is with Volkswagen, the aim being to design number of female researchers in Delft. Nationality: Spanish human behaviour. Hung talks to architects about positive a shared car in which users can leave their personal Researching: the characteristics of metals at a behaviour and well-being in public spaces. How can stories so that the car connects people. Saskia Bonger fundamental level. “At the micro-level, metal consists machines identify and affect particular types of behaviour of different components. I am conducting research without eavesdropping? Miren Vizcaino (assistant professor at CEG) into how these components are formed and how they (not in the picture, starting on 1 March 2013) influence the characteristics of a metal.” Nationality: Spanish In 2012, women accounted for 24 per cent Researching: the relationship between continent-sized of all assistant professors, eleven per cent of glaciers and the climate. Vizcaino would like to ensure all associate professors, and eleven per cent that these ice caps become a standard part of of full professors. The TU Delft scores in this climate models, as the water area are notoriously low. melting off them will cause sea This was ultimately the reason that the levels to rise. Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (the former Dutch Equal Treatment Commission) ruled that TU Delft was not discriminating illegally when recruiting for the fellowship. The ruling was in response to a complaint. In practice, the degree to which women lag behind is so great that giving them a helping hand is a matter of necessity. Of the ten women who have now been appointed, two are full professors, two are associate professors, and six are assistant professors. They are spread across seven faculties, all except Aerospace Engineering. As well as their salaries, they will be receiving three hundred thousand, two hundred thousand, and one hundred thousand euros respectively to set up their research projects. Two-thirds of the costs of the fellowship are being paid by the Executive Board, with the remainder being made up by the faculties to which the scientists have been appointed. Depending on the level at which they enter, the university will be making between 10.5 and 14 million euros available for a total of twenty fellowship participants. Another ten (at the most) female scientists will be

appointed to the fellowship in 2014. Rentmeester Sam Photo’s:

6 8 5 7 2 3 4 9 14 1 Science Dora will watch over you

A black box, but then in the operating room. Meet the digital surgical assistant Dora. TU Delft is developing the system together with hospitals and businesses in the province of Zuid-Holland. “We can learn a lot from aviation.” Jos Wassink

16 17 Photos: Hans Stakelbeek Science

‘How much longer does Mother have to wait?’

In the Rotterdam Eye Hospital, it is not the duration of the treatment that varies as much as the patients’ waiting time. “One might be treated within five minutes while another has to wait an hour and a half to even be seen” Safety & Quality advisor Dr Dirk de Korne says, summarising the problem. As measure- ment is the initial source of knowledge, Foto: Sam Rentmeester Foto: the Eye Hospital has implemented a From left to right: wristband; lead through with color detector; RFID chip equipment; iPad. Dr. John van der Dobbelsteen: “Two minutes work for fifty percent fewer faults”. patient monitoring system. Upon arrival, every surgical patient (of which there are 14 thousand a year) is given a wrist- Dora is the ultimate Big Brother machine in gall bladder. In 86 percent of the operations which is received by the central system. This band with an RFID chip, which registers the operating room. She monitors patients ‘Doctors tend not to report there were one or more ‘incidents’ with is how Dora knows which piece of equipment his or her location in the hospital. This from the moment they come in. She films the medical equipment and in 45 percent of the is where. All being well Dora should soon enables family members accompanying operation, registers the instruments used and mistakes for fear of legal action’ operations equipment was unavailable or not also know which operation is scheduled and the patients to see where they are (still identifies the equipment. Big Sister doesn’t set up properly. which equipment is required. She also knows in OR or has the operation finished?), miss a thing. But what about the patients’ the Dutch Public Prosecution Service every the fact that equipment sometimes doesn’t “But if you asked the operating room staff the maintenance status of all the equipment. nurses can prepare their patients in good privacy? year. work optimally and consider the fact that about this, they hadn’t noticed anything”, Dora will only display a green light on the time, and many annoying telephone Funnily enough, initial trials reveal that The remaining 1700 cases are apparently operations take longer than scheduled explains head of the Dora research project iPad on the wall if all the equipment present calls can be avoided. Over the coming patients are less interested in their privacy not reported. “Doctors tend not to report as inevitable as autumn rains. Dora is an Dr John van den Dobbelsteen, of the is in correct working order. “In theory, period, data analysis conducted by TU than in correct and safe treatment. Staff, mistakes for fear of legal action”, observes attempt to improve through registration and Biomechanical Engineering department of the operator is responsible for checking Delft researcher Dr Linda Wauben should on the other hand, are worried about the Frans Hiddema, CEO of the Rotterdam Eye transparency. the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and that the equipment is in correct working reveal how waiting time can be made consequences of registering medical mishaps. Hospital. He would nevertheless prefer to Materials Engineering (3mE). “They are that order”, Blok says, “but in practice he really more uniform and reduced. Research reveals that 1900 people die in have all operations video recorded. Checklist used to incidents with equipment.” doesn’t go round checking all the equipment Besides aiming to improve efficiency and Dutch hospitals every year as a result of Contrary to the aviation sector, where no The findings of the then trainee surgeon Emiel Verdaasdonk compiled a checklist and stickers himself. Now all he has to do patient safety, Dora also raises questions ‘avoidable medical errors’. Errors involving stone is left unturned to find the cause Dr Emiel Verdaasdonk were the starting to be used before an operation commences is check whether Dora displays a green about protection of the privacy of both wrong medication, faulty equipment and of an accident, mistakes in the operating point for the Dora project. In 2006 he had to check that all equipment is available and light.” Reporting faults has also been much patients and practitioners. As was evi- hygiene errors, for example. Over 200 cases of room are still often covered up. In this fairly conducted an observation study into the in full working order. A tried and tested simplified and standardised. dent during the working conference on unnatural death in hospitals are reported to closed culture people have grown used to practice of keyhole surgery to remove the method applied in aviation. “Two minutes The system was implemented in part of the Improving Operation Processes at Yes- work for fifty percent fewer faults”, Van den hospital in October. “There were a hundred Delft on 27 September. The conference Dobbelsteen summarises the effect of the list. teething problems,” Guedon says smiling, called for more transparency by means There was nevertheless some opposition to “but at least it is being used.” Asked when of systematic data collection, better ana- ‘The patient has been in the corridor for an hour’ the checklist. Some felt it was for dummies the implementation would be a success, they lysis of the data collected and feedback while others felt there was nothing hi-tech both answer: “When we receive lots of fault of the findings to the practitioners. Just as with imperfect equipment, automatically monitors the progress a microphone. The camera detects duration. Add the signals from about ticking off a checklist with a pencil. reports.” Director Hiddema (the Eye Hospital) many hospital staff consider ope- of the operation and dynamically the blue cloth covers – indicating the camera, light sensor and Was there no alternative? expects more transparency in the OR to ration schedules running late an predicts how much longer it will that an operation is in progress. microphone and predictions will be Partners in the Dora project are the LUMC, coincide with the emergence of a diffe- inevitable natural phenomenon. This last.” The light sensors register coloured even more accurate, Blikkendaal ‘Have you seen the coagulation machine?’ Reinier de Graaf Groep, Bronovo Hospital, rent kind of doctor: a team player rather does not apply for gynaecologist A system like that would be a bles- bands round the handles of the expects. An automated checklist is indeed under Rotterdam Eye Hospital, TU Delft, Ayton, than a soloist. Quality advisor De Korne Prof. Frank Willem Jansen (LUMC) sing for the wards and patients, instruments used for the keyhole Trials during which Dora will run development in the Reinier de Graaf hospital Sense IT, Jalaco, NewCompliance, LogiSense, does not expect more openness until and information scientist Dr Loubna who could see when it’s their turn surgery; forceps, needle holder and simultaneously with the operating in Delft. Clinical physicist Dr Joleen Blok is MediShield, Accenda, PRSD Studio, Cofely, surgeons no longer have to fear claims Bouarfa, who recently obtained her by looking at a board. It could al- scissors each have their own colour room planning are due to begin in collaborating with TU researcher Annetje LogiMedical and Repoint. The total budget is or criminal proceedings. “The Dutch Pu- PhD. “Hospital planning systems are leviate the complex planning system code. And the microphone registers the middle of next year. These will Guedon (3mE) and the company Double 3.6 million euros over a period of two years. blic Prosecution Service wants to blame extremely basic”, Bouarfa concludes and put an end to annoying phone bleeps that are specific to the use reveal whether Dora predicts the Sense to develop a system that uses radio Half of this is to be funded by the partners, the someone but, for us, the question is not in her doctoral thesis Recognizing calls because everyone could see of a needle holder or coagulation duration of an operation more accu- chips (RFIDs) to check whether all necessary other half by the province of Zuid-Holland. who was wrong but what went wrong.” surgical patterns. “Practical data are who should be where. forceps (to coagulate the blood). rately than the current system. equipment is available. For the purpose of the Hiddema feels medics should follow the not used to adjust the system and However, automatically determining Based purely on the type of ope- test a hundred pieces of equipment, including example of the aviation sector, which, in thus improve the efficiency of the the stage of an operation is by no ration and basic patient data (age, anaesthetic equipment, laparoscopy towers, the event of an accident, gives priority system from the field.” means simple. Doctor-researcher weight, gender) a system developed lasers and pumps have been fitted with an to the Dutch Safety Board rather than Jansen puts it slightly differently: Mathijs Blikkendaal (LUMC) ex- by Bouarfa can predict the end time active RFID the size of a pillbox. It contains criminal law. “What we’d like is a Sat Nav in the plains how they plan to do this of an operation 12-18 minutes more a registration button, a motion detector and operating room, so to speak, that using a camera, light sensors and accurately compared to the average a red LED light. If the piece of equipment is moved the RFID transmits a presence signal

18 19

Brand new building Faculty Applied Sciences Images: Ector Hoogstad Architects Hoogstad Ector Images:

Around 800 students, 30 professors and stories. Above these will be a fourth floor Green space is provided in the form of some 600 other staff from bionanoscience, containing installations/plant. a roof garden and two patios containing chemical engineering and biotechnology The building will contain extra-high, courtyard gardens, and the building will be will be moving to a brand-new building on vibration-free laboratories, fermentations set in park-like surroundings in line with Kluyverweg at the end of 2015. labs, chemistry labs and practicum rooms the TU Delft campus. Kluyverweg itself will Construction is to start in September with lots of fume cupboards, as well as be car-free, but there will be 270 parking and must be completed exactly two teaching and meeting rooms, offices, spaces. (SB) years later. The building will have a floor project rooms, two studio classrooms space of 30,000 m2, spread across three and a faculty meeting room.

20 21 Hora Est The View Since you asked No to demolition - Money for Stellingen Stelling Physics is not more real than your faith Commercial journals are death to science. Yes to schools Groningen in it. Taeke de Jong, building engineer Deprived neighbourhoods don’t have to disappear if Now reports have revealed that the frequency Ciprian Padudariu, physics engineer Defence Maarten van Ham, Professor of Urban Development, has and intensity of earthquakes in the gas fields of Open access publishing costs money but anything to say about it. “There will always be poverty and Noordoost-Groningen will increase, compensation “The commercialisation of science leads to abuse. Truth is now for sale, and this is not poor people have to live somewhere too.” has been promised. What is at stake? is not expensive. how it should be. There is no copyright on the truth. Gerard Ignaz, water engineer The internet was invented by universities, so why should we now have to pay publishers? Maarten van Ham received a lot of media attention after delivering his Gas mining has increased from 20 billion cubic metres natural We can disseminate truth free of charge via websites. inaugural speech in December 2012. His message: it doesn’t matter gas in 2000 to 47 billion cubic metres in 2012 (income for If one wanats to track frogs in Brazil, And are the peers who review the articles to be trusted? You just don’t know. Personally that poor people live with poor people and the rich live with the the Treasury: 11.5 billion euro). Simultaneously, the number courage is the prerequisite. speaking, I am not impressed. It is better to have open discussions about articles. You rich. As far as Van Ham is concerned, the government should stop of earthquakes in the area rose from 4 to 28 a year and Geisa Evaristo, biotechnological engineer can do this via the internet. Discussions are lacking in journals, there is no debate. demolishing cheaper homes to replace them with expensive ones, and intensity increased significantly to 3.9 on the Richter scale in Moreover, journal publishers are very slow, and as they sometimes have trouble filling tackle the actual poverty. August 2012. Last month the NAM (Netherlands oil and gas According to Van Ham, people don’t even want to live in a mixed Science is similar to a religion. It’s not their pages, they pad them out with phantom articles: recapitulations containing endless company) acknowledged responsibility and agreed to reserve living environment, they prefer to be surrounded by ‘like-minded citations from others.” 100 million euros. Groningen demanded that one billion euros only about belief, but also about the way people’. There will consequently always be neighbourhoods with be reserved. Is it time to break with trend? to collect money. relatively large concentrations of poor people. “It is impossible and Professor of Geophysics and former rector, Prof. Jacob Haining An, physics engineer indeed unnecessary to permanently oppose segregation. Mixing Fokkema (Applied Sciences), puts pen to paper and says: “It is people would require constant intervention from the government, very simple. Beneath the strata of the Earth´s crust are porous because ‘unmixing’ seems to be a natural given. So studies reveal.” Research without basic questions leads to Soundbites Furthermore, Van Ham continues, there will always be poverty. “Poor layers. This is where the gas is, under high pressure, but it is a lot of publications. people have to live somewhere too. Mixed living won’t help combat recovered and sold. The rock consequently loses its strength, Arjan Oudshoorn, phisics engineer “In the event of such extreme storms, dikes breach at numerous locations. If you wait until then poverty and towns need cheaper neighbourhoods. The government causing it to subside slightly. That in itself is not a problem. to evacuate, it will be too late. Because then everyone will want to get away. How many people live has an important task in ensuring that every neighbourhood is clean At the edge of the reservoir however, are different strata, between which tension builds up. At a given point in time, The vegetarian knows more about meat in the Randstad conurbation, 7 million? There you are, caught up in a traffic jam, and the water is and safe and that there are adequate and easily accessible amenities. Stop all that levelling out, taking money from the rich to give to the this is suddenly released as an earthquake, the scale of which than the meat eater. approaching. Would you want to stay there all night, up to your waist in water, at a temperature of 4 degrees, with a child on your arm?’ […] It’s best to quickly move to a higher spot.” poor. Try investing in the future. A far better way of helping people depends on the size of the area that moved. That´s all it is.” Jodi Kooijman, mechanical engineer Hydraulic engineer Dr Olivier Hoes in newspaper AD in connection with the computer model he in deprived situations is by providing good education. In terms of He won´t risk making a prediction, but he does know: “As long co-developed to show how flooding occurs in the Netherlands. investments in education, the Netherlands is lagging far behind.” as you keep mining gas, you will keep removing the pressure Designers overestimate the value of So is it all a matter of what the government invests in? “No, it also from rocks and irritating the Earth´s crust.” intuition. Scientists overestimate the “And if you look at what happens in the rest of the world, such as the Japanese tsunami, and the reflects consumer mentality in general. They perhaps have no choice, TV cameras zoom in on cracks in walls, but professor value of the scientific method. floods in Thailand, New Orleans or New York, it is naïve to think it won’t happen here.” but in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, citizens emeritus of safety science Ben Ale (Technology, Policy and Bas Jonkman, Professor of Integrated Hydraulic Engineering in NRC Handelsblad. take far more initiative without pressure from the Management), has identified an entirely different problem: Thomas Visser, design engineer government. In the Netherlands we have a strong “One hundred million is for earthquakes but the risk to dikes “In the long term, the economy can only grow if more people are in employment or by generating tendency to make everything the government’s is also considerable. The earthquakes are causing them to Cars with an ‘eco’ badge are a form of more added value per hour, more productivity. If you obstruct that, then you’re just asking for a responsibility. I think the government should subside. Amazing how a minister can warn that the greatest postindustrial sarcasm. continuously tight labour market. That is ultimately unsustainable. No wage restraint policy can step back regarding the manipulability of risk the Netherlands faces is flooding and then, just two A. Janszen, mining engineer prevent that.” neighbourhoods. The manipulability concept is days later, make light of the fact the dykes are subsiding Alfred Kleinknecht, Professor of Safety Science and Disaster Abatement in Het Parool. unsustainable, people are free souls.” as a result of the gas mining. As regards compensating the The government’s prime challenge, in Van Ham’s damage, damage to houses would remain within reasonable opinion, is to take the edge off the market boundaries. The damage to the dikes would be cause for much processes in the housing market. Anyone greater concern, however.” who thinks the VVD (Dutch Liberal Party) is If the Netherlands The National Mines Inspectorate report states that halving right up Van Ham’s street, is mistaken. He sees the production would also reduce the risk of a more powerful absolutely nothing in that party’s proposal to wants to grow quake (force 3.9 or more) by half. The risk would be reduced, introduce purchase options for social tenants. but not removed. It would only be reduced to a minimum That would enable sitting tenants to buy their into an innovation if production was cut to a quarter of the current volume(to social property. “The same thing happened in economy, the Great Britain. There, only the better houses 12 billion cubic metres/year). Such a reduction is beyond in the better locations were sold. It made the discussion so money is reserved for compensation. culture has to neighbourhoods more difficult to manage, Safety expert Dr Coen van Gulijk (TPM) responds: “Now it concentrations formed of real poverty in places has been decided not to stop the gas mining, and the KNMI where this was not wanted and there was a says that more powerful earthquakes can be expected, further change from shortage of social housing. Social housing really research into the risks should be conducted. Risk prediction did become the drain. models should be used to gauge the consequences for houses targeting good We shouldn’t want that and dykes in the area. Risk analysis will offer insight into here, that’s doesn’t what the money can best be spent on: improving the seismic enough to best rhyme with performance of houses, buying people out, compensating the Netherlands.” (SB) residents for unsellable homes or reinforcing the sea dike.” achievable. Such an assessment should also establish what would be a realistic compensatory sum: 100 million, a billion, or possibly Jeroen Zaal, materials engineer even more. (JW) Foto: Sam Rentmeester Sam Foto:

22 23 In Person The Firm After Delft

Making money Name: Jan-Paul van Staalduinen (32) It is her duty to closely monitor the day- She has been advocating it for years: take Town : Den Hoorn to-day functioning of TU Delft; Laetitia emotions seriously in decision-making out of freezing Marital status: Single Smits van Oyen, MBA has been appointed processes regarding high-risk technology. Position: Alderman Economic Affairs municipality of Midden- member of TU Delft’s Supervisory Board. She Professor of philosophy Sabine Roeser held graduated from the Faculty of Architecture her inaugural address on Friday, 8 February. Delfland in 1984 and spent the next 25 years working Her hypothesis: emotions bring important Part-time job: Volunteer trainer and steering group member with as an independent entrepreneur and for moral viewpoints and moral positions to the the Haya van Somerenstichting, the VVD’s training institute organisations. Ms Smits van Oyen will succeed surface. Merel van Vroonhoven. Working week: 50 to 60 hours Salary: 5553 euro gross in the case of a full-time appointment

The European Union has awarded a Marie The underground ecosystem can prove useful Van Staalduinen opted for SEPAM, specialising in ICT, and graduated Curie scholarship to Dr Phil Vardon, assistant during numerous socially relevant activities, in 2004. He got a job straight away at the TU Delft as an ICT jack-of- professor of geosciences (CEG). Vardon will professor Timo Heimovaara stated during his all-trades in relation to teaching and with the Department for Technical receive a hundred thousand euros to research inaugural address on 1 February. The professor Support (DTO). the long-term effects of climate change on the of geo-environmental technology conducts After eighteen months he became a consultant with ICT company Photo: Sam Rentmeester Sam Photo: geotechnical infrastructure. research into ways to utilise biological Unisys. But: “After five months I suddenly resigned. They kept pushing processes underground for geo-technical and me more and more towards programming, that’s not what I was brought civil engineering applications, among others. The entrepreneurial spirit that won Geert-Jan Witkamp the in for.” Entrepreneurial Scientist Award is unlikely to make him rich. Until Van Staalduinen was appointed ICT strategy consultant with The company EFCseparations, where he is chief technology Verdonk, Klooster and Associates in May 2006, he had an abundance of time for the election campaign. That was lucky as he had just been made officer, is owned by TU Delft. An ideal situation for the TU Delft has a foot in the government’s NWO has awarded a Vici grant of 1.5 million party leader for the VVD (Dutch Liberal Party) in the municipality of professor of process equipment, because now he can spend doorway. As of 1 January professor of process euros to Dr Eelco Visser. He is currently Midden-Delfland. Not bad for someone who had only joined the VVD & energy systems engineering Margot researching programming languages at the plenty of time on his research. in 2003. Weijnen (TPM) has been appointed member Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics “When general elections were set in 2006 and our party leader was of the Scientific Council for Government and Computer Science. With the Vici project It is not very inviting: the building of Mechanical Engineering for Process planning to move house, the party asked me to be her successor. I said Policy [Wetenschappelijke Raad voor het ‘The Language Designer’s Workbench’ Visser Technology, which looks more like an inverted bathtub. At the door a ‘yes’ the next day.” Regeringsbeleid]. The appointment will run hopes to enable computer language developers half-frozen smoker, just inside an empty hall. “It’s easiest if you ring when So there I stood, totally inexperienced, facing party leaders with years of until 31 December 2017. to detect any reference errors at an early stage. you get here”, Witkamp had written in his mail. After that telephone experience. “During a few debates I took several knocks. Politics is a skill call, wearing coats and rucksacks, we go into the lab, where the four staff in itself. It takes practice and insight.” members of EFCseparations spend much of their time. Besides politics, his ‘day-to-day life’ went on as usual. At Verdonk, The scientist who won the prestigious Dow Energy Award in 2011, Klooster and n Associates, Van Staalduinen really was ‘thrown in at the who conducted ground-breaking research that led to several spin-off deep end’. “I’ve been to all the ministries and many universities, doing ‘Out of nothing’ is the theme that Spinvis During the Dies Natalis ceremony, TU Delft companies, and who in December 2012 received the Entrepreneurial policy-related and advisory work. Extremely educational.” In 2008 he has chosen as new cultural professor. He was presented an honorary doctorate to Professor Scientist Award from incubator YesDelft and the TU Valorisation Centre happened to be at TU Delft. “When I walked into the room of my thesis inspired by the work of the French postman Avelino Corma of the Spanish Instituto de turns out to be a modest man who talks about his profession with passion. professor, the first thing he said was: ‘Do you fancy a PhD position?’. Ferdinand Cheval who, in 33 years, built an Tecnologia Quimica. The Spaniard specialises We stop at a test setup of Witkamp´s most important work, a crystalliser Several meetings later it was clear to me that I would feel most at home in heterogeneous catalysis, a form of catalysis entire palace of the materials he found on his used for the energy-efficient purification of industrial freezing solutions, in systems engineering, because I wanted to do something with gaming widely used in the chemical and petrochemical daily postal round. Spinvis will deliver his or eutectic freeze crystallization. This technology proved to work so well in education.” industries. inaugural address on 15 March; on 7 June, That vague definition meant Van Staalduinen often had to fend for together with his students, he will present the that Witkamp set up EFCseparations in 2009. TU Delft is the owner, result of his master class. the Valorisation Centre takes care of the management, and Witkamp is himself during the first year. “I regularly asked myself: what the hell am the CTO (chief technology officer). This means that he can work on the I doing? I didn’t know where to start, but after eighteen months I’d got fundamental aspects, although this is by no means always lab work. “I do the research study up and running and I was enjoying it so much that I a great deal with regard to acquisitions, recruit staff, seek to create value. I didn’t just go to work smiling, I’d be laughing hysterically, so to speak.” see myself as an entrepreneur.” Van Staalduinen obtained his PhD in October 2012 and now he is an alderman. He has plans for considerable spending cuts. “Continuing to Anything from reporting loose cycle path ‘Families depend on this company’ deliver a quality service with fewer and fewer resources will be extremely paving to submitting online tax declarations; challenging.” He expects that everything he learned at SEPAM will be information technology can lead to 2013 will be an important year for EFC. “We hope to find a launching very useful. “I have been benefiting from the political management improved government services. This is customer this year for a large installation. Until now, companies have only aspects of my degree programme for years.” (SB) the theme of research conducted by Prof. ordered test equipment or have us perform the testing. Luckily we have the Marijn Janssen of the Faculty of Technology, TU behind us so we have more staying power than an ‘ordinary’ company.” Policy and Management. The Executive All the research projects relating to eutectic freezing have involved a total Board has appointed him Antoni van sum of seven million euros, money from the business community. Large Leeuwenhoek professor. Prof. Ronald Hanson (1976), of the Kavli investments were needed for installations, one of which can be hoisted Institute for Nanoscience, has also been onto a truck so it can go to companies to purify industrial waste water. appointed Antoni van Leeuwenhoek The company employs four people and plans to employ two more in the professor. Another reason to celebrate: the foreseeable future. “Families depend on this company, Witkamp says, not researcher specialising in quantum effects is without pride. third on the list of most frequently quoted It doesn’t bother the man with twenty patents to his name in the slightest Dutch scientists recently published by the that his company hasn’t yet made a huge profit. “We do break even now, in newspaper de Volkskrant. terms of out-of-pocket expenses, that is, and not those 7 million. In that case we have a positive balance of ten thousand euros.” That amount could Photo: Sam Rentmeester Sam Photo: increase very quickly if they could secure that large customer. (SB)

24 25 Alumni World

UfD-TBI Internship Fund TU Delft alumni in 107 ‘Recognition for your work’ countries – World of Alumni The UfD-TBI Internship Fund, a collaboration between the Delft University In 2010 Vera Kreuwels (Architecture) Fund and TBI Holdings BV, makes it possible for students to fund a Since 2010 the alumni website has won second prize in the UfD-Strukton challenging (international) internship. TBI provides the financial resources included the ‘World of Alumni’. This is Master Awards, which rewards graduation for this. an interactive map of the world, clearly projects based on their ability to empa- indicating where all the TU Delft alumni thise, sense of initiative, innovativeness

Thanks to this fund, a growing number of students can receive a grant. The internship fund was are. The map currently shows some 40,000 and CO2 reduction. She researched the established on 1 January 2012 for a duration of five years. During this period TBI will annually alumni, spread all over the world. Shown possibilities of planning sustainable pay a sum of 13,500 euros into the fund. Applications submitted by students will be considered per country and per degree programme. temporary accommodation in the form by the Implementation Committee of the Delft University Fund (UfD), which also decides on the In addition, nearly 350 alumni have of tent villages. award of grants. The need among students for an internship fund was confirmed by the number of registered as contact person. Because applications, 37 of which were awarded. In November, the students concerned were invited to share they’d like to stay in contact with fellow The idea was conceived while setting up the their internship experiences and to meet TBI staff. During this well-attended meeting, it was again alumni. Or because they’d like to help site for the First-Year Introduction Week evident that the students very much appreciated this initiative. other students. (Owee). Kreuwels realised that the temporary tent constructions being erected there were Top 10 countries with the most alumni not sustainable but did have the potential for Country Alumni longer term sustainable use. From temporary

edX: online free courses of MIT, The Netherlands 36184 settlements, such as those in slums and disaster Kreuwels Vera Photo: United States of America 440 areas, she arrived at the more urban problem of Vera Kreuwels in Haiti. Harvard and TU Delft Belgium 429 the homeless in Seattle. Kreuwels was surprised Germany 267 to be one of the winners: “My graduation planner. She soon noticed that the disaster had people do recognise and appreciate my work, TU Delft is to offer courses as ‘Massive Open Great Britain 262 project had nothing whatsoever to do with worsened the problems in Haiti, especially in both in the academic world and in the business Online Courses’ (MOOCs) on edX. EdX is Indonesia 218 civil building engineering, Strukton’s field; it the slums. Besides new houses, the residents community. So if you take a chance that doesn’t a non-profit platform for online education France 200 was about social sustainability. This proved to wanted neighbourhood improvement. She pay off straight away, it could still prove fruitful through which MIT, Harvard and others, Switzerland 146 appeal to the jury.” was involved in urban planning, elementary later. The nice thing about awarding prizes make a range of courses accessible to anyone, Canada 97 Immediately after graduating Kreuwels was infrastructure, permanent tailored housing and from the University Fund is that it spotlights anywhere in the world, who has access to Spain 96 offered a position with Cordaid in the natural sanitation facilities. students for their achievements. The award internet. The free courses are open to everyone, disaster struck Haiti. She would emigrate for After eighteen months, she had finished her also looks very good on my résumé. I operate without prior education or entry examination. on these courses will be posted on edX: in However, alumni can be found in six months. The UfD-Strukton Master Award work with Cordaid. Kreuwels didn’t think in an international context and our university In the coming academic year, TU Delft will get addition to video recordings, course material practically every corner of the globe, in carried a prize of 2,500 euros, which was very twice when fellow organisation Care offered is highly valued here, also by people from MIT started on its first MOOCs: Water Treatment and trial examinations. MOOCs will be taught 107 different countries. useful. Kreuwels: “As I had a job and didn’t have her a similar position as Program Manager and Berkeley. An UfD-Strukton Master Award Engineering, Solar Energy and Introduction to just like courses on the campus: in a fixed If you would like to know more about to set up my own business, I was able to invest Neighbourhoods, once again in Haïti. Kreuwels: second laureate goes down very well with all Aerospace Engineering. The complete material period of eight weeks and with opportunities where the TU Delft alumni are or you the prize money in a new computer and camera. “I went for six months. We’re now two years on Americans.” for interaction between fellow participants. The would like to be a contact person, visit That would come in very handy in Haiti.” and I’m happy to go back.” modules come with homework and a certificate www.worldofalumni.tudelft.nl. Kreuwels is still pleased she submitted her Would you like to support TU students? of participation may be issued by the DelftX on Neighbourhood improvement thesis for the UfD-Strukton Master Award. “Not Please contribute as a ‘Friend of TU Delft’, completion. EdX recently announced that MIT- With Cordaid, Kreuwels worked on the all the lecturers appreciated the scope I chose universiteitsfonds.tudelft.nl. professor and TU Delft alumnus Walter Lewin earthquake reconstruction programme as urban for my graduation project. Now it is clear that will also be adding a course.

Already courses like Quantum Mechanics, Alumni Activity Calendar Introduction of Computer Sciences and Details of a wide range of alumni activities organised by TU Delft, the More alumni news Programming and Artificial Intelligence are student societies and the faculties can be found on the website www. available on edX. www.edx.org. alumni.tudelft.nl. Below is a list of forthcoming events: • 21 March 2013: IDEA League Paris at • 23 March 2013: Alumni Day Mechanical Engineering Teacher training • 27 – 28 March 2013: IDE Masterclass Contextmapping alumni.tudelft.nl programmes in computer 50 years RID • 25 April 2013: Master Event TU Delft sciences, mathematics, • 26 April 2013: Reactor Institute Delft Alumni meeting • 4+5 April 2013: Open days for TU Delft BSc Programmes physics and chemistry This year, during a week of festivities Colofon in April, the Reactor Institute Delft Friends of TU Delft Can you get excited about explaining technology celebrates the 50th anniversary of the MKB Meet & Greet Alumni portal Become a ‘Friend of TU Delft’ and to someone? Do you enjoy working with young Hoger Onderwijs Reactor. Part of this support Talent, Technology and Our research and experience at the TU Delft Career Centre shows that www.alumniportal.tudelft.nl people and would you consider it a challenge to celebration is an open day for relations TU Delft with your contribution. students prefer working in dynamic, entrepreneurial organisations Changes of address introduce them to science and technology? Then and alumni of the Reactor Institute Delft. Subscribe or unsubscribe Account number: 22 68 50 471 and are looking to launch their career with an SME. However, getting perhaps you’d like to become a teacher and teach This day is all about highlights from the - e-mail newsletter Stichting UfD, mentioning to know this sector and its opportunities proves to be challenging. one of the sciences. The Master’s programme past, present and future. If you completed - alumni events “Friends” Reason for us to organise the ‘SME Meet & Greet’ allowing you to universiteitsfonds.tudelft.nl Science Education and Communication (teacher your MSc or PhD project at the Reactor present your organisation to our students, PhDs, and recent alumni training programme) leads to a qualification to Institute Delft, please take a minute to in an informal setting. We also offer an exclusive workshop on hiring Questions or suggestions? teach in upper secondary education. mark this afternoon and evening in your international talents who increasingly are part of our student body. [email protected] www.tulo.tudelft.nl , [email protected] or diary. More information can be found on For more information please visit tudelftcareercentre.nl/meetandgreet. Register with the Delft University (015) 2789111 come to the Master Event on 25 April. www.rid.tudelft.nl/50Highlights tudelftcareercentre.nl/meetandgreet of Technology Alumni group

26 27 (ADVERTENTIE)

who & where TU Delft Delft University of Technology has eight faculties, each of which is engaged in P.O. Box 139 education and research in one or more disciplines. The University was founded in 2600 AC Delft 1842 by King William II. With 13,000 students, 2,800 scientific staff members The Netherlands and 2,000 technical and administrative employees, it is the largest university of telephone +31-15 278 9111 technology in The Netherlands. telefax +31-15 278 6522

Disciplines Mechanical Engineering Netherlands Institute for Advanced School for Information Aerospace Engineering Mekelweg 2 Metals Research (NIMR) Computing & Imaging General information: Kluyverweg 1 nl-2628 cd Delft Mekelweg 2 Mekelweg 4 Information office nl-2629 HS Delft Telephone +31 15 278 6666 nl-2628 cd Delft nl-2628 cd Delft p.o. box 5 Telephone +31 15 278 2058 Telephone +31 15 278 2535 Telephone +31 15 278 8032 nl-2600 aa Delft Computer Science Fax +31 15 278 2591 Telephone +31 15 278 5404 Applied Earth Sciences Mekelweg 4 Trail Research School Mijnbouwst raat 120 nl- 2628 cd Delft Wind Energy Research Kluyverweg 4 Information on facilities for nl-2628 RX Delft Telephone +31 15 278 4568 Group p.o. box 5017 foreign students: Telephone +31 15 278 1423 Kluyverweg 1 nl- 2629 ht Delft Student Advisory Office Applied Mathematics nl-2629 hs Delft Telephone +31 15 278 6046 Jaffalaan 9a Applied Physics Mekelweg 4 Telephone +31 15 278 5170 nl-2628 bx Delft Lorentzweg 1 nl- 2628 cd Delft Central Library Telephone +31 15 278 4670 nl-2628 cj Delft Telephone +31 15 278 4568 Reactor Institute Delft Delft University of Technology Telephone +31 15 278 7774 Mekelweg 15 Library (dutl) supplies infor- Liaison between business Technology, Policy & nl-2629 jb Delft mation and provides services, and research: Architecture Management Telephone +31 15 278 5052 particularly in the area of the Liaison Office Berlageweg 1 Jaffalaan 5 technical sciences. Mekelweg 2 nl-2628 cr Delft nl-2628 bx Delft OTB Research Institute It comprises a central library nl-2628 bx Delft Telephone +31 15 278 4184 Telephone +31 15 278 7100 for Housing, Urban and and twelve sub-faculty libra- Telephone +31 15 278 1500 Mobility Studies ries housed at the respective Chemical Technology & Multidisciplinary Jaffalaan 9 sub-faculties and institutes. Information on research Bioprocess Technology Centres nl-2628 bx Delft The dutl is intended for fellowships: Julianalaan 136 Adhesion Institute Telephone +31 15 278 3005 students and staff at the Delft Mrs. M.Y.M. Spiekerman- nl-2628 bl Delft Kluyverweg 1 University of Technology. Middelplaats Telephone +31 15 278 2667 nl-2629 hs Delft Open Building Working However, as the task of the Stevinweg 1 Telephone +31 15 278 5353 group (obom) library is to provide scientific nl-2628 cn Delft Civil Engineering Berlageweg 1 and technical information at a Telephone +31 15 278 3773 Stevinweg 1 Biotechnological Sciences nl-2628 cr Delft national level, its facilities are nl-2628 cn Delft Delft Leiden (bsdl) Telephone +31 15 278 5400 also available to the general General information on univer- Telephone +31 15 278 5440 Julianalaan 67 public. As well as all areas of sity education in the nl-2628 bc Delft Delft Institute for Microe- technology and natural scien- Netherlands: electrical engineering Telephone +31 15 278 lectronics and Submicron- ces, the library also contains a Min. of Education, Mekelweg 4 5140/2342 technology (dimes) general collection in the social Science & Culture nl- 2628 cd Delft Feldmannweg 17 sciences, economics etc. Central Information Dpt. Telephone +31 15 278 4568 Centre for International nl-2628 ct Delft This relates not only to books p.o. box 16375 Co-operation and Telephone +31 15 278 3868 or periodicals, but also to nl-2500 bj Den Haag Geodetic Engineering Appropriate Technology standards, reports, reference Telephone +31 70 412 3456 Kluyverweg 1 (cicat) Interduct Delft University works and congress procee- nl-2629 hs Delft Mekelweg 2 Clean Technology Institute dings. (Post Graduate) Telephone +31 15 278 3289 nl-2628 cd Delft Rotterdamseweg 145 Literature not in the col- Courses Telephone +31 15 278 3612 nl-2628 al Delft lection or not on hand can Delft TopTech Industrial Design Telephone +31 15 278 7233 be obtained through Delft (vocational courses) Engineering Centre for Transportation University’s Central Library Mekelweg 2 Landbergstraat 15 Engineering J.M. Burgerscentrum from other libraries in the p.o. box 612 nl–2628 ce Delft Stevinweg 1 Centre for Fluid Mechanics Netherlands or abroad. nl–2600 ap Delft Telephone +31 15 278 4750 nl-2628 cn Delft Mekelweg 2 Telephone +31 15 278 8019 Telephone +31 15 278 6634 nl-2628 cd Delft For further information: Fax +31 15 278 1009 Life Science & Technology Telephone +31 15 278 3216 Delft University Central www.delft-toptech.nl Julianalaan 67 Dutch Institute of Systems Library 2628 bc Delft & Control (DISC) Netherlands Schools for Prometheusplein 1 Institute for Biotechnology Telephone +31 15 278 8271 Mekelweg 2 Advanced Studies in p.o. box 98 Studies Delft Leiden (bsdl) nl-2628 cd Delft Construction nl-2600 mg Delft Julianalaan 67 Marine Technology Telephone +31 15 278 7884 Stevinweg 1 Telephone +31 15 278 5678 nl-2628 bc Delft Mekelweg 2 nl-2628 cn Delft Telephone +31 15 278 2355 nl-2628 cd Delft Koiter Institute Delft Telephone +31 15 278 3332 Delft University Press Telephone +31 15 278 6666 (Institute for Engineering IOS Press For information on Mechanics) Nieuwe Hemweg 6B courses in the Dutch Materials Science Kluyverweg 1 nl-1013 bg Amsterdam language: Mekelweg 2 nl-2629 hs Delft www.iospress.nl Language Laboratory nl-2628 cd Delft Telephone +31 15 278 5460 Telephone +31 20 688 33 55 Jaffalaan 5 Telephone +31 15 278 6666 Fax +31 20 620 34 19 nl-2628 bz Delft E-mail [email protected] Telephone +31 15 278 4124