Money talks More accurate Lifelong learning than the KNMI Sixty percent of professors let Telecom mast signals are an Louise Fresco’s latest book funding influence research excellent rain gauge, researchers a plea for a broader academic agenda. | p.4 | discovered. | p.18 | mindset. | p.20 |

RESOURCEFor students and employees of Wageningen UR no 7 – 13 November 2014 – 9th Volume ‘I even get an adapted schedule’ Students with disabilities | p.12 2 >> labour of love >> PAULIEN + WOOD Paulien Adamse, Food Safety researcher at Rikilt

‘You have to get to know the wood’

Woodwork is what inspires her. The technical challenges posed by the wood. Its tangibility, its robustness – these things explain Paulien Adamse’s passion for wood. She loves weird-shaped tree stumps. ‘I’m not trying to express deep thoughts. The wood tells me what needs to happen.’ On view in the Forum library until the end of November. And at www.paulienadamse.nl RK / Photo: Guy Ackermans

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 PHOTO COVER: GUY ACKERMANS >>CONTENTS no 7 – 9th Volume

>> 10 >> 16 >> 24 SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA CLEAR-FELLING ON CAMPUS TOP HOCKEY What to do about this invasive Trees give way for new bus lane. Since their team’s promotion, Asian species? students play hockey at the top.

AND MORE... 2 Labour of love FOLLOWING THE MONEY folk For nearly 60 percent of Wageningen professors, financial feasibility is a deter- 4 News and opinion mining factor in their choice of research topic. This is what we read on Follow 8 Science the Money, a website for science journalism. Now, I am all in favour of critical 11 Resource.wur.nl journalistic investigations, but you should look at them critically too. Follow the 12 Features Money approached 180 professors, 48 of whom responded. That is 27 percent. A 16 In the picture basis for this conclusion? But leaving that aside, the question remains how terri- Bus lane ble it is for money to be a factor in deciding on research questions? Do give us 18 Features your views on the Resource website. Incidentally, Wageningen UR seems to be 22 IMO pretty good at ‘following the money’. We’ve managed to get the 67-billion-dollar Campus access man to the Netherlands: Bill Gates. Five coaches full of students (could have 24 Student been 50) will travel to The Hague to listen to the businessman whose mission is 29 Meanwhile in… to change the world. Could be interesting to look into why the generally unreach- Mexico able Gates is willing to come to the Netherlands for Wageningen UR? 32 Typical Dutch Nose Edwin van Laar

>> In search of biodiversity on campus. | p.8

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 4 >> news LESS AND LESS ROOM FOR CURIOSITY

external funding sources. It should • External funding increasingly be noted that this includes the EU determines research agenda. and the Dutch Organization for Sci- • More emphasis on practical entific Research (NWO) as well as applicability of research. the private sector. Bart Thomma, professor of Phy- topathology, is actually surprised by About 60 percent of Wageningen how low the number is. ‘I’d have ex- professors say the ease of finding pected more than 60 percent.’ funding determines what topics Thomma himself is also concerned they research, according to a survey about this issue. ‘It’s good that you by the journalistic platform Follow have to convince people of your ide- the Money. They sent a question- as, but we are now going too far.’ research. professors will start aiming at pro- naire to 180 professors, 48 of whom Funding organizations are in- Despite this, both Leeuwis and jects outside their field of expertise. completed it. Prompted by these creasingly giving priority to the Thomma still see opportunities to He admits that the relative growth findings, Resource spoke to some practical applicability of research. follow your own interests. ‘There is in contract research is putting more of the professors. Thomma has seen a shift in this di- room to go your own way within the pressure on researchers. But he Cees Leeuwis, professor of rection even in the course of his rel- financial boundaries,’ says Leeu- says that smart people who perform Knowledge, Technology and Inno- atively short career. ‘They never wis. Thomma even turns the whole good research are still finding fund- vation, is not surprised by the sur- used to ask about utilization when thing around. He comes up with a ing. ‘There will always be room for vey results. ‘There is definitely not you applied for NWO grants. Then research idea and then looks for curiosity-driven research. ‘And enough room for self-initiated ba- they had an optional section where funding. ‘You should proactively there will always be people calling sic research.’ Academic staff get on- you could discuss that. Then it be- work the market rather than wait for more room.’ RR ly 15 percent in structural funding, came mandatory but it didn’t count meekly.’ says Leeuwis. The rest they have to and now it has become really im- Johan van Arendonk, the Dean If you want to join in the debate on ‘earn’. Follow the Money provides portant.’ In addition, funding or- of Sciences, sees that in practice re- the future of basic research, search figures to support the argument ganizations are increasingly en- search quality determines who at- for ‘basic’ and ‘follow the money’ in that Wageningen University is be- couraging researchers to collabo- tracts grants. ‘A good focus is cru- Resource online and add your com- coming increasingly dependent on rate with companies even in basic cial there.’ So he is not afraid that ments.

CERES MEMBERS PICKED UP FOR KETCHUP INCIDENT

must be part of KSV. But when they to make sure that the situation was deal with the matter. Ceres says it • Sneaking into KSV building sneaked in, it turned out to be a dealt with correctly.’ He does not finds their behaviour irresponsible could have unpleasant private dwelling. The two students, think the situation called for a frat and has disassociated itself from consequences. who want to remain anonymous, solution: ‘We didn’t know what the action. NM • ‘We really regret this.’ decided this would be an opportu- motive the individuals had for nity for a prank. ‘Then we took a being in the house. The mess we ketchup bottle and smeared ket- found there didn’t exactly seem Last Thursday night, two Ceres chup all over the kitchen. But one like a reason for coming up with a members were picked up by the of the residents must have seen us ‘fun’ solution.’ Furthermore, he police after they had sneaked into because when we decided to leave, says, the door was not wide open at a KSV house and vandalized the the door was locked on the outsi- all. place with ketchup. The incident de. The police arrived at the door a On reflection, the two intruders took place after a public party at little later and before we knew it are not exactly happy with their be- KSV. According to their own ac- we’d been picked up.’ haviour. ‘We really regret this. We count, the perpetrators wanted to The chair of KSV was soon on had not expected that anyone enter the building but found the the scene. ‘The kitchen was would call the police. We’ve learnt door locked. ‘Then we thought per- smeared with a trail of ketchup our lesson.’ The incident could ha- haps we could get in through the over the walls and ceiling,’ he says ve unpleasant consequences for back. We found a door there that in an email. ‘As these individuals the two as KSV has filed an official was wide open.’ Because it was the were not entitled to enter the pre- report with the police for vanda- same building, the two thought it mises, we decided to call the police lism and is leaving the police to

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 news << 5

WUR COUNCIL WANTS NEW DEAL SOON Last week, a narrow majority of uni- file.’ Simon Vink, the Board spokes- lemate is holding back uncontrover- • Council addresses the on members rejected the ‘negotiati- man, says in response that it is a pity sial measures as well. To give one belligerents in a letter. on result’ for a new CAO that was that the unions’ members rejected example, amendments to allow for • Amendments to retirement age achieved with much difficulty, the offer. the increase in the retirement age ‘cannot wait’. saying the wage offer was too low. However Rob van Baalen, the ne- ‘simply cannot wait’. At present, the- The unions say further action can- gotiator on behalf of the Abvakabo re can be a gap between when em- not be ruled out. trade union, says he sees the docu- ployees retire and when their state The central employees’ council is Meanwhile, the WUR Council is ment mainly as support for the uni- pension becomes payable. The WUR calling on DLO and the trade unions losing patience. In its letter to both ons’ standpoint. Van Baalen wants Council criticizes the Board for this. to conclude a new collective labour sides, the Council writes, ‘We hope to persuade the DLO directors to Preventing such a gap in state pensi- agreement (CAO) soon. The council that the negotiators for a new CAO change the offer. on payments is part of ‘being a good has made this point in a letter to the will soon reach a result that is accep- The Council is particularly an- employer’ and does not belong in Executive Board and the unions. table to the trade unions’ rank and noyed at the way that the current sta- CAO negotiations. RR

kort

>>IT >> SOLYNTA Phishing National icon Almost a fifth of students and staff at Wa- The Wageningen potato-breeding firm geningen UR provide their login details Solynta has been elected a ‘national KEESVANVELUW << without a murmur when asked to do so icon’ by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. by a stranger, it appears from a new test A jury chaired by former politician Hans carried out by the IT department. When Wijers chose the company as one of the emails were sent to 5000 WUR students four with the most promising innova- Intuition and staff, 17 percent fell for the trap, on- tions in the Netherlands. Being chosen For seven years now, I have been helping a group of dairy ly 6 percent less than in a similar test in as a national icon is very important in farmers in their search for a better balance between April. Security manager Raoul Vernède helping the company (with a staff of ten) rationality and intuition. Between hard scientific facts concludes from this that the information get ahead, says the founder Pim Lind- and soft feelings and insights. Reality, both within dairy campaign in the past few months has on- hout. He worked at Wageningen UR for a farming and outside it, cannot be explained with hard ly had a limited effect. A number of re- number of years and still has close con- facts exclusively – nor by the opposite either. We are peat offenders even supplied the re- tacts with Wageningen scientists. ‘We looking for a synthesis of rationality and intuition. quested details twice, even though the are located in the global centre for ge- We have often spoken in the group about how you make email was identical. Vernède is netic potato research.’ The company decisions. If you have to make a decision, whether a convinced that Wageningen UR needs premises are at the Dreijen. AS personal one or one about your business or your cows, let more powerful security systems to com- go of the problem for a while. Don’t keep worrying at it. bat cybercrime. RR >>FOOD VALLEY Sleep on it. In your sleep, rationality and intuition find the Expat centre right balance and the next day you ‘suddenly know’ what Foreign expats no longer have to travel the best decision is. to arrange their residency documents. As Jenny’s story went straight to our hearts. She told us about of this month, they can do this at the Ex- a personal experience of how ‘letting go’ can be the best pat Center Food Valley on campus. The thing to do. Jenny: ‘A cow that wasn’t very old was very sick centre helps foreign workers with their and in a lot of pain. Your first thought is to call the vet, residency permits and other paperwork who should take action right away. You want to hold on to when they arrive. A notable feature is the cow. But the next day I saw that it was different for the that the centre is for all Food Valley cow. If the vet came I could see her going through a lot of workers, not just new staff at Wagenin- suffering, and all for nothing. I decided to keep an eye on gen UR. The centre is a collaborative the cow. I prayed for her and I said to her: you can go if venture between the Immigration and that is better for you. The cow lifted her head and gave me Naturalization Service, the municipality a long, deep look. I saw in her eyes that this was a good of Wageningen and the Expat Center decision. As if she was thanking me. She laid her head Food Valley Foundation. It was opened down in the straw and died, peacefully and with no fuss. by Annemieke Traag, a member of the She had gone beyond suffering. I cried terribly, but this Provincial Executive for Gelderland. was the best thing I could do for her.’ Kees van Veluw NM

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 6 >> news

MARTIN PLANTS LIGHT UP CRASH BARRIER SCHEFFER’S GROUP EXCELS • Street lights running on plant power. • International visitation committee gives maximum score. • Exceptional chair group is a shining In the crash barrier on the via- example.’ duct where the Bovenbuurtweg crosses the A12, 10 LED lights illuminate the darkness. This is a first. The lights are fuelled by Academic excel- plant power. The source of the lence does not electricity is growing a little way get better than off in the verge on both sides of Marten Schef- the road. A couple of thousand fer’s Aquatic plants in trays of 50 by 50 centi- Ecology and Wa- metres. All told, 100 hundred ter Quality Man- square metres of aquatic plants, velopment of plant energy is in bacteria, harvesting the elec- agement chair including several varieties of full swing. Ultimately, accord- trons that are released. In prin- group. At least, that is what we can Carex, kingcups, irises and ing to Plant-e’s calculations, an ciple this works non-stop, sum- conclude from the assessment of a visita- rushes. The installation is the annual output of 28 kWh per mer and winter, day and night. tion to 39 Dutch research groups in the first more or less useable prod- square metre should be possi- ‘Only when the ground is frozen field of environmental and sustainability uct of Plant-e, a Wageningen ble. That would mean that an does production come to a sciences. Scheffer’s group was the only UR spin-off. installation like that on the Bov- standstill,’ explains Plant-e one to be awarded the maximum score by The battery of plant trays enbuurtweg could provide 80 spokesperson Nanda Schrama. an international committee of 40 profes- now lying in the verge is des- percent of the energy for an av- ‘But there is quite a buffer built sors. The group was praised to the skies. tined for a far bigger capacity, erage house. into the system. By the time the ‘Such an exceptional group as this should though how big is not known Plant energy is based on the electricity runs out the winter is be formally acknowledged and rewarded precisely at this point. The de- digestion of organic waste by probably over.’ RK for its excellent research and leadership,’ states the visitation report. All too often good leadership of re- search groups goes unacknowledged, adds THREE IMARES LOCATIES TO MERGE the report. Scheffer’s group, says the jury, is a shining example to research groups both AT MARINE SCHOOL at home and abroad. The group got the maximum score of five points for academic quality and productivity as well as for social impact and viability. ILLUSTRATION: DOZY IMPRESSIONS DOZY ILLUSTRATION:

WORLD LEADER Other Wageningen chair groups in the field of environmental and sustainabili- ty-related research are doing well too. With just half a point less, Environmental Policy (Tuur Mol) and Microbiology (Wil- lem de Vos) were in second place (shared with others). More than a quarter of the evaluated groups in the Netherlands are world leaders in their field. The groups are part of the national re- search school SENSE, which stands for So- Marine Institute Imares will be merging three group. Now the researchers are divided between cio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the locations at the former marine school in Den two locations in Den Helder and an outpost on Environment. SENSE provides join training Helder. About 60 researchers will be moving in the island of Texel. programmes for the more than 600 partici- around June 2015. The idea of the single loca- Van Manen is very pleased with the deal. ‘It’s a pating PhD candidates. Wageningen’s tion is to facilitate more collaboration between beautiful building at a beautiful location.’ The WIMEK (Wageningen Institute for Environ- research departments, says Menno van Manen, marine school was build in the Amsterdam style mental and Climate Research) is a SENSE director of operation sat the Animal Sciences and looks out over the harbor. RR institute. RK

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 news << 7

VAN RUITENBEEK KEEPS ON FINDING NEW DIMENSIONS

an exhibition of Henk’s work at his illustrating career really began • Resource illustrator Henk van Impulse. Nice, he says in his to take off. ‘Editors and freelancers Ruitenbeek exhibits work in studio, but it feels a bit weird too. from the magazine moved on to Impulse. He sees himself more as an other magazines in the • From failed student to illustrator than as an artist. ‘I like Netherlands and took my phone illustrator for Wageningen UR. it when my illustrations serve a number with them.’ And so Van purpose, they are a kind of tool.’ A Ruitenbeek became a Wageningen modest statement for an illustrator export product. Especially when He draws with pen and ink. Not with such a clear signature style. most higher education magazines because that was how he had been Extravert and rich in imagery and abandoned a newspaper format taught, but because he saw other big gestures. for full colour glossies. ‘Nowadays, people doing it like that. He liked in the internet era, the boom has the result and set about teaching BOOM TIME calmed down a bit. But I just about himself. That is typical of Henk Van Ruitenbeek first came to experienced the whole of the boom van Ruitenbeek, the illustrator Wageningen as a student. In 1972 time,’ he concludes. whose career has been so closely he enrolled on the Plant Diseases What is on display in Impulse, bound up with Wageningen UR. degree programme, but that was entitled ‘Next Dimension’, is not For more than 30 years he has not a success. After being failed he an overview exhibition. Boring, been illustrating for a long series ‘hung around’ in the organization. says Van Ruitenbeek. Instead, he of magazines related to First in cleaning and secretarial made a selection of his recent Wageningen UR, the latest being jobs, but it soon because clear that work, adapted and processed to Resource. In every number he he was a talented poster designer the way it is exhibited: in a illustrates one of our most popular and he decided to go in that showcase. In other words, three- features: Typical Dutch, on the direction. That is how he ended up dimensional instead of two- back page. with the Wageningen magazine of dimensional. ‘One big shoebox For the next few weeks there is the time. In the nineteen eighties diorama really.’ RG

Has it sunk in that you did so incredibly well? FIGURE ITOUT ‘STILL ‘That feeling will probably come when are SINKING IN’ home and being congratulated by family and friends. Up to now we haven’t had time to let in sink in. We are still on a road trip through America and we are in New York right now. Just enjoying a stress-free holiday.’

Do you want to go on with research after this result? ‘After graduating, I would very much like to do a PhD on synthetic or molecular biology. From the other projects in Boston I saw how much potential synthetic biology has. That was really inspiring. I don’t know exactly what I am going to do yet, but that will come.’

Who? Wen Wu, fifth year Most iGem projects sink without trace. student of Biotechnology What about yours? Why? She and her team ‘We don’t know yet if we will take it further. came second in iGem, an We shall be discussing the possibilities for international competition that with our supervisors soon. We would for synthetic biology in need more data for a publication, for Boston instance. Carrying on with it won’t be easy, How? They built a in any case. We shall have to see who has bacterium which protects time and whether there is funding. After banana plants from a Boston our budget is pretty much used up.’ damaging disease RR Illustration Studio Lakmoes

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 8 >> science

‘TAKE ANIMALS SERIOUSLY AS INDIVIDUALS’

ethics, by the Australian Peter • Inventor of pig game awarded Singer.’ PhD cum laude. • People and animals YOU STUDIED THE MILKING ROBOT collaborate on new ethics. AS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS KIND OF CO-EVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND ETHICS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? Ethics on the farm have the best ‘The introduction of the milking ro- chance of flourishing through bot meant that the cow could de- developing new technology cide for herself when she wanted to together with animals. be milked. The cow went from be- Philosopher Clemens Driessen, ing a herd animal to being an indi- the man behind the pigs’ game Pig vidual. That was a mutual learning Chase, was awarded his PhD cum process. In a way the animal gained laude last week for his thesis on freedom and autonomy. The robot Animal deliberation, the co- cow is a new kind of cow. At the Pig Chase, a game in evolution of technology and ethics same time, the robot farmer has which the player sits on the farm. Resource had a few changed too. The farmer had to at home and uses a questions for him. learn to relate to the cow in a new tablet to make a ball way. He was not the annoying man of light move on a ANIMAL DELIBERATION SOUNDS LIKE who comes to milk you anymore, screen in the pigpen. TALKING TO ANIMALS. IS THAT WHAT but the overseer who makes sure YOU MEAN? the autonomous process goes to ‘The title is provocative. plan. This norm of individual free- Deliberation is a term from dom is reflected too in the new barn political philosophy. Deliberating designs, in which the cow can de- is seeking the best solution for cide for herself whether to stay in- the pig. Some people called it YOU WERE AWARDED YOUR PHD CUM everyone in dialogue based on doors or go outside.’ ‘playing with your food.’ But who is LAUDE. DOES THAT MEAN ANYTHING? arguments, and adjusting your playing with whom? The game ‘It’s nice for your mum and dad. own insights as you go along. For YOU SAY THAT THE REAL raises questions. What does it No, but seriously: it is a very nice some people this is the height of CONCLUSION OF YOUR THESIS IS mean to play with animals? Does it mark of appreciation. I tried to democracy. In relation of animals THE DESIGN PROCESS FOR THE lead to a friendship? The project combine new things. I knew it was it refers to sincere interaction. COMPUTER GAME PIG CHASE, A Pig Chase is an example of a original. A lot of people find Pig Taking the animal seriously as an GAME FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS. pragmatic ethic, which does not Chase amusing. But it is not just individual, as a subject. The title is WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? look for certainty and definitive there for the fun of it, it stands for also a bit of wordplay. Animal ‘Pig Chase is a way to bring answers, but creates experiences something too. The support of Liberation is a famous humans and animals together. Pig in which the public can see experts is something very special.’ philosophical book about animal Chase creates a new perspective on existing practices in a new light.’ RK

HOW DOES THE CAMPUS SCORE ON BIODIVERSITY? What grows, blossoms and flourishes on the campus? The honest answer is: we don’t know. Mycologist Thom Kuyper therefore wants to set up a nice education project on the topic, to- gether with experts from other disciplines. The idea came up after Kuyper gave a guided tour of the campus recently to De Wandelende Tak [the walking branch), a student group from the Forest and Nature Policy programme. On the walk Kuyper counted 51 species of toadstool in no more than an hour.

This diversity raises the question of quite how much biodiversity there is on the campus. Kuyper: ‘It would be a very nice project to inventory that together with students. It is of course remarkable that as a life sciences university, we don’t know this exactly. So Kuyper wants to work with others to make a project of it. Those with good ideas as to how to get

PHOTO: ERIKA VAN GENNIP VAN ERIKA PHOTO: such a project off the ground should contact him. RK

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 science << 9

RELIGIOUS TABOOS PROTECT THREATENED PLANT SPECIES

SICKNESS AND MISFORTUNE • Religious taboos apply remarkably Quiroz’s informants in Benin told her VISIE << often to threatened African plant about 414 plants they use. Taboos or har- species. vesting rules apply to about 63 of the Cows in the meadow • The knowledge of religious healers plants. In some cases, a valuable sacrifice can help nature conservationists. must be offered, in others the plants may The Lower House wants to make pasture grazing mandatory only harvested at certain spots. Noncom- for dairy cattle in the Netherlands, against the wishes of State pliance is punished from on high with Secretary Dijksma. What does the scientific world think of For her PhD research Diana Quiroz, at Bio- sickness or misfortune. this controversy? Better to encourage pasture grazing than systematics, interviewed 102 traditional When Quiroz compared the plants to prohibit the full-time housing of cattle, says researcher healers in Gabon and Benin about the with the international ‘red list’, she found Paul Galama. fruits, roots and leaves they use in their ri- that about 19 percent of the plants were tuals. She writes about her findings in the threatened species, as opposed to 7 per- Why is the House making a fuss about pasture grazing? Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedici- cent of the remaining plants. Taboos may ‘Ever more cows are in the cowshed. Seventeen percent of all ne. be a way of managing scarce resources for cows spend the summer - day and night - in the pasture, 53 While she did her research, Quiroz the community. percent daytime hours only. The remaining 30 percent are spent one and a half years in Benin and The correlation is weaker in Gabon, confined indoors all year round. That is bad for dairy far- Gabon, travelling between communities to but that supports the hypothesis, as the ming’s image. With its increase in scale and the cattle being talk to healers. Medicine and religious are pressure on forests is much smaller in Ga- housed, dairy farming is starting to resemble intensive cat- closely intertwined in the work of these bon, so scarcity is less of an issue. Quiroz tle farming. This observation has spurred the Ministry of men and women. Healers consult oracles says it is too soon to draw firm conclusi- Economic Affairs to fund a WUR research programme, and spirits for diagnoses and then make ons about how taboos come about. The Amazing Grazing, to promote dairy cattle being kept on pas- medicines from plants. Their knowledge is research was too limited for that. She ture. The Lower House’s initiative to get more cows grazing passed on from generation to generation. does, however, advise nature conservati- pasture is part of this programme.’ In order to win their confidence, Quiroz on organizations to start making more lived among the locals. ‘So you use an use of traditional knowledge. By combi- Are you in favour of statutory prohibition? open-air toilet and you wash in the river, ning science with traditional knowledge, ‘No, I think you’d do better to encourage pasture grazing just like everyone else.’ Meanwhile she ex- she can detect downward trends. ‘Traditi- than to prohibit the full-time housing of cattle. Many far- plained that she was not out to copy the onal knowledge is useful for that as well mers understand that having cows graze pasture is good for medicinal recipes but to protect plant spe- as being cheap to obtain,’ says Quiroz. dairy farming’s image, but they think making it mandatory cies. This touched a sensitive nerve becau- And healers are not the only group that is is going too far. That’s why dairy companies like Friesland se the locals have been seeing a decline in of interest. ‘You can also talk to commer- Campina and Cono have chosen to encourage pasture grazi- plant numbers, thanks to forest felling for cial pickers of medicinal plants and to ng. They pay a higher milk price to farmers who graze their example. hunter-gatherers.’ RR cattle on pasture. In fact, the dairy farmers who keep their cattle indoors are funding the bonus.

But evidently that isn’t helping to get more cows into the pasture. ‘There’s an increasing trend among farmers with a large herd, a milking robot and little farmland to opt for housing. Despite the slightly lower milk price, this is either cheaper for the farmer or involves less work. That’s why, we are inves- tigating how we can remove these obstacles to pasture grazi- ng. We advise how many cows can be kept on a little land around the farm. And we think of ways to take the milking robot to the pasture. To keep cows outdoors grazing pastu- re, we need to innovate.’ AS

PROPOSITION ‘To prevent misinterpretation of study results by laymen, open access should only be open to experts.’ Linde van Lee, who graduated with a PhD on 11 November in Wageningen Traditional healers may help conserve plant species with religious taboos.

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 10 >> science ASIAN FLY CAUSES TROUBLE FOR FRUIT GROWERS

ila lays eggs ten times a year, says • Spotted wing drosophila the Wageningen entomologist. from Asia disastrous for ‘There are billions of the creatures Dutch fruit growers. in the Netherlands at the moment. • ‘We’ll never get rid of this You find them on every soft fruit Asian fruit fly.’ bush.’ The spotted wing drosophila is not fussy. The flies hop from one The Netherlands already had loads ripe fruit to another, which enables of fruit flies but fortunately they their population to grow exponen- gorge on rotting fruit; they don’t tially in the course of a fruit season. touch healthy strawberries, cherries They can be found not just on fruit or raspberries that are still on the farms but also in our back gardens plant. But the spotted wing and allotments and in woods - any- drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is where where fruit is. different. The exotic fly has a strong all the fruit, including the fruit that cals to combat the spotted wing ovipositor (egg-laying appendage) MOSQUITO NETS has fallen on the ground.’ drosophila. Another option is to that easily lets it make a hole in un- What can we do? ‘We’ll never get A critical factor in this approach use mosquito nets to protect cherry blemished fruit. Then it lays its rid of them,’ says Helsen emphati- is that the fruit must be ripe for har- trees, but that would require a huge eggs under the skin. When the lar- cally. He mainly advises fruit grow- vesting before the next generation investment. vae hatch, the fruit starts to rot and ers on how to avoid the pest getting of fruit flies emerges. That is the PPO Fruit in Randwijk is cur- is no longer fit for sale. out of hand during the growing sea- case for fruits that ripen quickly, rently looking at an integrated pest The Asian fruit fly was first seen son. The key thing for the growers such as strawberries and raspber- control strategy in a Dutch consorti- in Europe in 2008, says fruit re- is to remove all the ripe fruit. ‘When ries but not for cherries. So differ- um with fruit growers and auction searcher Herman Helsen. It spread you harvest the fruit, you remove ent measures are needed there. As houses. It is also participating in an in no time from Spain to the rest of the eggs from the farm. If you do Helsen does not yet know of any EU project to learn more about the Europe, reaching as far afield as that consistently, you won’t get an natural enemies the fly might have, biology of the fruit fly and organic Sweden. The spotted wing drosoph- outbreak. Growers have to get rid of he says we may need to use chemi- pest control. AS

REPORT GRADE FOR YOUR EATING HABITS

ber. Van Lee came up with 25 ques- plates partly determines whether Healthy eating in eight • Eating habits summed up in one tions about eating habits, for which we get illnesses such as cancer and commandments according grade. the respondent can get a maximum cardiovascular diseases. However, to the eating score • Eating score aims to make of 80 points. This is at least 10 research on this has generally fo- dietary advice more points for each of the eight rules in cused on the level of individual at1. 150E to 200 grams of comprehensible. the ‘healthy diet guidelines’ which products (milk) or nutrients (fat). vegetables per day the Dutch are advised to stick to. ‘But people do not eat foods or take 2. Eat 200 grams of fruit per day The questions find out whether vitamins in isolation,’ says Van Lee. 3. Eat 30 to 40 grams of dietary Wageningen nutritionists have de- they eat too much fat or salt, for in- ‘It is more logical to look at nutri- fibre per day veloped a quick questionnaire that stance, and whether there are vege- tional patterns.’ 4. Eat two portions of fish per week gives one grade to indicate how tables, fruit and fish on their plates. The eating score is still work in 5. Make sure that less than 10 healthy someone’s eating habits are. progress, though. New nutritional percent of your energy comes The advice supplied with the test EATING HABITS guidelines will be coming out next from saturated fat aims at helping people eat more The questionnaire is as simple and year, and then the questionnaire will 6. Make sure less than 1 percent healthily and cut their chances of unintimidating as possible so as to have to be adjusted. Something else of your energy comes from diabetes and cardiovascular diseas- make dietary advice accessible to that could do with some adjustment trans fats 7. E es. more people. A report grade of this is the eating habits of the Dutch, at less than 6 grams of salt per day The so-called ‘eating score’ (Eet- kind is not just useful in people’s which are not good. ‘Of all the thou- 8. Drink less than 2 glasses (men) score) was developed over recent daily lives; nutrition scientists can sands of people in my thesis,’ says or 1 glass (women) of alcohol years by Human Nutrition PhD can- also make use of the evaluation in van Lee, ‘perhaps one or two had a per day. didate Linde van Lee, who defend- their research. They have known for perfect score. There is plenty of ed her thesis on Tuesday 11 Novem- a long time that what goes on our room for improvement.’ RR

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 discussion << 11

Online we saw lively discussions about the traffic situation around the campus. Should Wageningen UR cut down trees for a bus line? Create new entrances to the campus? The last word on the subject hasn’t been said by any means. So come and join the discussion! REACTIONS ON... RESOURCE-ONLINE.NL

FULL ACCESS LAST STOP GOOD REVIEWS

For a while now, motorists have been using The construction of a rapid bus line across For the tenth time, this year Wageningen the Kielekampsteeg as a cut-through route the campus started this week. Soon you’ll University holds the number-one spot in the to the campus. Next year this will become an be able to travel more quickly from the Dutch best university guide. Ten times, official access route, with a brand new cycle campus to Ede-Wageningen station, but first ponders blogger Jan-Willem Kortlever: is the path. Then cyclists and motorists can take a considerable number of trees will have to university really so good or are its students this route in safety. make way. not very critical?

Online the decision gives rise to grumbling. ‘I Sawing down trees always triggers emotions Some respondents don’t understand the doubts think it’s legalizing cut-through traffic,’ writes and that’s sure to be the case at a green about the rankings. ‘[I] don’t believe that the Bas van Vliet. ‘This means yet another parcel of university. ‘It saddens me tremendously to see positivism emanating from Wageningen is the the Binnenveld’s quiet zone will be sacrificed to how many healthy trees will be cut down for a reason why we’ve been number one for ten motorized traffic.’ Others think the plan is an bus lane that I don’t think is necessary,’ writes years in a row,’ writes student. ’If you look at emergency measure that doesn’t solve the Tanja. There are enough roads on the campus international performance, Wageningen is still underlying problem. ‘This is shifting the to create a bus route, so the clear felling is held in high esteem for its field of work.’Anne problem, not solving it,’ writes Leo van den completely unnecessary, she thinks. It adds to concurs immediately. Her main point is that Berg. He suspects there’ll be almost no her pain that a ‘green and sustainable reasons and evidence for Wageningen students decrease in the hold-ups on the Mansholtlaan. organization’ commissioned the sawing. being less critical are lacking. ‘No discussion What’s more, cyclists from Bennekom will soon Wakker Vlees is amazed by the discussion. culture? What are you basing that claim on?’ have to wait even longer at their ‘exposed Of course the campus could do with more Her own experience – here and at other crossing in bad weather’. Next, a number of greenery but he regards the trees primarily as universities – suggests precisely the opposite. amateur traffic experts help ponder possible a resource. ‘Weren’t most trees like these once JanKD speaks up for Jan-Willem. How much solutions: for example, opening Bornsesteeg up planted to increase the timber supply? An does a student survey say anyway about the to traffic from Nijenoord Allee. Or giving investment in the future.’ Other respondents quality of education? What’s more, he attended Wageningen a ring road. But Joris Kielekamp are even more critical. There’s no pleasing two other universities before has a nasty suspicion that this plan will simply the green-minded man on the street, Wageningen UR: ‘What’s go ahead, whether the city of Wageningen is for writes acht + vijf: ‘Below the report struck me is that my or against it: ‘It seems like yet again the about the northern access route to fellow students are not municipality is going to let itself be sidelined the campus, it says that we should critical. [And] not only by the province and Wageningen UR.’ If this use public transport. But if the students, but also road link plus cycle path is unavoidable, he’s public transport connection is lecturers are quick to hoping for a cycle bridge over the Mansholtlaan improved, that’s wrong too...’ think that “it’s all just to Bennekom. ‘That will benefit cyclists, fine”.’ But as every otherwise it’s simply a pro-car measure.’ critical student knows, one anecdote doesn’t constitute data.

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 12 >> features Student life with a disability

Getting to class on time, signing up for courses, reading a course book or participating in group work… all in a day’s work for students. But what about if you are blind? Or have a form of autism? Or another disability? text: Milou van der Horst and Carina van Nieuwenweg / photo: Guy Ackermans

here are hundreds of students the best of the Netherlands’ higher educa- in Wageningen who have the tion institutions when it comes to provi- academic ability required for a sion for students with a disability. The university degree, but are chal- students are particularly satisfied with lenged by a physical or mental their teachers and study advisors. But who disability. The university are the faces behind the figures? What is Tcaters well for these students, suggest the it like to be a Wageningen student with a latest figures from the national student disability? Resource talked to four stu- survey. With this year’s score of 3.7 out of dents. ‘I can’t join in everything and often 5, Wageningen holds on to its position as have to say ‘no’.’

Marlijn

‘I need Owen to be able to walk Owen’ Who? Marlijn Wagenaar Programme? first -year MSc Health and Society What? Blind

RESOURCE ­­­— 2713 augustusNovember 2009 2014 features << 13 Student life with a disability Quintin

‘Although I only started my course in accommodation, I also need to be able to Wageningen recently, I already feel that walk Owen. One problem for me is that a everything is well arranged for me. All the lot of the buildings where my programme teachers were informed in advance and is taught are not on the campus. That did their best to cater for me. One teacher makes it difficult to navigate, both for me asked in the first class if I could tell my and for Owen, especially as the buildings classmates a bit about my guide dog often have several exits, so I get disorien- Owen, so they would know how to treat tated. And we have classes in many differ- him. I had never been asked that before. ent rooms and buildings, so Owen gets I’ve got a programme on my computer the routes mixed up and gets confused. which reads out a digital text. That ena- For example: When I have to go to Axis for bles me to read my course books, but a class, Owen sometimes wants to take then I do have to ask for the book at least me to Radix, because I sometimes have to 10 weeks in advance. That was quite a be there too. So for the time being some- problem at the start, since teachers one has to come with me to lead me to the hadn’t decided yet which book they right building – just until I’ve learned the wanted to use, or which edition. After way, hopefully. On the other hand, it is an some effort, good arrangements have advantage that the campus here is so been made for me to take exams too. I am green, so it is easy to walk Owen.’ allowed to sit in the teachers’ rooms with an invigilator. Because I am not allowed to use the internet, I get the exams on a memory stick. Fortunately I have a good relationship with the study advisor, which makes the studying easier too. I still live in Nijmegen because my friends and my sporting life are there. In terms of

‘I like socializing’

Who? Quintin van Zuijlen Programme? Second-year BSc Molecular Life Sciences What? Autism Read more ‘My studies are going great. I am now in my of anything that should have been done second year and I haven’t had to resit a sin- differently. When I was new in Wagenin- gle exam. Some students with autism have gen, I was given a student buddy, especially a far harder time, which is why we are because I have autism. In the first year we allowed to apply for an extra year to com- saw each other at the beginning of every plete a programme. As far as I know, you go week and talked about what was going well on getting your grant in that case, but I and what wasn’t. If there was something I hope I won’t need to do that. didn’t understand, for example how I I think Wageningen University has dealt should sign up for courses, my buddy with my autism very well and I can’t think helped me with that.

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 14 >> features

For matters outside the university I have choose whether to mix with others or not, Stumass, a healthcare organization which whereas you can hardly avoid it in some of provides guidance for students with vary- the other residences. ing degrees of autism. Twice a week I have But I don’t avoid socializing. Sometimes Kilian a meeting at Stumass in which all sorts of I arrange to meet up with people from my things are discussed, such as how I live, degree programme, and I am a member of and how it is going with getting to sleep at Alchemica study association, where I am night, and with showering, cooking, friend- on the first-year committee. I like socializ- ships, and social skills. ing, even though it is hard for me.’ Through Stumass you can also live in a house for people with autism, where there is supervision all day. I felt the need to live in a house like that, but I was not diag- nosed as needing it. Because of my autism, I did get priority with Idealis for a place at the Marijkeweg, where I have my own facili- ties. The advantage of that is that I can

‘ I like the way they ask what I’ve got’

Who? Kilian Duijts Programme? First-year BSc Plant Sciences What? Spasticity

‘I notice how open people are in Wagenin- a lot of time too. I trained for 25 hours a gen. If they see me walking on crutches week. I still have to train my leg muscles they just ask what I’ve got. Then I explain using weights so that I can walk for longer. that my muscles contract too much, which But here in Wageningen I haven’t found makes them shorter. And that affects my much time for that yet. So I notice that I motor skills. I like the way staff and stu- get tired faster and have more trouble dents are not afraid just to ask me what walking long distances. That is a differ- I’ve got. It gives me a chance to explain ence between me and other students. what I can and can’t do. Because I some- Once I’ve been in Wageningen a bit longer times go around in a wheelchair people I’m bound to find a good balance between often think I can’t walk at all. That is not my studies, training and all the other nice the case. The wheelchair is more of a things you can do here. It might sound backup. I do use the crutches a lot, espe- strange, but one of the big challenges for cially for longer distances or on uneven me is cleaning the floor. All the other ground. housework goes fine, but mopping the The biggest challenge for me is to find the floor is a difficult movement. But I’m sure right study routine. Just like other stu- I’ll find a solution to my floor-mopping dents, actually. There is a lot to do and I go problem.’ out at least once a week. I never did that in Leiden, where I come from. I had to work hard at secondary school. In the third year I missed one third of my classes because of a serious operation. I then did all I could to pass the year anyway, and I man- aged. Rehabilitation and training took up

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 features << 15

Lisa

‘ I could barely keep up’

What? Lisa Hensen Programme? First-year BSc Plant Sciences What? Chronic tiredness

‘In the fifth year of secondary school I sud- social life too. I can’t join in everything denly lost a lot of weight. I got steadily and I often have to say ‘no’. I joined the thinner, and the doctors couldn’t find a youth club Unitas so that I can still feel reason. Eventually I became dangerously like a real student. Fortunately, there are underweight. Even my heart began to mal- not as many commitments in Unitas as in function. It took two years for them to dis- other student societies. I don’t have to go cover that I had lactose intolerance. I to parties and we regularly enjoy a meal banned the culprit, the milk sugar lactose, together. I don’t tell everybody I meet from my diet straightaway and I’ve been about my issues. That’s just not the way I getting better since then. But I did have to am. I only tell the whole story to students I take an extra year to finish high school, have to collaborate with on a project. and I didn’t have a nice last year. Due to Sometimes people say silly things, like my illness, I missed out on a lot of fun in when I take the lift instead of walking. I the last three years at high school. Now my usually take no notice. After all I know weight is back to normal, but the period of better.’ being underweight has affected my body. I tire quickly and still can’t join in everything. Luckily the university is very flexible. The study advisor and the dean told me I should just make a start on my programme. If it proves too much, they can set up an adjusted programme in which I can take longer to complete my degree and will still get a grant. At first I could follow classes fine. But after four weeks I started to get very tired and I could barely keep up. That was very disappoint- ing. Of course I would prefer to complete my degree without any extensions. But sadly that is not realistic. It affects my Interested in knowing more about studying with a disability in the Netherlands?

Look at the website of the Expertisecentrum Handicap & Studie.

www.handicap-studie.nl

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 16 >> picture

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 picture << 17

THE BUS IS COMING A bus lane across the campus was a project that only existed on paper for a long time. A fast bus that would provide high quality public transport between Ede-Wageningen station, the campus and Wageningen town centre. If ever there was any news about it, it would be of a new delay to the project. But last week the bus lane suddenly became a reality. Trees that stood in its path were torn out and carted away. New vegetation will be planted elsewhere on the campus to compensate for their loss. The bus itself will come in May. RK, photo Guy Ackermans

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 18 >> features

Measuring with masts More precise than the KNMI

There is a T-Mobile transmitter mast on top of the Biotechnion these days. It is a secondhand one, and has a microwave link to a mast on the roof of the Forum, two kilometres away on the campus. Its purpose is to measure rainfall. text: Roelof Kleis / photo: Guy Ackermans

case of coincidental research, professor of PRIVACY Hydrology and Quantitative Water Manage- Before we go any further, we should clarify why Uijlen- ment Remko Uijlenhoet calls this project. It hoet is keen to measure rainfall. After all, we’ve already emerged and grew from knowledge gained got the ‘rain radar’, haven’t we? ‘That’s true,’ agrees from chance encounters. It happened like Uijlenhoet. But it could be improved on. ‘The two radar this. At the end of the 1990s, through col- masts used by the KNMI [royal meteorological institute] Aleagues at the Meteorology and Air Quality chair group, are positioned in De Bilt and Den Helder. The further you Uijlenhoet came across a machine called a scintillome- are from the radar masts, the less precise the forecast. ter. ‘This is a piece of equipment for measuring turbu- Precipitation information around the borders of the lence in the border layer of the atmosphere using fluctua- country is therefore less precise. As well as that, radar has tions in the signals received. They had borrowed one the disadvantage of being an indirect measurement. which uses a frequency of 27 GHz,’ explained Uijlenhoet. Radar measures the rain not on the ground but in the air, ‘At exactly that frequency, the suppression of the signal is at an average altitude of about 1.5 kilometres. You always in proportion to the intensity of the rain. A colleague have to correct the data using data from traditional rain asked whether that could be of interest for measuring gauges on the ground. Especially for use in hydrology and rainfall. Of interest? That correlation is fabulous!’ water management.’ Uijlenhoet and his colleagues lost no time in setting to Gauging rainfall on the basis of signals from microwave work. Two months and many measurements later, it was links does not in theory have that disadvantage. The anten- clear that the principle worked. The scintillometer they nae are close to the ground. This is enough reason for the used was made at the Technical University of Eindhoven. KNMI to get involved in the project through radar expert When they asked whether another one could be made, Hidde Leijnse and Wageningen postdoc Aart Overeem. they got a surprising answer. ‘Made? The country is full of The technique is based on a control signal that transmitter them: they provide the microwave links used for mobile masts routinely give off. Uijlenhoet: ‘Every so many min- phone networks. You can use them to measure rainfall in utes the minimum and maximum capacity of that signal is the same way. Through a contact with a technician at measured and recorded, to check whether the transmitter Vodaphone, we got two months-worth of data from a few is still on air. Rain suppresses that signal and we make use microwave transmitters in the Wageningen area.’ of that.’ Uijlenhoet emphasizes that nobody need fear for An MSc student started working on that, but before their privacy. ‘There is no other information in that signal. the results of the follow-up tests had been fully worked We are only interested in the suppression of its strength. out, an article was published in Science by Israeli The great thing is that there are so many of these transmit- researchers who had been working on the idea. ‘We were ter masts. The total network of masts from all mobile pro- really fed up about that,’ admits Uijlenhoet frankly. viders in the Netherlands adds up to 5000 microwave

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 features << 19

Measuring with masts More precise than the KNMI

transmissions with an average reach of three to five kilom- lower. Can you still take reliable measurements under eters. ‘So in principle there are 5000 rain meters which those conditions? Will the standard error be bigger or could measure continuously in real time on a scale appro- different? priate for water management.’ Together with the KNMI and the government, we are working on testing this on the spot in Brazil. We will get DROPS the first data in soon. There So the first round in the contest for a place in Science was is also a project under way lost, but the research went on. Uijlenhoet’s group collab- in Burkina Faso.’ orated with T-Mobile on follow-up trials. Uijlenhoet: Around the world there ‘Since then they have been providing data from thou- are a handful of groups sands of transmitters, on the basis of which we can pro- working to get the new duce a precipitation map of the whole country every quar- measuring technique up ter of an hour. That research led to a publication in PNAS. and running, says Uijlen- That felt like revenge, I must say.’ The latest experiments hoet. The availability of data on the roof of the Forum and Biotechnion aim at perfect- is essential to this. Most ing the rainfall measurements. The question is, how can telecom companies are still you optimize the conversion of the suppression of the nervous about sharing any signal into rainfall data? The size of the raindrops is par- data. ‘Really a kind of stand- ticularly significant, it appeared from theoretical calcula- ard needs to be established tions. For this reason, the installation includes a ‘dis- for the sharing of these drometer’, a piece of equipment which measures the size kinds of data,’ says Uijlen- and falling speed of individual raindrops. hoet. ‘The ITU, the Interna- Even more important than competing with the Dutch tional Telecommunication rain radar is the potential application of the system else- Union, in Geneva, is only 10 where in the world. In Africa, Latin America and parts of minutes’ walk away from Asia where there are very few rain meters, the system has the WMO, the World Mete- the potential to fill a big gap. Uijlenhoet: ‘Mobile tele- orological Organization. It communication is nearly everywhere these days, so there can’t be that difficult. And are microwave links there. But will it work there too? The otherwise, it should be leg- masts are a lot further apart and the frequencies used are islated for.’

NICE WORK

The Netherlands is a country of rain meters. Who doesn’t but the number of meters is even smaller. The have one in their garden? Even the KNMI’s official rain rainfall in areas which lack a measuring point is measurements rely on that widely shared interest. The determined by interpolation, so this is only an KNMI has a network of 325 rain meters which are read estimate. Measuring rainfall using mobile telecom every 24 hours by volunteers. The coverage is therefore transmitter masts represents a huge refinement limited, both in time and distance. The KNMI also has of the system. There are 5000 such masts around a network of 31 automatic rain meters, which measure the country which could take continuous real-time the rain every 10 minutes. This is more frequent, measurements.

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 20 >> features Out of the straightjacket

Louise Fresco has written a new book about science and culture: Kruisbestuiving (Cross-pollination). In it, she makes a plea for ‘knowledge for the joy of knowledge’. So what advice does author Fresco have for the Wageningen executive board? An interview about the book. text: Albert Sikkema / illustration: Kito

RESOURCE ­­­— 2713 augustusNovember 2009 2014 features << 21 Out of the straightjacket

earning how to learn and chosen as Teacher of the Year already do ing out ideas and people that we know how to keep an open that, I think. They do a bit extra.’ very little about. Get out of the straight- mind is the crucial task jacket! But at the same time, you do need in an academic educa- You write: ‘The idea of untrammelled erudi- a solid knowledge of your field, because a tion,’ says Louise Fresco. tion and the joy of amassing knowledge took critical dabbler is no use to anyone. And that is the reason me back to my student days at Wageningen in You’ve got to understand statistics and ‘Lwhy she devotes a chapter of her news the 1970s, when you could still take the most have some grasp of food chains and the book Kruisbestuiving to what she calls diverse range of courses with inspiring teach- environment. And we know that in 20 Lernen. ‘Lernen, lifelong learning, is an ers (…) No course was ruled out for someone years’ time you will need a lot of different attitude. It means going on learning and who was curious about everything.’ You also knowledge and skills. And your academic asking questions, and discussing them write that there is a great temptation to ide- training will help you then.’ continuously. Knowledge for the sheer joy alize that period because ‘from the 1970s on, of knowledge, not measured against its the universities quickly fell prey to the suffo- But is there really space for all this in the cur- instrumental value or usefulness to soci- cating dogma of immediate usefulness and the rent degree programme? How do you facilitate ety, not funded by government or busi- iron grip of the market.’ this space to explore? ness, and not primarily for the purpose of ‘During my studies I took the strangest ‘I think the upscaling and globaliza- addressing social issues, let alone con- courses, but not everybody did so. I am tion in education and research will go on. strained by the demands of innovation not saying all will be well if you just offer a Partly due to the internet, more than 10 plans, platforms and core business,’ million academic articles are now pub- writes Fresco. ‘Lifelong learning lished every year. The trend is: higher pro- is partly about how duction. We try to counter that with small- This raises the question: how is Fresco the scale education and sufficient contact executive going to make this a reality in you teach’ hours. I foresee education with a combi- Wageningen? nation of large-scale internet classes such ‘To me it’s about a campus culture in wide variety of courses; it’s more of a ques- as MOOCs, and small-scale teaching on which we are open to other knowledge tion of attitude. What helps in Wagenin- the Wageningen campus. And then we and to students from various different gen is the small-scale nature of the univer- won’t be aiming solely at applicability and cultures, because that enriches our lives. sity and the freedom of choice within the payoff, but also at an open and inquisitive We do have a multicultural campus here, degree programmes. There is a reason culture.’ but is there enough contact between all why Wageningen has been coming top for the cultures? I hear that some chair years in the Dutch higher education guide groups address this through shared De Keuzegids. It is because we know the meals. We need more of those kinds of ini- importance of intensive knowledge trans- tiatives. Another nice example is the fer. I hope that we can continue to provide Nexus Institute in Tilburg, which hosts this with the current funding.’ lectures on seemingly quite esoteric sub- jects such as: what is time, what is culture, You express that a bit more forcefully in and what is the importance of Beethoven? your book. There you say: ‘Lifelong learn- KRUISBESTUIVING Much to my amazement, a lot of young ing is a lodestar. (…) In a world which is more Over kennis, people attend these lectures, even at nine dependent than ever on the increasingly kunst en het leven o’clock on a Sunday morning! People do instant application of knowledge, and which is (Cross-pollination: on want to learn about things that are not of therefore changing radically and irreversible, learning, art and life) immediate practical use as well.’ idiosyncrasy, openness, critical capacities and integrity are indispensable qualities.’ Louise O. Fresco, 2014  Do you want to do something along those ‘We now have an accountability cul- published by lines in the Wageningen curriculum? ture, imposed on us by society, and we Prometheus ‘Lifelong learning is partly about how you think in terms of students and projects Bert Bakker teach, and whether you get your students which we deliver as products. Of course to look beyond their subject and the quali- that has its usefulness. But there is more fications they need. The teachers who are to a university than that. I encourage seek-

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 22 >> IMO STRONG VIEWS ON CAMPUS RING ROAD Access to Wageningen and its campus is bad. Every day, many staff members get stuck in traffic on the Mansholtlaan. The provincial government is looking into the possibilities for a new road around the campus. Is that road badly needed or isn’t it? text: Roelof Kleis, Rob Ramaker / photo: Geert Jan Bruins

Enrico van den Bogaard the municipal council and the provincial council about Board member residents’ association, the best approach to that accessibility. We as W12 are hap- Noordwest housing estate py to help think it through. In our view there are two op- ‘There is opposition to such a road tions for creating better access to Wageningen from the almost everywhere in Noordwest. At north: improving the existing infrastructure or a campus ring present the Binnenveld is a quiet road. We are not saying that ring road is an absolute must, patch of countryside. A ring road like but we are keen to find a sustainable and future-proof so- that would hem Noordwest in and lution. Anyway, that ring road does not enable cars to get we don’t want that at all. If that is what is proposed, there onto the campus from the western side. There are no will be hot opposition. It is remarkable and amazing that plans for that at the moment. The so-called northern en- the province appears to take absolutely no notice of the trance, the turning towards the Bornsesteeg, is an impor- municipal mobility plan that was drawn up two years ago. tant part of the plan.’ That plan is based on the idea of upgrading existing infra- structure. Studies show that this would create enough Roel van Cauwenberghe space for the traffic for a long time. ageningenW Universi- Recent WU graduate and council ty stands for sustainability. Surely there must be a more member for the Green Left party creative and more Wageningen-worthy solution than a new ‘We are strongly opposed to this road. We understand that the campus needs better access, road, since it would pass through a but it needs one that takes everyone’s interests into con- lovely rural area. The road will mean sideration.’ more animals being run over or scared away by noise and light. And then the Tijs Breukink Dassenbos thicket on the campus might have to be cut Executive Board, Wageningen UR down. These things are disastrous. We agree that the traf- ‘The current access route onto the fic problem must be tackled. But we have agreed with the campus is unworkable. We’ve got to municipality not to build any new roads, but to widen ex- create a second proper access route isting ones instead. There is already a good plan for wid- in the short term. I am quite clear ening the Nijenoordallee and the Mansholtlaan. By doing about that. Two weeks ago, W12 was that they will be able to cope with the volume of traffic for set up: a group of 12 Wageningen many years. That’s what makes this such a nonsensical employers. There is now a discussion going on between plan.’

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 IMO << 23

NEW CAMPUS RING TRAFFIC JAM

Mansholtlaan

Kielekampsteeg

NORTHERN ENTRANCE

ENTRANCE CAMPUS Campus Mansholtlaan

Bronland

North west NEW BUS LANE

DASSENBOS

Nijenoord Allee

Louise Vet road by cutting down part of the Dassenbos. Whereas Director NIOO and professor of those are old woods of cultural-historical value, and they Evolutionary Ecology give us a bit of greenery in the neighbourhood. Pushing ‘It is clear that something must be through the road to the Nijenoordallee will also create a done. But I favour doing something monstrous amount of traffic. Already now, I can’t see how that really makes a difference in the traffic flows in and out of the neighbourhood can be com- long term. One of the options is the bined with the bus lane that is being created. Let alone if campus ring road. But please let’s more cars come along here. My confidence that the WUR not just slap down a sheet of asphalt in the old-fashioned will go about this decently has plummeted to zero by now.’ way. It can and must be done differently. With a lot of crea- tivity you can build in natural elements so that you create Evert-JanHaalboom more biodiversity than there is now. You could consider a Lives on the Kielekampsteeg and road that produces energy. It must be possible to come up works at Unifarm with a good option in consultation with the residents of ‘It’s just like a racetrack here at Noordwest. We should try to turn it into something nice. I times. It starts getting busy at quar- don’t know how it will end, but that makes it quite excit- ter to eight in the morning and goes ing.’ on till about nine o’clock. And in the evening in the other direction. I used Doortje Udo to like walking my dog here, but not anymore. The plans Lives in Noordwest right next to the for a cycle path will only make it worse, I am afraid. Then planned ring road cars won’t have to consider cyclists. It is obvious that some- ‘Everyone who lives on the Dijkgraaf thing must be done. It should have been done 10 years ago, is against this. It is obvious that pol- when it was decided to concentrate on one campus. But I lution with fine particles and noise don’t think things will move very fast. The municipality will make living here less pleasant. wants to conserve the nature areas in the Binnenveld and What is more, you can only build this the residents of Noordwest are strongly against it.’

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 24 >> student Hockey with Olympians

Who gets to play hockey with ladies who have the Olympic rings tattooed on their arms? Two Wageningen students do. Every week since September, they’ve been playing premier league hockey with the first Ladies team at Wageningen Hockey Club. text: Yvonne de Hilster / photo: Anja van Jaarsveld

t is a foggy weekday evening and Nicole van Jars- It is hard work this year for Ladies 1. Last season, veld is bent over a notebook and a course book in much to everyone’s surprise, the modest provincial club the almost empty canteen at Wageningen Mixed was promoted to the premier league of the hockey world. Hockey Club (WMHC). While some of her team- Since then they have been playing the top teams nation- mates are looking at a video of their last match ally. And that is quite a different ball game, as they have with the coach, the third-year student of Soil, noticed. To date they have only managed to scrape two IWater & Atmosphere is snatching a moment to go points. In spite of their hard work, they have lost most of through her lecture notes. She does not have to watch their matches. But Karlijn and Nicole are no less positive this time. Her teammate Karlijn van der Linden (MSc for that. ‘We need a bit of time to get up to the level of the Management, Economics & Consumer Studies) is wat- premier league.’ ching, though. ‘There is a gap there,’ points out coach Arnoud Boersma with some urgency, as he rewinding to NAOMI VAN AS make his point. It still doesn’t feel quite real to the two students, to have made it into the premier league. With their promotion this spring – ‘a real team effort’ says top scorer Karlijn – the girls wrote club history. ‘We even got to draw in Wage- ningen’s commemoration album,’ laughs Nicole with some pride. However, their achievement only began to sink in at the beginning of September when they went out onto the field for the first match in the premier league, nowhere less than the Wagener stadium in Amstelveen, the home of the national eleven, which they had only ever visited as spectators. Not that their knees were knocking, but peo- ple were cracking more jokes than usual. ‘This is what we have fought so hard for,’ is how Karlijn describes the fee- ling that afternoon. ‘What is more, we could play in a relaxed way, we didn’t have to win.’ Nicole calls it a heal- thy level of tension. ‘And after the warming up, that was gone.’ Since then the two students have been playing against an international almost every week. Maartje Paumen, Naomi van As, Kim Lammers, Ellen Hoog: they have met Nicole van Jaarsveld and Karlijn van der Linden them all. On Sunday 2 November, the young Australian

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 RESOURCE —­­­ 27 augustus 2009 student << 25

Karlijn in action against a team including Lidewij Welten (1e left) and Maartje Paumen (2e left).

international Anna Flanagan of MOP in Vught was added to this illustrious list. After the match, dozens of children clambered over the barriers to get a signature and a pho- tos of this pretty girl with Olympic rings tattooed on her left forearm as a souvenir of the Games of 2012. Jealous? Not at all; it is nice to play against famous names, both girls agree. If only because even more spec- tators attend their home matches than just before their promotion. Nicole: ‘That works like a twelfth player. Sometimes there are 600 spectators, some of them coming all the way from the eastern Netherlands. At first Victory photo from last hockey season. I could pick out my parents along the line, but I can’t any- more.’ team minibus, so there is still a roster for driving to away matches. They still have to raise sponsorship money TEMPO themselves, through the Friends of Ladies 1, as well as The girls have been working hard to improve. During the organize clinics and parties for the youth members. And week the team now trains five times instead of four, and after the match, there are quite often 16 red shirts and 16 then there are the matches at the weekend as well. Trai- white skirts hanging out to dry at Karlijn’s house. ‘No ning has got more intensive too. ‘Our ball tempo has idea what my housemates think of that, actually.’ gone up because of that,’ says defender Nicole. ‘Last year we could dominate the match and concentrate on the attack; now it is more defensive. You need to stay sharp, WMHC there isn’t much room for recovering from mistakes. But • Founded in 1927. we are giving it everything we’ve got and I have every con- • At the Bongerd Sports Park since 1970. fidence that we shall get more points.’ After a relaxed war- • Total membership: 1122. ming-up, which included cartwheels this time just for • Gender ratio: 40 percent men, 60 percent women. fun, they do indeed go hard at it in a practice match. • Age ratio: two thirds youth, one third seniors. When the ball hits a goalpost, the sound echoes off the • WU students: about 150, about 100 women and Hoevensteijn flat. 50 men. Nicole had to drop an afternoon course because of the • Has 4 artificial grass pitches: heavier training schedule, because she needed more rest. 3 semi-water pitches and 1 sand-dressed pitch. But apart from that, not much has changed this season. • www.wmhc.nl The girls have needed good planning for years so as to combine their studies with their sport. There is still no

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 26 >> student

SLIMMING BUGS Fatties have different bacteria in Theatre in your room their guts than skinny people. And that composition is to some extent RoomService brought the centre genetically determined, claim of Wageningen to life on Thursday researchers at King’s College Lon- 6 November. Ten cabaret artists don. The family of the Chris- performed in the intimate tensenellaceae are especially preva- ambiance of a student room. lent in slim people. Mice treated with these microbes stay thinner. In the international student house This opens up new possibilities in Witte Wilma, the public was the the battle of the bulge. How the lit- plaything of Tamar Blom’s mime act tle bugs do it is still not clear. in which three half-naked men start by banging their heads against the SPOOKY living room wall. Next, they steal Everyone sometimes gets the feel- through the space, searching, their ing there is someone looking over gaze blank. They come ever closer to their shoulder. Call it a ghost or an the people dotted about the room. invisible presence. Swiss research- Uncomfortably close, assuming odd MENSCHEL SVEN PHOTO: ers can create that sensation. They poses and with the occasional awk- SOLD OUT with mattresses. In the kitchen, do so by tricking the part of the ward touch. Anyone looking for a little less in- the residents are selling pastries, brain where information about Nervous giggling is audible. tensity, can go and see Belgium’s beer and soft drinks. movement, self-awareness and spa- Someone starts to laugh when the Maud Vanhauwaert. Disarmingly Run by Studium Generale, the tial positioning come together. The mime artist suddenly stands next to and with great humour, the finalist event sold out more quickly than in researchers’ conclusion is that there him. Someone else stiffens and a of the Leiden Cabaret Festival 2013 previous years. Ticket-holders could is no such thing as ghosts. Pretty third person returns the artist’s gaze talks about her school years, and count on exclusive performances by, weird conclusion. unflinchingly. Relieved, amazed, but she recites a poem in a Dutch ac- among others, guitar virtuoso The also at a loss to know exactly what cent. After all, that Flemish ‘seems Flamenco Thief, ska band ROLF de PINK BULL has happened here, the visitors leave to send you to sleep’. The living Band and a one-man theatre show An Irish stud bull has been sen- the living room. On their way to the room of Bolus 9 in Bowlespark, called BoNudget, who created a spe- tenced to the slaughterhouse for his next production. where she is performing, is strewn cial show for RoomService. SdK sexual orientation. The animal is not interested in the cows he is expect- ed to impregnate. ‘At first I though he was discreet and didn’t want to KA MATE! KA MATE! KA ORA! KA ORA! mate in public,’ says the farmer. But the truth will out: this bull was only interested in other bulls. He is already too old to be castrated, so there is no future for him as a draught animal either.’ WANTED/ FOUND You know the feeling, surely. You wake up at a wild party missing something essential: your coat, your telephone, your bicycle. There was an interesting find in an Eindhoven café last week after a concert by the British band Matchbox. The cleaners found a set of false teeth. Presuma- bly the owner hadn’t missed them. Must have been quite a party.

On Thursday 30 October, the podium in the Forum national rugby team. The ‘All Blacks’ dance a haka hosted a group of wildly gesticulating and stamping before every match to intimidate their opponents. It is students. Sports Association Thymos organized a Haka not known whether many Wageningen rugby players Experience. Haka is the name of a set of Maori dances took part in the haka in the Forum. Rumour has it they which have been made famous by the New Zealand were too busy… playing rugby. LvdN

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 student << 27

EPISODE 39 - MORTIERSTRAAT 14B<<

The story so far: After long discussions about the house party, the big event is finally underway. Party Pooper ILLUSTRATION: KIM PETERSE KIM ILLUSTRATION: oloured light flashed through the living room Cand the volume was turned all the way up. The whole house was filled with partygoers. As Bianca and Vera sat sipping Blue Curacao on the sofa, Filippo came up to them, a bottle of beer in hand, ‘Better than your naughty party theme, right?’ ‘Yes, it’s turned out okay,’ said Bianca airily. She was still feeling a little peeved because during the preparations her theme suggestion, Happy to be Non-PC, had been rejected for being corny. ‘In a few minutes it’s even going to get better,’ chuckled Filippo. ‘But if you will excuse me ladies, I’m right colour. In no time at all, the room was full of half- going to assume a better position.’ He sauntered over to a naked bodies. Then suddenly, the music cut out. Standing in small group of female international students. Willem-Jan’s place next to the sound equipment was a A few people whistled when they saw Derk climbing up on balding, middle-aged man. the table. He gestured to Willem-Jan to turn down the ‘What’s going on here?!’ The partygoers stared in shock at volume. ‘People,’ shouted Derk. ‘The time has come for us the landlord’s beetroot face. ‘Everybody out! My house isn’t to make a living Rubik’s Cube. The first participant whose a brothel!’ Hastily, the guests snatched up their clothes and clothes are all the same colour will win this wonderful slipped out of the house as quietly as they could. The trophy.’ Above his head, he raised a board on which a housemates stood rooted to the spot. Rubik’s Cube was bobbing back and forth on a spring. His ‘I’ve received complaints about the noise. You can hear this audience cheered. ‘Trousers off, trousers off!’ was soon racket three streets away. It’s ridiculous.’ His gaze fell on booming through the room. Thanks to the many hours Derk the duct tape covering the hole in the balcony window. had been spending at the gym, he needed little Before he could react, Filippo patted him placatingly on the encouragement. He pulled off his T-shirt provocatively and shoulder, ‘Relax dude! Why the angry face? You should be swung it around like a lasso. Willem-Jan got the song You happy!’ can leave your hat on blasting out of the speakers. ‘Let’s ‘Why should I be happy?’ the landlord asked through gritted start!’ teeth. ‘Because you are the winner!’ Filippo handed the The crowd surged into action. Everyone started pulling off trophy to the blue-clad landlord dressed in jeans and a articles of clothing, swapping them or searching for the denim jacket.

Resource follows events at Mortierstraat 14B New United Wardrobe app

It took six months to complete 30,000 people using it. That meant of clothing and put it online. In The results of the nationwide Ac- but the result was worth the it was time for the next step, says short, it’s all getting much sim- centure Innovation Award will effort, says the team behind Thijs Verheul, one of the UW initi- pler.’ be announced on 14 November, United Wardrobe, a website ators. ‘Soon you will be able to Creating a good app was no easy two days after the app is where you can buy and sell sec- shop online for vintage clothes us- task. Thijs: ‘It’s a tricky process. launched. And United Wardrobe ond-hand clothes. On 12 ing your mobile phone, whether Not only do you have to think is currently leading the polls for November, the students released you are in lectures, travelling about the design, but the app also the prize awarded by the general a United Wardrobe app. A vintage around or back home. You no has to have its own payment sys- public. ‘At the moment we have clothes rack in your pocket. longer need a random reader. It tem. And the app and website have 300 votes more than the compe- only takes one click for you to have to continuously be synchronized. tition. That says it all.’ The app It is barely a year since three Wage- your favourite item of clothing de- Quite an effort in programming will be available initially for iOS ningen students developed United livered within two days. It doesn’t terms.’ users only. The Android app will Wardrobe (UW). The website has take long either to create your own The team’s energy and commit- be released in two months’ time. been a huge success, with almost ad. Just take a photo of your item ment have not gone unrewarded. CN

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 28 >> student

IXESN - BEERCANTUS INTENSE 0317 - SO SOPHISTICATED >> PARTIES Friday 14 November from 21.00 to 02.00 Thursday 20 November from 22.00 to 04.00 During the AID you were introduced to a typical At last, another party with style in Wageningen! The best parties according to Dutch phenomenon, the biercantus. Definiti- We’ve regularly seen the students behind Inten- Wageningen Uitgaans Promotie. Check on: drinking beer and singing jolly songs. Ad- se 0317 put in an appearance at parties, but we www.wageningenup.nl for all parties. mittedly, there are strict rules, but that’s preci- are happy to see that they themselves are now sely why a cantus is always a shed load of fun. in the driving seat. And so naturally we’ve got Certainly with the international students on the high expectations of this party. It’s all about you Erasmus programme. They are renowned for this evening. Well-dressed people get a dis- partying a lot and drinking even more. A gua- count on cocktails and the best-dressed lady ranteed success! wins a bottle of champagne.

HET GAT - BIOLOGICA: TIME TRAVEL This feature is provided by the Thursday 13 November from 22.00 to 04.00 Wageningen-UP team. Study association Biologica is celebrating its birthday, and every Wageningen student is invi- ted. The theme ‘time travel’ offers you infinite scope, so pull on your granddad’s old suit, your mum’s tent dress or a robot suit and let your hair down.

>> THE WORKS ‘AFTER TWO WEEKS I HAD TO MOVE OUT’

Who? Jelle Baumgärtel What? F our months internship for his MSc in Urban Environmental Management Where? BioTRIZ in Bath

For my internship I wanted to do something with a form of urban environmental management that draws inspiration from biology. This strategy is called ‘biomimicry’. If we can understand how, say, relationships between individual cells can collectively lead to complex and adapted organisms such as plants and animals, we can apply this to the city, which we think of as a sort of super-organism. A lecturer put me in touch with BioTRIZ, a company in the English city of Bath that is run by a Russian couple, two academics. I helped provide the contents of a database. The couple had a pile of scientific articles about biological phenomena. I had to interpret which ‘problem’ was being resolved by each phenomenon and which ‘principles’ were being applied. Companies can then ‘translate’ their alone. After two weeks the woman was contacted by the social housing problem in the same way and search the database for suitable association. They had found out that she was renting a room and I had solutions; solutions that have been created over the course of millions to move out. Eventually things turned out well because I ended up with of years of evolution. But this translation step turned out to be difficult: a family of three where I really liked it. I enjoyed chatting to them it is surprisingly hard to determine the purpose something serves in during evening meals and our walks at the weekend. They couldn’t help biology. but laugh at my directness, because they were used to speaking in a Shortly after arriving, I found an affordable room in an old lady’s house. polite, roundabout way. For my part, I admired their subtle way of Unfortunately, she wasn’t often home, so initially I spent a lot of time putting things and strong sense of ironic humour. PT

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 service << 29

in memoriam

Rolf Moeliker We miss Rolf in our team. Our social On 10 November cohesion has taken a dent; the voice of 2014, we heard optimism has fallen silent. We wish that our Dimitri and his family, Hendrika and colleague Rolf Lenie strength and comfort in the Moeliker passed coming time. away on 8 Hubert Krekels, Librarian November. Rolf turned 61 on 17 June 2014. He had Jan Rietel been suffering from the effects of a 12 April 1954 - 9 stroke since February 2014, and soon November 2014 after that he was diagnosed with lung On 9 November cancer. Rolf had been in the Oljftak we lost our highly Hospice in Ede since May, and we all valued colleague MEANWHILE IN... << visited him there. Jan Rietel much Rolf was a very special colleague, who too soon. worked in the Digital Production Jan Rietel joined Applied Plant Centre at the library. This is where Research (Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Meanwhile in… Mexico Wageningen UR research data is Omgeving, PPO) on 1 August 1980, In the news: The murder of 43 students in the city of Iguala at processed. Rolf worked on registering working on an experimental farm in the end of September has gripped Mexico. Before being publications in Metis, and on data Lelystad. He was an all-round murdered, the students were handed over to a local gang by quality using the application BAPS. employee, who enjoyed working the corrupt police officers. Rolf was known to many Wageningen land, sowing, planting and harvesting. UR staff as the Helpdesk worker for Jan was social and cheerful, dedicated Commentary by Angel Loza-Valdez, MSc student of Food and these applications. Rolf was a library and determined. He always came to Health, from Mexico. worker to the core, having worked at work with a smile on his face. the library since 1999 and before that Regardless of the weather, he cycled ‘This is a turning point for Mexican society. We are used to for the information service at DLO every day from his home in Swifterbant news about murders and disappearances; that’s the reality of (Pudoc). Most of the library staff have through the polder to Lelystad. Jan was life in Mexico. But this time it’s on a different scale – 43 their own stories about Rolf, whose a careful and thoughtful worker, and he students… I almost burst into tears when I heard the news. personal qualities made him an was a genuine family man. In his The more so because I heard it here in the Netherlands, a place unforgettable colleague: attentiveness, clothes locker he always had a photo of that is so safe. It is inconceivable that something like that could support, kindness and optimism. And his many grandchildren. happen here. This fact influences how you think: you realize these are the qualities for which we as Five years ago, Jan was diagnosed with that a safe and peaceful life is a possibility. One difference a team miss Rolf terribly. When he had a liver tumour and told that he only between the two countries is that in the Netherlands everyone a stroke at the end of February we were had three months to live. His body works to keep the situation as it is. In Mexico it’s different: we all deeply shocked, and the amount of encapsulated the tumour and he was don’t like to get involved in politics. In Mexico, if you see post he then got from the Forum able to fully recover. He had a check-up someone doing something illegal on the street, you don’t say reflected how much he, his son Dmitri every six months, and each time it was anything. For your own safety. But now everything is changing. and his family, Hendrika and Lenie, a tense moment. Jan himself called it a People are coming together, they are protesting. Strikes are were in our thoughts. Sadly, the news ‘time bomb’. being held in universities across Mexico. The whole country is soon followed that he also had lung Jan was able to respond to difficult waking up – some experts are even saying that this could lead to cancer, and could not start on situations in an even-tempered way, a revolution. treatment for that because of the and this was just as true for his illness As it happens, the region I’m from is one of the most dangerous stroke. as it was for everything else. He in the country. I too have witnessed battles between the police For many colleagues, Rolf was a source received a lot of support from friends and drug lords. In my city, you can see the most terrible things of support in times of need. He had a and colleagues, and he also gained at times – bodies on the street, murdered. That is the reality you listening ear for everyone, and good strength and hope from his faith. have to live with. Some of my friends from secondary school advice. Qualities he drew on In late June, it was discovered that the chose the wrong path. One of them is already dead. It is very throughout his years on the employees’ tumour had metastasised. Things difficult to make something of your life when you grow up in council. That personal attention kept turned out differently than Jan had circumstances like these. Criminality is everywhere, all the coming up in discussions about Rolf hoped and wanted. time, and has penetrated every level of government. Some after we heard that he was sick. He had With Jan’s passing, we have lost a people choose to earn easy money, others have no choice: if supported one person through a tough valuable and appreciated colleague. they don’t cooperate with the criminals, they’ll be murdered. period at work, and another in a On behalf of the colleagues of the It is very sad. Sometimes you can’t go outdoors in the evening difficult home situation. It seemed as business unit Akkerbouw, Groene ruimte because it is too dangerous. In the past ten years, more than though Rolf could see from our faces en Vollegrondsgroenten (Arable 25,000 people have disappeared in Mexico – that’s like the that something was wrong; he knew Farming, Green Habitable Areas and whole of Wageningen disappearing.’ JB how to make draw out even the most Field Production of Vegetables), Thie reserved among us. Arend Brouwer

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE 30 >> service

Deadline for submitting announce- Want to share your personal experi- ments (max. 75 words): one week ence with secondary school students? before publication date. Email: The Global Guest programme might be APPZ [email protected] what you’re looking for. OtherWise is looking for enthusiastic Apps come in all varieties. classified international students to share their Useful, innovative, exciting, knowledge and experiences by giving amusing and completely pointless. Wageningen UR staff member seeks a lecture or a workshop. You are invi- Hundreds of new ones come out temporary accommodation in ted to present your topic of interest every week. Resource picked Wageningen asap and to engage other students in inter- out a few that stand out, and Perhaps sub-renting or house-sit- active workshops. We offer guidance of course we are open to ting a house that is for sale. Mainly throughout all the preparation sessi- suggestions. Email your find during the week. Furnished or un- ons as well as financial remuneration. to [email protected] furnished. Preference for self-con- The lectures will take place between tained unit. Rent max. 400 euro. February and June 2015. CONTACT [email protected] INFO: [email protected]

BOOMID Support young Wageningen top Thesis prize women’s / gender history Trees of temperate Europe is a field athletes with the Fund Niels In the spring of 2015, the 13th Johan- guide to trees in open country and Smith na W.A. Naber prize will be awarded natural forests in Europe’s temperate Your gift enables the Fund to ful- for the best Master’s thesis in the zones. Made by professional fil the dreams of two athletes field of women’s or gender history. ecologists yearly. The Fund gives an extra The thesis must have been finished impulse to combine passion with between 1 December 2013 and 1 De- study by financing sports intern- cember 2014. The winner receives ships, training camps abroad and 500 euros and the opportunity to material purchases write an article for the journal Histo- STUDYTIME INFO: WWW.WAGENINGENUNIVERSITYFUND.NL rica. The prize is awarded by Atria, a You can concentrate for longer if you take a short break at the right time. This app lets you know when that is.

SIMPLYNOISE A steady noise generator that drowns out all that irritating background noise, helping you to concentrate. Funny idea, eh?

XKCD XKCD is a popular web cartoon about science and other nerdy interests. Updated three times a week

EAT INSECTS! Fancy surprising your friends with an unusual dish? In this app you see exactly which insects you can serve up

RESOURCE — 13 November 2014 service << 31 knowledge institution for emancipa- thousands of photos in Wageningen tenbeek went on a safari in his own colophon tion and women’s history, and the between 1960 and 1980, for several collection and freed a number of dra- Association for Gender History different newspapers. The negatives wings from the darkness and out of Resource is the magazine and news web- site for students and staff at Wageningen (VVG). The deadline for submissions have been scanned in and the Old their flatland. Curious? Come and see UR. Resource magazine comes out every is 6 January 2015. Wageningen Historical Association is for yourself! fortnight on Thursday. INFO: HTTP://WWW.ATRIA.NL/ATRIA/NL - ACTUEEL now looking for people who can tell Venue: Impulse, building 115, Wage- Subscriptions - NIEUWSOVERZICHT them something about the photos. ningen Campus. A subscription to the magazine costs €58 Visitors to the exhibition are asked (overseas: €131) per academic year. Wageningen historic image bank to write down what they know about ­Cancellations before 1 August. Wageningen’s historic image bank a photo. The texts will be collected in Thursday 13 November – Wednes- Address Akkermaalsbos 14, 6708 WB Wageningen includes the image collections of a book due to come out in the spring day 26 November (Nexus, Building 117, bode 31). POBox 409 three Wageningen institutions: the of 2015. MOVIES FOR STUDENTS 6700 AK Wageningen. Secretariat: Thea municipal archive, the Casteelse Location: The public library, Stati- Arthouse Movie W screens four films: Kuijpers, [email protected]. T 0317 484020 Poort museum and the Old Wagenin- onsstraat 2, Wageningen Nena, a Dutch drama about an adoles- Website: resource.wageningenur.nl. gen Historical Association. To date, cent girl full of (self)mockery with a ISSN 1389-7756 more than 12,000 images can be diary tough boyfriend and a disabled fa- Editorial staff found in the image bank, copies of ther; Watermark, a fascinating poetic • Edwin van Laar (editor-in-chief) [email protected], 0317 482997 which can be ordered, some in prin- Monday 10 November until Mon- worldwide journey about our existen- • Rob Goossens (editor) ted form and others in digital form. day 5 January 2015 tial interaction with water; IL Confor- [email protected], 0317 485320 Why not leaf through the Wagening- EXHIBITION HENK VAN mista, Bernardo Bertolucci’s classic • Roelof Kleis (ecology, social sciences, eco­ sche Courant of 1855 to 1947? RUITENBEEK – NEXT DIMENSION about an ambitious professor who st- nomy), [email protected], 0317 481721 INFO: WWW.BEELDBANKWAGENINGEN.NL After more than thirty years of illus- ruggles with his past and homosexua- • Nicolette Meerstadt (web editor) trating numerous books and magazi- lity in fascist Italy in the 1930 ‘s; Sha- [email protected], 0317 488190 • Linda van der Nat (students, education) Photo exhibition in the public nes (e.g. Resource magazine), tens of do’Man, a penetrating portrait of [email protected], 0317 481725 library: Wageningen in the 1960s thousands of drawings have been ac- disabled children in the dark streets • Rob Ramaker (nutrition, fisheries), and 70s cumulated in high stacks of binders of Freetown in Sierra Leone. [email protected], 0317 481709 Wageningen press photographer and boxes, waiting in the dark. After INFO: WWW.MOVIE-W.NL • Albert Sikkema (plant sciences, animal W.A. Abrahamsz took many some encouragement Henk van Rui- sciences, organization) Thursday 20 November, 19:00- [email protected], 0317 481724 22:00 Design Geert-Jan Bruins; basic design of maga- YOUNG KLV COURSE – TO DO A zine: Nies & Partners bno Nijmegen PHD, PLEASURE OR BURDEN? Freelance journalists To do or not to do a PhD is a critical Romy Appelman, Alexandra Branderhorst, question for lots of MSc & BSc stu- Jeroen Bok, ir. Yvonne de Hilster, Milou dents. In order to help you to make van der Horst, Amy Jansen, Nicole Janssen, your decision, we invited Prof. Mar- Jan-Willem Kortlever, Carina Nieuwenweg, tin Kropff and 3 other PhD’s. ir. Rik Nijland, Karst Oosterhuis, Camille Ponte, Mary Shrestha, Paul Thung, ir. Joris What are the basic requirements for Tielens, Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau a PhD? Where and how can you find Translators the information about PhD positions? Clare McGregor, Susie Day, Clare Wilkinson What are the positive and negative Photography aspects of doing a PhD? Lecturers Guy Ackermans, Sven Menschel, Lennart WHIPLASH – MUZIEKFILM SAMBA – DE NIEUWE INTOUCHABLES are: Prof. Martin Kropff, Rector Mag- Verhoeven nificus & Dr. Detmer Sipkema, associ- Illustrations ART-KORTING MA T/M WO DONDERDAGAVOND Esther Brouwer, Guido de Groot, Studio ate professor at the Laboratory of Mi- 2 VOOR € 17,50 INCL. DRANKJE € 3,– STUDENTENKORTING Lakmoes, Kim Peterse, Henk van Ruiten- crobiology. beek, Pascal Tieman Venue: Impulse, building 115, Wage- Editorial board ningen Campus. ir. Martijn de Groot (chair), prof. Anton INFO: HTTP://WWW.KLV.NL/ Haverkort, ir. Tia Hermans, ir. Marianne Heselmans, dr. ir. Patrick Jansen, Anneloes Tuesday 25 November, 19:30- Reinders, Simone Ritzer, dr. Margit van Wessel. [email protected] 21:00 Advertising LECTURE SWU THYMOS: INJURY External: Bureau van Vliet, T 023-5714745 PREVENTION [email protected] Pieter Jansen from Physiotherapy Vis Internal (reduced rate): Thea Kuijpers, will give a lecture concerning injury [email protected]. T 0317 484020 prevention, focused on students and Publisher students sports. Entrance is free. Marc Lamers, Corporate Communications & Marketing Wageningen UR Venue: Sport Centre the Bongerd, Resource is printed Conference Room. From responsible on paper sourced LOCATIE: SPORTCENTRUM DE BONGERD, VERGA- sources from sustainably DERZAAL C007048 managed forests

13 November 2014 — RESOURCE >>TYPICAL DUTCH ILLUSTRATION: HENK VAN RUITENBEEK VAN HENK ILLUSTRATION:

Where is my nose? Last week I moved to a university apartment in Ede. When I went to the bathroom to trim my beard, I found the mirror there was too high for a man like me of 163 centimetres in height. I could not see my beard and half of my nose. Only my hair, eyes and the top half of my nose were visible. I tried to stand tall to see my beard, but it wasn’t enough. If I wanted to trim my beard and see the result at the same time, I had to stand on tiptoe and look up at my face high above me. My Brazilian corridor mate laughed a lot when he saw me. It was so funny. I realized I now live in the I remember too when I first arrived in Holland. At Schiphol airport, I found that the urinal was a country with the tallest bit high for me. Luckily I could still use it. Afterwards, I realized that I now live in the country with people in the world. But I the tallest people in the world. But I didn’t expect that the height of facilities such as mirrors and urinals would match their build. Now, if I go to public buildings such as airports, I usually try to didn’t expect the facilities find a kids’ urinal. These fit perfectly with my height. Reonaldus Reonaldus, PhD candidate in the Public to match their build Administration and Policy Group, from Indonesia.

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