Into the Fray Students on the Municipal Council | P.12

Distance learning No thanks Tracking great tits

RESOURCEFor students and employees of Wageningen UR no 14 – 13 March 2014 – 8th Volume

Into the fray Students on the municipal council | p.12

(5(6SLQGG 2 >> labour of love >> HANS + GUITAR Hans Meijer, Technical Development Studio Innovatron

‘You can make it exactly the way you want it’ Hans Meijer plays guitar. Sturdy rock in De Grens, named after the rehearsal room, the border post at Beek Ubbergen on the German border. Nice. But what is really special is that he makes his guitars himself. The metallic blue Lapwing is his pièce de résistance. A beauty! With a Wageningen touch to it: the body is made of an old teak lab table from the Biotechnion. For a really home-made sound. RK, photo GA

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

(5(6SLQGG COVER ILLUSTRATION: SVEN MENSCHEL CONTENTS no 14 – 8th Volume

>> 8 >> 16/25 >> 24 STRANDED OWL PARALYMPICS CHAIRPERSON WANTED M/F The very rare snowy owl found Nutrition student Anna Jochemsen Board market to help solve shortage on Vlieland landed up on the competes for the medals in Sochi. of volunteers in societies. dissecting table at Alterra.

AND MORE... 2 Labour of love guitar 4 News and opinion RUIN 8 Science If we don’t do anything about it, by 2030 the Dutch countryside will be full of 11 Resource.wur.nl abandoned barns, sheds and farms (p.9). That sounds alarming, but there may 12 Vote for a student be a silver lining to this neglect. Decay, according to Midas Dekkers in The Way of 16 In the picture All Flesh, has its own tragic, raw beauty. The romantics at the beginning of the balancing act 19th century who had ruins built in their gardens were well aware of this. 18 Birds with attitude Modern computer game makers also love to make you roam through desolate 20 Hungry for more landscapes and bombed out cities. 22 IMO I can just picture it. In 2030 you do not walk through a perfectly manicured thank God landscape. The countryside is dotted with tumbledown barns overgrown with ivy 24 Student and thistles. And who knows what creatures you will encounter there. Barn owls, 29 Meanwhile in… bats, swallows? My main message to Dutch policymakers would be to suppress the Ukrain their normal responses and do nothing! Let time do the work for you. 32 Typical Dutch inspection shelf Rob Ramaker

>> Russian student talks about the events in the Crimea | p.29

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

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have cost universities money, ð:DJHQLQJHQ85WRJRIRU which is why most MOOCs have 0DVVLYH2SHQ2QOLQH&RXUVHV been developed by rich American ðè,QFUHDVLQJQXPEHUVRI universities. But Kropff says this VWXGHQWVZLOORQO\GRSDUWRI trend does show that education WKHLUGHJUHHRQFDPSXVé will increasingly be provided via online knowledge platforms. He thinks that Wageningen therefore Digital courses will change the needs to invest in this kind of face of higher education. And that education, even if the business is why the university must invest in model not yet clear. In addition, he this area, argued rector Martin says MOOCs are a good way of Kropff at the Dies Natalis recruiting students and of celebration on 10 March. cooperating with international Massive Open Online Courses partners. (MOOCs) are university courses According to the rector,

where the information is provided BART DE GOUW PHOTO: Wageningen is well equipped to in a series of short ﬁlms on the )RXQGHUV'D\RQ0DUFK develop this kind of distance Internet. Leading lecturers present learning as the quality of its the course material, and students’ worldwide, student numbers will competition in education is education is excellent. understanding is tested using increase from 100 million in 2000 increasing. Universities will only Furthermore, Wageningen focuses questions in quiz form. Their to 400 million in 2030. That be able to do this if students can on multidisciplinary education homework is often checked by the increasing demand for education study without restrictions as to aimed at resolving complex social computer and fellow students, raises the question of how time and place, said Kropff. issues. Kropff thinks that who also discuss the lessons in universities can maintain both increasing numbers of students online forums. This approach accessibility and the quality of the :(//(48,33(' will only do part of their degree on exploits a number of trends in education they offer, in particular One form of distance learning is campus, for example the group higher education, Kropff told his in a world in which everyone the MOOCs, the free online assignments, but will follow the audience. communicates online with their courses that have already attracted lectures online from wherever they It is not just Wageningen where mobile phones and where seven million participants in the are in the world. AS the number of students is growing; international cooperation and past few years. So far these courses

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RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

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025(:25.)25:$*(1,1*(1*5$'8$7(6 Network KLV. Of the Master’s reason for the rise from the since it suggests that the job ð06FJUDGXDWHVŊQGLQJMREV students who graduated in 2013, fi gures.’ market is recovering not at the IDVWHU 45 percent had a job in the bag The increase applies strikingly lower end but at the top end, for ð$YHUDJHVDODULHVVWD\LQJWKH when they graduated. In the same to one specifi c group of graduates, high-level jobs for which VDPH period of the previous year, that namely those aiming at a PhD ambitious academics are sought. fi gure was 40 percent. position. Of that group, 58 percent This is not refl ected in the average Silvia Blok of KLV acknowledges already had a job when they salary, however. At 2078 euros The job prospects for Wageningen that the rise of 5 percent gives a graduated: 37 percent had a PhD gross per month, that is only graduates are improving. At least, positive signal, but thinks it would position and 21 percent had 5 euros higher than one year it seems we may draw this be premature to conclude that for another job. The success rate has earlier. 5* conclusion from the latest survey Wageningers the crisis is over. ‘It is risen particularly fast in the latter by the Wageningen Alumni impossible to infer the precise category. A good sign, thinks Blok,

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>>ART /LVWHQLQJWRZRRGV .((69$19(/8:ǉǉ What does a wood sound like? Artists a temporary restaurant set up by the and Wageningen scientists will try to Christian student societies and run transmit that sound during the Oeral entirely by volunteers. The proceeds festival in June. ‘Speaking Plants’ is a from this venture go to charity. This project by the artists Alexandra year, that is an education project for 7KUHHEUDQFKHV Duvekotte and Jillis Kruk. The artists Burmese refugees in Thai camps. See Suddenly I see trees everywhere I look. In groups, in rows, want to make a wood’s heartbeat also www.happietariawageningen.nl. alone. There is one at the entrance to the Forum, too – a audible. Bart Kruijt (Alterra) is one of the /YG1 dead one. I also notice how people bark up the wrong tree, researchers involved. ‘A tree doesn’t some get to the top of the tree, and a few are simply out of actually have a heartbeat, of course. But ǋǋ7,0(6 their tree. Nowadays I observe extremely selectively, and we measure sap fl ows, carbon uptake 5HSXWDWLRQ trees jump out at me all over the place. and so on. You can translate that data Wageningen UR’s global reputation fell At a lecture about learning from nature, someone into sound using technical means.’ Kruijt slightly last year, it appears from the explained that young trees only start growing when the fi nds it exciting to be working with the World Reputation Rankings published old ones in the climax vegetation have died. Then it is the artists. ‘It also means you can show by the Times Higher Education (THE). turn of the next generation: the young trees compete for something of yourself and your work at Wageningen is no longer among the light, space, water, and they all want to fi ll the gap left Oeral.’ 5. top 100 in this list, in which behind by ‘mother’. That idea hit home. My mother died a academics say which institutions they year ago. She was the last old tree. So it is only natural that ǋǋ678'(17 consider to be the best. Last year, I compete with my brothers and sisters for light and +DSSLHWDULD Wageningen was ranked 91-100, but space. Fortunately we have reached a new balance, formed Students are getting another chance to now it is in the 100 plus category a new climax community. eat for charity. Happietaria will be where the score is unclear. The I am not about to embrace nature as a new religion, but I opening its doors in Wageningen for the reputation scores are incorporated in was impressed. I am not so very different to trees. A fi fth time from Friday 28 March to the overall THE ranking, which also banana tree and a cabbage have 50 percent of the same Thursday 17 April. Like last time, the includes measurements of publications DNA as me. I share 60 percent with goldfi sh and 97 university will be providing one of its and citations. That ranking will be percent with apes. Not such a crazy idea to learn from buildings free of charge: the maths published in the autumn. AS nature. building at the Dreijen. A Happietaria is But what about that tree in front of the Forum. It was sawn through but then grew three new branches. Do they symbolize something? The Trias Politica or the Golden Triangle? Or the triumvirate Thijs, Martin and Louise? It reminds me of the story of the three farmers in a fi eld. A fi eld with a tree. The conventional farmer says: ‘It’s in the way when I am ploughing!’ The organic farmer says: ‘I’ll leave it because it has an ecological function.’ The organic-dynamic farmer says: ‘For me a tree is a beautiful gesture to heaven, especially in winter.’ .HHVYDQ9HOXZ

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

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feel these measures discriminate from reflections on the principle of :,7+02% ð/RWVRIVXSSRUWIRUSHWLWLRQV against us. I feel it is my responsi- separating science from religion, RSSRVLQJDFNQRZOHGJHPHQWV bility to do something about it. is one of surprise. The comments 32:(5 SROLF\ This petition came about after I’d on the Resource website are ð$FDGHPLF%RDUGLV talked to a couple of friends.’ mainly negative, ranging from UHFRQVLGHULQJWKHPHDVXUH Reuijl soon discovered there ‘incomprehensible’ and ‘dubious’ ð&DUURWPRELVDQHZWUHQG was another petition on activism. to ‘stupid’ and ‘nit-picking’. The DLPHGDWHQFRXUDJLQJVRFLDOO\ com. ‘After talking to them, we university is sticking to its guns for UHVSRQVLEOHVKRSSLQJ The university’s new acknowledge- decided that my petition, which is the time being in its replies to the ð%XVLQHVVRZQHUSURPLVHV ment policy has caused quite a stir in English, would target staff and media. VXVWDLQDELOLW\ both within Wageningen and be- students. The other one is for However, the Academic Board yond. Last Tuesday, two online pe- people outside the university.’ In has not been unaffected by the titions had collected a combined the space of a week, the two peti- commotion. Rector Martin Kropff How about enjoying a coffee, a total of 1200 signatures. The Aca- tions combined have more than has announced that the Academic quick lunch or a tasty dinner on demic Board met on Wednesday 1200 signatures from within Wage- Board is meeting on Wednesday behalf of a sustainable future? 12 March to review the situation. ningen UR and outside. Reuijl says evening 12 March to discuss the si- This was possible on Wednesday Christians are particularly in- the Academic Board has been tuation. The WUR Council has now 12 March at Greek deli-culture cafe dignant at the ban on religious informed of the campaign. The also got involved in the question. Morning Tales in the Junusstraat. statements in the doctoral thesis signatures are in support of a letter In a letter to the Executive Board, the Wageningen Urban Environmental acknowledgements. ‘For many to the board asking for the council asks what the justification Management student Anneke Christian researchers, God is a measure to be cancelled. is for a ban on God in the acknow- Rombouts organized a Carrotmob, source of inspiration in everything ledgements. ‘The doctoral degree a coordinated action in which a big they do,’ explains Master’s student è,1&2035(+(16,%/(é regulations say nothing about the group of people spend money Sebastiaan Reuijl (International But the opposition is not limited to acknowledgements. So you could somewhere. Development Studies). ‘Why can’t Wageningen as the Wageningen say the acknowledgements are not Rombouts says it is about the you mention Him in your acknow- acknowledgements policy has also part of the doctoral thesis,’ explains daily shopping that everyone does ledgements when you can mention raised eyebrows in the rest of the spokesman Marc Loman. The anyway. But you increase sales your family and friends?’ Reuijl is Netherlands too. Nearly all the WUR Council is also asking for the because of the numbers involved, the man behind the petition on national media mentioned the right to be consulted on the docto- giving the shopkeeper the ipetitions.com. ‘As Christians, we question; the main reaction, apart ral degree regulations. 5. opportunity to invest in sustainability. Rombouts has agreed with cafe owner George Mitrakas that in exchange for the 635,1*)(9(5 extra custom, 25 percent of the increase in sales will be used to make the cafe more sustainable, for instance with double glazing in the shop front or a more energy- efficient fridge. In addition, 15 percent will be donated to a ward in the Papanikolaou Hospital in Greece.

)5$*0(17(' Anneke explains how she came up with the idea for a Carrotmob on the HoogenLaag.nl website. ‘Sustainability sounds great and it is too. But you see people’s efforts are fragmented. People shop, but there’s no coordination. I want to change that through this action and show that combining forces ,WZDVWKHZDUPHVWHDUO\0DUFKZHHNHQGHYHUUHFRUGHG$QGZHZRXOGQéWEH'XWFKLIZHGLGQRWŋRFNRXWVLGHDVVRRQ really can work.’ /YG1 DVWKHVXQVWDUWVVKLQLQJ3DYHPHQWFDI«VZHUHSDFNHGDQGEHDFKHVDQGWKHPHSDUNVZHUHEXVLHUWKDQXVXDODWWKLV WLPHRI\HDU,Q:DJHQLQJHQVWXGHQWVDQGRWKHUUHVLGHQWVZHQWWRWKHZDWHUPHDGRZVE\WKH5KLQHWRHQMR\WKHZDU- PHVWGD\RIWKH\HDU2Q6DWXUGD\WKHZHDWKHUVWDWLRQDW'H%LOWUHFRUGHGGHJUHHV2Q6XQGD\LWZDVHYHQZDUPHU UHDFKLQJGHJUHHV7KHSUHYLRXVUHFRUGRIZDVVHWLQ7KHIRUHFDVWIRUWKHFRPLQJSHULRGLVIRUPRUH FKDQJHDEOHZHDWKHU /YG1SKRWR*X\$FNHUPDQV

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0$;+$9(/$$5&2))(( 6/,*+7/<)(:(5'5232876 :,16217$67( %8767,///$5*(180%(56 cappuccinos the difference was dropouts has hovered around 11 ð0DDV,QWHUQDWLRQDOZLQV clearly smaller.’ ð$OPRVWŊUVW\HDUVKDG to 12 percent. But in 2012, it WHQGHU Choosing Maas also means the GURSSHGRXWE\)HEUXDU\ suddenly shot up to 13.6. One ð&RŉHHLQSDSHUFXEVIURP end of the plastic cup. Maas is ðè3HUKDSVPRUHVWXGHQWVDUHLQ year later it was about the same QRZRQ going to serve coffee in paper cups WKHULJKWSODFHé (13.5). with a bioplastic coating. A working group will be set up, too, %,1',1*678'<$'9,&( Coffee machines in the offices of to make plans for cutting back the Thirteen percent of first years in This year the tide seems to be Wageningen UR will soon be use of the cups. As an additional Dutch higher education had turning, especially at the serving Max Havelaar coffee. gesture towards sustainability, thrown in the towel by 1 February, universities. A ministry Maas International won the tender Maas wants to reuse the coffee which is half a percent less than spokesperson suggested to news for all non-education buildings grounds for growing mushrooms. last year. Those who drop out organization NOS that more with this coffee. The new The idea is that this will produce before 1 February do not have to students may be in the right machines will be installed in April. vegetarian snacks which may in pay back the grant they received place than was previously the The operation is expected to be time be served in the canteen. for those first few months. At case. Many educational completed in May. Maas came out Maas’s coffee machines are universities, 9.2 percent of institutions raised the bar as the best in the taste tests held a not intended for the education students took that option; in in the first year, and the month ago. buildings Orion, the Leeuwen- applied science institutions the binding study advice was made According to project leader borch and the Forum. The tender percentage was 14.6. stricter. +23 Annet de Haas of Facilities and for those machines is currently in For years the number of Services, the results were clear-cut. process. 5. ‘For the standard coffee Max Havelaar won by a long way; for the ),*85( ,7OUT

How does it feel to be famous for a week ‘GLAD I CAN ‘Overwhelming, I have not yet absorbed STAND ON THE it. I was in the Guardian, the LA Times, SHOULDERS the Hufﬁngton Post, NBC and the BBC. It was outrageous. I feel lucky and OF GIANTS’ privileged to be allowed to talk about such an important topic to the public.’

What was the nicest thing about the attention for you personally? ‘It is really a pleasure to speak with highly educated journalists who are experts in their own right. I spoke to a journalist from the National Public Radio who asked really interesting, complex questions, which made me think about my research in different :KR"Colin Khoury, PhD ways. This also allows me communicate student (stationed in better with the public.’ Colombia) at the Centre for Crop Systems Analysis Judging by your blog, you see this as a :KDW"His study in PNAS nice side to your profession. got into more than ‘I suppose I do have a performer side to 100 newspapers and me. I had a different side of my life as a websites worldwide dancer and some part of me enjoys :K\"The world food begin in front of an audience. This issue supply is becoming more is obviously not something that I vulnerable because it invented and I am glad that in this way I relies more and more am able to stand on the shoulders of the DLO under pressure, less government funding, fewer staff / white bar: DLO turn over, heavily on single crops giants of this field.’ RR blue bar: ministry contribution, black line: staffing / Illustration Studio Lakmoes

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

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-DQVPDQLV ð'LVVHFWLRQWRLGHQWLI\FDXVHRI GLVVHFWLQJ VQRZ\RZOéVGHDWK WKHVQRZ\ ð%LUGPD\EHVWRZDZD\IURP RZODWWKH 1HZIRXQGODQG EHKHVWRI WKHVWDWH IRUHVW They are extremely rare in the VHUYLFH Netherlands. If they turn up, it is as chance guests who in fact have somehow lost their way. So you can imagine how unusual it is to have one on your dissecting table. At any rate, Hugh Jansman (Alterra) has never come across one before. This story is about the Vlieland snowy owl, found by passers-by last Saturday. Dead. Jansman is dissecting it at the behest of the state forest service. ‘Staatsbos- beheer wants to ﬁnd out the cause of death, because it is unknown,’

explains Jansman. GUY ACKERMANS PHOTO: ‘But unfortunately the bird was reported one day too late. It was would think a skilled surgeon had was a second snowy owl on the These could be the two that turned found by passers-by on Saturday been at work here. island. up on Vlieland a little later. when the corpse was still very It is thought that the second Alterra specializes in animal fresh. It was only brought to the &217$,1(56+,3 snowy owl may have come off the ecology dissections. Jansman and local forestry office a day later. A Snowy owls are rarely seen in this container ship MSC Monterey, his colleagues regularly cut open lot of it has been eaten already.’ It country. They belong in the tundra which sailed past Newfoundland dead birds and other small is still a beautiful creature lying regions of the far north of in December on its way to animals. Every otter that bites the with an empty chest cavity on Scandinavia, Russia and North Bremerhaven. According to a dust in the Netherlands comes to Jansman’s dissecting table. Its America and Canada. Carl Zuhorn passenger, nine snowy owls (two Alterra for dissection. As he works insides have been skillfully of the Vlieland forestry office males and seven females) alighted on the snowy owl, Jansman points emptied out. ‘The work of seagulls spotted a snowy owl on Vlieland on the ship 50 miles off the coast. at its taloned feet, covered in thick and the crow family,’ thinks for the first time last year. Until The passengers reported this when hair. Against the cold, explains Jansman. He can only admit his then only 17 snowy owls had been they heard about the Vlieland Jansman, while the spring admiration for the expert job done. spotted in the country. At the end snowy owl. The last two birds left sunshine warms the world If you did not know better you of January it turned out that there the ship off the coast of Zeeland. outside. RK

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unharmed. It is just a pity the medicinal substances. She placed the tobacco plant can manufacture ð8SVFDOLQJPHGLFDOGUXJ periwinkle contains such small all the genes that play a role in the the drug in large quantities. SURGXFWLRQE\FRPELQLQJ quantities of these substances, biosynthesis of the cancer drug Calculations show that its FKDUDFWHULVWLFVRISODQWVPD\ says plant physiologist Sander van into a tobacco plant in order to see potential production could be EHSRVVLEOH der Krol. And they are very difficult whether this plant could make the 5000 times higher than that of to make synthetically, due to their drug too. The results at that stage Cantharanthus roseus. Which is complex molecular structure. were disappointing. Some interesting news for the The Madagascar medicinal plant Van der Krol’s Chinese PhD components were identified as pharmaceutical industry. AS Catharanthus roseus (the student Lemeng Dong therefore alien by the tobacco plant and Madagascar rosy periwinkle) wanted to find out whether other were deactivated and dumped in Lemeng Dong received her PhD on 7 makes vinblastine and vincristine. plants can make these substances the plant cell’s rubbish bin. The March; her supervisor was Richard These substances halt the growth in large quantities. To this end she big challenge now is to switch off Immink, professor by special of cancer cells specifically, while focused on the production of the plant’s resistance appointment of Plant Physiology of leaving normal body cells almost strictosidine, the precursor of the mechanisms. If that can be done, flower bulbs

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

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025(9$&$17585$/3523(57,(6 stalls, will fi nd a new use. The other half, ð)DUPFORVXUHVDUHUHVXOWLQJLQPDQ\ which includes many animal tie-stall UHGXQGDQWDQLPDOVWDOOVDQGVKHGV barns, will be superfl uous. If nothing is 9,6,21ǉǉ ð1HZODQGXVHDQGGHPROLWLRQPXVWEH done to address this situation, dilapidati- PDGHPRUHDSSHDOLQJRSWLRQV on will become a very real threat. è(QRXJKIRRGLQ$VLDé 1(:,1,7,$7,9(6 (DVW$VLDLVWKUHDWHQHGE\IRRGVKRUWDJHVLQWKHFRPLQJ The Dutch countryside is facing a sharp Fortunately, the Wageningen researchers GHFDGHVSUHGLFWVWKH)$21RQVHQVHZHDUHSHUIHFWO\ escalation in the number of vacant farms, see ways in which the problem of vacant FDSDEOHRIPHHWLQJWKHLQFUHDVLQJGHPDQGIRUIRRGVD\V animal stalls and sheds. In 2030 there will properties can be resolved. At present, for 0DMD6OLQJHUODQGRI3ODQW3URGXFWLRQ6\VWHPV be more empty agricultural buildings than example, zoning plans and regulations are offi ces or shops, estimates a team of Alter- often an obstacle when a new function is East Asia faces a race against hunger and ra researchers. Countermeasures must be being sought for redundant buildings. undernutrition, predicted UN organization FAO this urgently considered, they write in their re- ‘Municipalities and government week at a conference in Mongolia. Harvests are failing port on Dutch agricultural buildings that authorities should have a fundamentally with increasing frequency, due to drought and fl oods. are falling vacant in rural areas, which was positive attitude towards new initiatives,’ In order to feed their populations in 2050, some published last Friday. says the chief researcher Edo Gies. In countries in Asia and around the Pacifi c Ocean will Over the past 60 years, the Dutch coun- addition, demolition must become a more need to increase their food production by more than 70 tryside has changed beyond recognition. appealing option. The current incentives percent. Over the past 20 years, the annual growth in Whereas there were still 400,000 small are evidently not appealing enough to the production of grain and rice ranged between 0.6 farms in 1950, in 2012 just 64,000 prompt retiring farmers to knock down and 0.8 percent. In order to feed the world in the remained. And while those who carry on their redundant stalls, while demolition is coming decades, a stable annual growth in production grow ever bigger, every year another 2 per- often a desirable option. Many of the of 1 percent is needed, according to the FAO. cent of all rural companies cease opera- buildings are of little historic or cultural ‘But production is just one of the four indicators of tions. The researchers believe this trend signifi cance. ‘These stalls are not food security,’ says Maja Slingerland of the Plant will continue unabated. Which leads them characteristic of the region,’ says Gies. Production Systems chair group, which does a lot of to expect that before 2030 a further16,000 ‘They are utterly standard stalls, practical, research in Asia and Africa. ‘Besides production, other to 33,000 farmers will go out of business. built of cheap materials and found all over key issues are the accessibility and availability of food – Their calculations are based on a fi gure of the Netherlands.’ consider purchasing power and markets. Thirdly, there 24,000 closures. That’s how many farmers It is unclear how great the problem of is nutritional value – the quality and the nutrients – and are older than 50 and have no successor. vacant buildings is at present, because no fourthly, the stability and robustness of the food supply The closure of all these 24,000 busines- statistics are being kept. ‘There are signs system. So you certainly cannot say that lagging ses, the researchers calculate, will cause from the farming community that farms production levels lead to undernutrition, because you farm buildings covering an area equal to are less easy to sell than they used to be,’ can also buy that food on the world market, as the Arab 6400 football pitches to lose their function says Gies, ‘but as yet there’s no clear countries do.’ before 2030. It is likely that half of these, evidence of empty properties on any mainly homes and relatively new animal signifi cant scale.’ RR But a food shortage can still arise in particular regions? ‘Certainly, but the question is still whether that is caused by too low production. Because up to now we can easily meet the demand for food. The proportion of the population of Asia facing food insecurity is still big, but the percentage of undernourished people has gone down. And the gap between potential and actual production is big in many places, so in principle there is suffi cient scope to produce a lot more, even in Asia. But closing the yield gap is closely related to socio-economic factors, such as farmers’ access to the means of production and attractive markets. These factors seem to me to be more important than the unstable climate and crops with higher yields. If we close these yield gaps, we can feed far more than 9 billion people.’ AS

352326,7,21 ‘Vegetarianism should not be advertised as a way to achieve food security’

Mahmoud Shirali, who received his PhD on 13 March in Wageningen 'HPROLWLRQRIDJULFXOWXUDOEXLOGLQJVPXVWEHXUJHQWO\FRQVLGHUHG

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

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Scientists, policymakers and NGOs have been promoting the introduction of biological crop protection its costs outweigh its in developing countries for about benefits. This criticism of 50 years, to provide an alternative the technique itself in to the use of chemical pesticides. developing countries is The use of predator insects and new, too, because it is bacteria to fight pests has not got one that is seldom heard off the ground in these regions, from western experts. however. An international research If IPM is ever to catch team including Wageningen on in developing researcher Stephen Sherwood countries, we need to take asked hundreds of experts in the this criticism into field of Integrated Pest account, write the Management (IPM) why that is. For information supply. These things concerted implementation of researchers in the journal PNAS. the first time, they asked experts in certainly play a role, noted biological crop protection over a In passing, the researchers cast developing countries as well. And Sherwood and his colleagues, who wide area. After all, diseases and new light on a familiar argument this produced new insights. drew up a list of 50 obstacles to pests can easily spread from one put forward by the proponents of Western experts have been biological crop protection. But the small-scale farm to the next. This biological crop protection, namely saying for years that the experts in developing countries point has been overlooked in the that IPM does not get off the ground introduction of IPM in the Third highlight other obstacles which are literature to date, say the because of lobbying by the chemical World is hampered by farmers’ lack more significant in their practice. researchers. Secondly, biological industry. That lobby does exist, say of knowledge, as well as by the lack crop protection in developing the experts, but they believe the of stimulating policies in these 127352),7$%/( countries is more difficult to shortcomings of IPM pose a greater countries and inadequate Firstly, they point out the need for introduce because in some cases obstacle. AS

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soon be published in the Internatio- the ‘last line of defence’ provided Over the past 20 years, ð$UDQGRPFKHFNŊQGVPXOWL nal Journal of Food Microbiology. by antibiotics. resistance to antibiotics has UHVLVWDQWEDFWHULDRQKHUEV Mint and parsley were among increased considerably all over the ð1RLPPHGLDWHGDQJHUEXWD the herbs involved, but the )$(&(6 world, and especially in emerging VLJQWKDWUHVLVWDQFHLQFUHDVHV researchers also studied the less While no immediate danger exists, countries. In these states there is well-known water morning glory the results did cause some enough money for antibiotics, but and betel leaf. As chefs commonly astonishment. ‘It is striking that the procedures for using them Herbs from South-east Asia often use these herbs raw, it is possible we found such resistant germs on with care are lacking. In addition, carry bacteria that are resistant to that live bacteria could end up in fresh herbs,’ says Mevius. ‘The resources to guarantee food safety several types of antibiotic. This our intestines. Once there, they image associated with fresh herbs are limited. It became painfully serves as a reminder that meat is could pass their resistance genes is that they are healthy and tasty.’ clear that plants are capable of not the only food to host such to other bacteria. Nonetheless, the It is still unknown how exactly spreading bacteria back in 2011, germs. On eight types of herb in results do not mean that we have the herbs were contaminated. This when hundreds of people fell sick the laboratory, researchers at the to give up Thai food, says Dik may have happened through the in Germany due to the EHEC Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) Mevius, senior researcher at CVI. use of human or animal faeces as bacterium. Sprouted foods turned found resistant bacteria. Combing For one thing, the germs found by fertilizer during cultivation. Other out to the vehicle by which the the hereditary material of these his team have never been seen in possible sources are sprinkler bacterium had spread. These bacteria, they went in search of the patients in western Europe. systems and the contaminated foods are eaten raw in salads. RR genes responsible. Their work will Moreover, they are not resistant to hands of growers.

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ǋǋ5(6285&(:$*(1,1*(1851/ FRORSKRQ Resource is the magazine and news website for students and staff at Wageningen 3K'VWXGHQWVDUHQRORQJHUDOORZHGWRUHIHU UR. Resource magazine comes out every fortnight on Thursday. WR*RGLQWKHLUDFNQRZOHGJHPHQWV$UXOLQJ 6XEVFULSWLRQV WKDWKDVSURPSWHGVWURQJUHDFWLRQVRQRXU A subscription to the magazine costs €58 ZHEVLWH$QGWKLVDUJXPHQWLVIDUIURP (overseas: €131) per academic year. VHWWOHGVRJHWRQOLQHDQGMRLQLQ Cancellations before 1 August. $GGUHVV Akkermaalsbos 14, 6708 WB Wageningen *RWVRPHWKLQJWRVD\WRR"Email your views to [email protected] (Nexus, Building 117, bode 31). POBox 409 6700 AK Wageningen. Secretariat: Thea Kuijpers, [email protected]. T 0317 484020 Website: resource.wageningenur.nl. :25'6$%287:25'6 ',9,'(':25/' ISSN 1389-7756 From this academic year, there is strict monitoring to In February Wageningen UR said goodbye to executive (GLWRULDOVWDŉ make sure PhD students do not express religious or board chair Dijkhuizen, and in the same month the Food ð5RE*RRVVHQV HGLWRUDFWLQJHGLWRULQ political views in their acknowledgements. Jerke de Otherwise conference took place. Two very diff erent chief) [email protected], 0317 485320 Vries was obliged to remove his acknowledgements futures for agriculture were sketched at these events.. ð5RHORI.OHLV HFRORJ\VRFLDOVFLHQFHVHFR because he had thanked God in them. Whereupon a Resource columnist Kees van Veluw asked his readers nomy), [email protected], 0317 481723 media storm blew up. in which world they would prefer to live. ð1LFROHWWH0HHUVWDGW ZHEHGLWRU [email protected], 0317 488190 ð/LQGDYDQGHU1DW VWXGHQWVHGXFDWLRQ The removed acknowledgements immediately promp- It is quite clear Van Veluw doesn’t live in the Dijkhui- [email protected], 0317 481725 ted a discussion on freedom of religion, good science zen universe, and we know he was involved in organi- ð5RE5DPDNHU QXWULWLRQŊVKHULHV and indoctrination. A theologian in Dutch national zing the Food Otherwise conference. However, our [email protected], 0317 481709 daily de Volkskrant claimed that when it comes to responders turned out not to want to take sides. *XXV ð$OEHUW6LNNHPD SODQWVFLHQFHVDQLPDO secularization, the Netherlands is ‘still at the puberty *HXUWV, for instance, writes, ‘Who is going to build sciences, organization) stage’. Many religious scientists have protested bridges with the majority positioned somewhere [email protected], 0317 481724 against the ban, both in newspapers and on Twitter. between the two?’ :LOFR, too, considers it to be coun- /D\RXW ð+DQV:HJJHQKDQVZHJJHQ#ZXUQO There is strong criticism of the rule on our site as terproductive to see these as two completely diff erent T 0317 485272; basic design of magazine: well. ‘What a hard and strange attitude by the Acade- worlds. ‘I reckon this is about two extremes, neither Nies & Partners bno Nijmegen mic Board,’ says Resource columnist JDQ:LOOHP.RUW of which will be able to provide enough sustainably )UHHODQFHMRXUQDOLVWV OHYHU. ‘The acknowledgements are separate from the produced food.’ Another responder decries the Romy Appelman, Alexandra Branderhorst, contents of a thesis, so I don’t see the problem.’ Ano- column as an attempt to polarize the discussion, pre- Jeroen Bok, Josh Christian, ir. Yvonne de ther commentator teasingly cites a few university cisely when the time is ripe for dialogue. But in Hilster, Milou van der Horst, Sander de mottos which refer to God. amongst all these consensus lovers some partisan Kraker, ir. Rik Nijland, Karst Oosterhuis, But there are people who support the university’s voices are raised as well. ‘The Netherlands should be Camille Ponte, ir. Astrid Smit, ir. Joris Tie- lens, Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau stand. -HQV%XQW, for instance, cannot understand all ashamed […] of its livestock industry,’ says 0DUMROHLQ 7UDQVODWRUV the anger. The acknowledgments may be a bit more 0RHLMHV, ‘and not go around proudly announcing that Clare McGregor, Susie Day, Clare Wilkinson personal, but they are still part of the thesis, which is it needs to get even more intensive.’ She only sees a 3KRWRJUDSK\ an academic document. ‘And you are not free to say in future in ‘a sustainable, healthy, natural and fair food Guy Ackermans, Manon Bruininga, Bart de the acknowledgements that your supervisor deserves production system.’ But her punch line betrays that Gouw, Sven Menschel, Sjoerd Sijsma the death penalty or that all Poles should be kicked Moeijes is already missing her favourite WUR boo ,OOXVWUDWLRQV out of the country.’ He thinks PhD students should man. ‘Aalt faalt’ is a nice ready rhyme (meaning Petra van Berkum, Esther Brouwer, Guido just make any religious statements on a loose leaf Aalt fails). What to do with ‘Fresco’? de Groot, Studio Lakmoes, Kim Peterse, Henk van Ruitenbeek, Pascal Tieman or in their speech at the party. Most responders (GLWRULDOERDUG are against the rule, though. Even convinced CORRECTION ir. Martijn de Groot (chair); ir. Marianne atheists have their doubts: ‘Although I […] In the article No Acknowledgements Heselmans, dr. ir. Patrick Jansen, dr. Margit have my doubts about someone’s capa- for God (Resource 13, page 6), ‘Colle- van Wessel. [email protected] city to think rationally if they think ge voor Promoties’ was wrongly $GYHUWLVLQJ they need to thank a fairy tale fi gure,’ translated as ‘PhD Council’ instead of External: Bureau van Vliet, T 023- says -+, ‘but I am for freedom of ‘Academic Board’. The Wageningen 5714745, [email protected] speech.’ Meanwhile an online petition PhD Council is not responsible for Internal (reduced rate): Hans Weggen, T 0317-485272, [email protected] has been launched and the discussion PhD graduations, but defends the 3XEOLVKHU rages unabated. Even -RKQ/HQQRQ has interests of PhD students. Marc Lamers, Corporate Communications been drawn into the debate on our & Marketing Wageningen UR site: ‘Imagine there’s no countries / It isn’t hard to do / Nothing to kill or die for / And no religion, too.’ Resource is printed on paper sourced from sustainably

ILLUSTRATION: ESTHER BROUWER ESTHER ILLUSTRATION: managed forests

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 12 >> features Vote for a student!

More and more students want to go into politics and local parties welcome them with open arms. There are students standing for election in almost all the Wageningen parties. text: Linda van der Nat en Nicolette Meerstadt / photos: Sven Menschel

he thousands of students living in Wagenin- standing for election to the next municipal council than gen now make up a substantial proportion of ever before. The Christian Democrats, the Green Left, the the city’s population. They live here, cycle liberal D66 party, and the City Party all have students on around the town, shop, pursue leisure activi- their lists, often as election candidates. It is therefore ties, and make use of municipal facilities in almost inevitable that students will leave more of a mark various other ways. Until recently they never on local policy in the next four years than they have ever Tshowed much interest in the municipal council’s policies, done before. Which students are in the running, and what but that seems to be changing. There are more students do they think they can do for Wageningen?

‘Society is often antisocial and focused on economics’ Arie van Eck (19) Economics and Policy ChristenUnie (Christian Union)

Housing is the basis for a good life in Wageningen. A‘ lot of plans have been made recently for new student housing. But the balance has been lost. Graduates and older people want affordable housing too. At the moment there is a five-year waiting list for rented social housing, and something needs to be done about that. The Christian Union wants at least 30 percent of the new building to consist of affordable social housing, both to rent and to buy. Nowadays, society is often antisocial and focused on economics. I study Economics and Policy, so I understand the rational approach. But it often sells people short. Money is used as the ultimate argument rather than as a framework within which you get things done. I decided that I really wanted to do something about that, and I like politics and find it interesting. In local politics you work concretely on ...... improving people’s living conditions.’

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‘You don’t stand on the sidelines, you join in!’ Peter van Beveren (25) PhD in Farm Technology Group CDA (Christian Democrats)

To me, the market in Wageningen is a symbol of the CDA‘ as a listening ear for the community, because our campaign headquarters just opened there. The market is the heart of the city. I am not afraid the city centre is going to die out now we have given the go- ahead for housing on the campus. On the contrary, that provides opportunities for local entrepreneurs, such as a bike shop or a hairdresser, to set up shop on campus as well. It is important that the town centre remains attractive. That is why I want to prevent premises standing empty, ensure there is enough par- king and good accessibility by car, bike and public transport. The nice thing about local politics, to me, is the invol- vement in the community around you. You get to know the city in a new way, you discover new things and you see what could be improved or should be done diﬀerently. You don’t stand on the sidelines, you join...... in!’

‘Important that the voice of the young gets heard’ Roan van Ederen (22) Food Technology SP (Socialist Party)

Education must remain available to everyone, rich or‘ poor. I want to prevent higher education becoming accessible only to students with rich parents. And I also want to stand up in the council for aﬀordable housing, such as temporary housing in vacated premises. You should not have to knock down cheap student housing in order to build something new where the rents are twice as high, as has happened now at Rijnveste. As a member of Red, the youth department of the Socialist Party, I have campaigned several times on campus. I think it is important that the voice of the young gets heard. A big proportion of the population of Wageningen are students. They should be repre- ...... sented.’

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

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‘You really have inﬂuence’ Peter Veldman (27) Business and Consumer Science D66 (liberal party)

The nice thing about Wageningen is not just the market‘ but all the nice little side streets as well. I am in Wageningen a lot and in nice weather I like to sit out at a pavement café like this one. I think it’s a good development for a town when a baker or a coffee shop can put a few tables outside as well; it makes the town cheerier and nicer, and livens things up. That is why I am in favour of longer hours for pavement cafés and unrestricted opening hours for catering outlets. That is what you expect in a student town, just like Sunday shopping. In recent years in the council, I have mainly focused on housing and traﬃc. A lot has been done already in the area of road safety and student housing, although there is still plenty of room for improvement. That is the great thing about local politics: you really have inﬂuence. Everyone always looks at national politics, but when it comes to opening times, renting rooms, or road safety,...... it is the local council that is at the controls.’

‘Stand up for the vulnerable in the community’ Roel van Cauwenberghe (24) Forest and Nature Management GroenLinks (Green left)

Duivendaal is a nice example of what GroenLinks has‘ achieved on the housing market. It was an initiative by our party, to prevent the building from standing empty. We are in favour of more diversity, and we think it would be good if there were more private housing providers besides Idealis. I have been actively involved in GroenLinks for some time, ﬁrst in the youth association Dwars, and now as member of the board of GroenLinks Wageningen. The party ﬁts well with my ideals: standing up for the vulnerable in the community, and the emphasis on sustainability. In my early years as a student I was actively involved in the student rowing club Argo and in SSR-W, but now I feel the time has come to do something for the city. What I like about local politics is that you are close to the people. It is good to start locally with your ideals, but...... I want to go bigger in the end.’

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‘I want to change the form of democracy we currently have’ Mark Reijerman (24) Nutrition and Health Stadspartij (Local party)

What I want to stand up for is giving the ordinary citizen‘ more say in politics. Less weight should be given to the opinion of politicians themselves. Wind turbines should not be placed in Wageningen, for instance, because there are much more eﬃcient places for them, looking at it nationally. Renovating the town hall costs millions and seems to be a prestige project. Ordinary citizens don’t gain anything by it. I think you have to be physically ﬁt before you can achieve anything intellectually. That’s why I do a lot of sport. I was recently involved in setting up the Wageningen Beasts and Wageningen Debating. Local politics is new to me, so I certainly don’t have all the answers. It’s a steep learning curve for me. In the long run I want to change the form of democracy we currently have. The people concerned should have a direct say in important decisions. For that you need to be able to reach people. I would like to develop an app or a website in order to get students participa- ...... ting in discussion.’

‘I am reasonably self-disciplined myself’ Carina Nieuwenweg (23) Molecular Life Sciences PvdA (Labour party)

I want to connect students and the city literally and figuratively.‘ Figuratively by continuing to draw attention to student housing, and literally by ensuring good accessibility, good public transport and safe cycle routes. I am always in the morning bike traffic jam on the Bornsesteeg myself. That junction has been an important issue for the PvdA for a while already, and luckily it looks as though that is going to change. If I am elected, there will be a busy time ahead. I am not worried about that, in fact I look forward to it. I spent three years in the army so I have a certain amount of self-discipline. If you get up an hour earlier every day you have five hours extra a week to spend on council work. At the weekends I might have less time for fun things, but it is more ...... than worth it to me.’

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

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BALANCING ACT Student Anna Jochemsen in action in the Super G at the Paralympic Games in Sochi. The one-legged alpine skier reached sixth place in this race. Not bad for a debutante but she had hoped for more. Jochemsen has not yet managed to win a place on the medal podium. In her ﬁrst event she missed a section and was disqualiﬁed. In the Super G part of the Super Combination her ski got loose and she fell soon after the start. Anna gets another chance on Sunday. Read more on page 25 LndN, foto Mathilde Dusol

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 18 >> features Birds with attitu

No two great tits are alike. Great tits have personalities: some are bold and enterprising, others are timid and hesitant. Some are somewhere in between these poles. PhD researcher Lysanne Snijders is studying the role of character in the behaviour of the great tit and its social network. text: Roelof Kleis / photo: Guy Ackermans

ince the beginning of this week, a number of their territory. The focus lies on the function of the song great tits have been flying around the and the personality of the great tit. Yes, personality: Westerheide forest area near Arnhem with a because animals have just as much of a character, transmitter on their backs which records exactly temperament and personality of their own as you or I do. where the little birds are at any time. These are It has already been established that the way great tits SSnijders’ birds. At least, they are participating in her respond to intruders depends on their personalities. Marc experiment to see how great tits respond to intruders on Naguib, professor of Behavioural Ecology and Snijders’ supervisor, proved this a couple of years ago when he was still working at the Dutch Institute for Ecology (NIOO). Naguib exposed great tits in Westerheide, a wood near PEEPSHOW Warnsborn estate near Arnhem, to the sound of intruders, and recorded their behaviour. The less courageous males How does a great tit select potential partners. A kind the woods where the clearly responded differently to their more outgoing its mate? And does of peepshow in reverse, experiment is being fellows in both behaviour and song. But that was not all. personality play a role? Zandberg laughs. Does the conducted at Warnsborn. The behaviour of the great tit also influenced its Under the supervision of female go for the brightest There, Zandberg will track neighbour. In fact, this was a more influential factor than great tit experts Camilla yellow feathers (a sign of down the birds in the the neighbour’s own personality. Behavioural biologists Hinde and Kees van Oers fitness), for instance, or for spring to see what has call this a playback experiment. (NIOO), PhD student Lies the widest ventral stripe (a happened to them. Will the Zandberg is trying to sign of dominance)? Or is mate they finally select TRANSMITTERS answer these questions. the song, the behaviour or match the preference With this experiment, Naguib demonstrated that A key method in her the (previously displayed in the cage, and personality plays a role in the communication network of research on individual ascertained) personality does this have any great tits. Snijders’ work takes Naguib’s research further – differences in partner the decisive factor? Ten consequences for the including literally looking further. She looks, not just at selection is an experiment females and ten males have investment in their the great tit and its neighbour, but at the response of the in which a great tit in a been tested this way at the descendants? entire community. Naguib: ‘So we look at the whole social cage is surrounded by six NIOO in the last few weeks. network. The research question is what this kind of more cages containing The birds are now back in network looks like. Nobody really knows, because it is so difficult to continuously monitor groups of birds in their

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natural environment. Now we can do that for the first time.’ Thanks to modern technology. Snijders uses a new generation of lightweight digital transmitters that give off a continuous signal. A network of 180 receivers in Westerheide makes it possible automatically to establish the whereabouts of many great tits at the same time. The females as well as the males, because although female great tits may not sing, they do play a role in defending the territory. Great tits respond fiercely to intruders into their territory, explains Snijders. Singing on someone else’s territory is enough to provoke a reaction. ‘What kind of song it is does not matter, as far as we know. It’s not so much what you sing as how you sing. But we are working with standardized songs. Songs that were recorded four years ago, so the birds cannot be familiar with them.’ And then it’s a question of seeing (and measuring) what happens. ‘We actually look at two different networks,’ adds Naguib. ‘The spatial network: who is where, and who has contact with whom. And the conversational network: Marc Naguib with one of the 44 great tits in the Heiderbos which he has fitted out with a who responds to song, and how.’ transmitter in the last month. The transmitter is hidden under their plumage. The long antenna is visible on the left. TWITTER Snijders’ work should provide a better understanding of the social relationships among great tits, and the role of individual character in them. Great tits are perfect MODEL BIRD subjects for such research, since they have a lot of social The great tit is a model wild all year round. it, use it in an experiment bird for research on the Another handy feature of and release it again ‘Great tits have a lot of relation between the great tit is that it likes without apparently social contacts. They behaviour and personality. to brood in nesting boxes, upsetting it. But don’t set twitter away to their hearts’ The main reason for this is making it easy to monitor foot on its territory, practical: the great tit is the fitness (breeding because then it goes crazy. one of the commonest success) of a population: Great tits are very contacts. They twitter away to their hearts’ content. Good birds in Europe and all you have to do is count territorial. Along with to know, for scientists – and Naguib sees the practical uses therefore easy to get hold the eggs and the young their song, that makes of such knowledge. ‘If you know what such a network of. Its yellow plumage also that reach maturity. The them highly suitable looks like, you can also predict how birds behave when makes it quite visible, it great tit is robust as well, models for behavioural their habitat gets fragmented. The effect of corridor does not migrate and is and can cope with a research. formation, for example. Personality plays a role in how therefore present in the disturbance. You can catch animals respond to large-scale developments.’

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 20 >> features

Hungry for more

Several hundred Wageningen students attended the recent Food Otherwise conference on alternatives to conventional food production. Some see this as a signal that students are eager for a new kind of degree programme on food issues. Does Wageningen’s degree programme still ﬁt the bill? text: Albert Sikkema / photo: Joyce Fabriek

want to know how we can feed the world in 2050,’ This, he thinks, could mean a gap in the market for says Plant Sciences student Wytze Marinus. ‘I Wageningen University. Because in the Netherlands too couldn’t care less how, as long as it is sustainable there is a lack of food-related degree programmes with a so that we shall still be able to feed the world 50 clear governance and social context. Wageningen does years after that.’ That is why Wytze went to the Food already make a distinction between food and nutrition. ‘I Otherwise conference on 21 and 22 February in There are degree programmes in the ﬁeld of food Wageningen. Afterwards he says the conference has production (Plant Sciences and Animal Sciences), and on broadened his perspective. ‘In Plant Production Systems, food processing (Food Technology, Biotechnology), food where I am doing my thesis, the perception of food quality (Food Quality Management, Food Safety) and trade production is still rather limited. I came across some (Management and Economics). When it comes to other perspectives at this conference, such as agro- nutrition, there are programmes in the ﬁelds of Nutrition ecology. I consider that rather an airy-fairy approach, but and Health, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, and it is good for science to come up with a range of points of Sensory Sciences. So there are plenty of food-related view.’ courses, with various difference approaches to food, but The conference clearly met a need. About 250 knowledge about food is separated into specializations. Wageningen students attended the workshops, along There is no degree programme which brings together with a few dozen students from other universities. Not too technological and social aspects of food. surprising, says sociology professor Han Wiskerke, a speaker at the conference. Food production and food HOLISTIC VIEW policy are hot and he sees a growing number of social One of those struggling with this is Master’s student Lara movements focussing on the food issue. ‘Particularly in Sibbing. She knows a bit about it, because alongside her the cities, a growing group of people are looking for degree in Organic Agriculture, Sibbing put together her alternative food systems.’ Wiskerke sees universities in own specialization on Food Policy. To do that she combed the United Kingdom and The United States which are the whole university for courses that were in some way expanding their programmes with Master’s programmes related to sustainable food production. ‘After my such as Food, Space and Society, Agroecology and Food Bachelor’s in Animal Sciences, I wanted a holistic view of Security, and Food Policy. Such programmes forge links food and I started taking courses on human nutrition, between different academic disciplines, creating a broader plant-based production, law and environmental policy, to and coherent perspective on food, says Wiskerke. name but a few. The world food question is complex, but it

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means something different to every chair group. At quite difﬁcult.’ Her job in Ede shows there is work out Human Nutrition food is all about health, while the food there for graduates of Food Policy. More and more Dutch technologist asks, what’s in it? The plant breeder looks at municipalities need a food policy. Since last summer, for the yield per hectare, the sociologist at the farmers. They instance, Rotterdam has had a Food Council, and are all islands. I want to create links.’ Amsterdam recently published its vision of food. There are more courses on food in Wageningen than many people realize, says Sibbing, including courses on WELL-DRESSED YOUNG PEOPLE agricultural policy and on food law. ‘The only thing Is this a sign of a lack of courses in Wageningen, or even missing is any courses on food policy and the politics of an entire degree programme, in the ﬁeld of food policy food. Because the food issue is highly political too, when and politics? Tiny van Boekel, director of the university’s we talk about hunger, food waste, access to food and the Education Institute (OWI), thinks that is going too far at availability of food. Wageningen is very focused on the moment. ‘Food policy is addressed in several programmes at present and students have the chance to focus more on food policy in their electives. And attention ‘Wageningen is very focused on is paid to alternative approaches outside the curriculum agriculture and food production, as well, by Studium Generale and the KLV. But I am happy and often behaves as though the to engage in debate with students about it.’ political side to food did not exist’ Sibbing thinks there is scope for a degree programme of this kind. She thinks that is clear in the Organic Agriculture programme, where, besides the vast numbers agriculture and food production, and often behaves as of ‘Droevendalers and hippies’, another kind of student is though the political side to food did not exist.’ looking for alternatives these days as well: well-dressed Sibbing is confronted by that political side every week, young people from the urban west of the Netherlands who because she is also a part-time advisor on food strategy for think the current system is out of date and the cracks are Ede municipality. ‘An upshot of my internship,’ she showing. This group is not so interested in focusing on explains. ‘Ede needed a municipal position on food.’ Her farming and marketing, but does want to change the food position paper has not yet been adopted. ‘It should be a system. combination of the wishes of groups of citizens and companies, plus the ambitions of Food Valley. And that is

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 22 >> IMO THANK GOD

Wageningen PhD candidate Jerke de Vries was recently obliged to remove the acknowledgements from his thesis because he had thanked God in them. This is no longer allowed since a recent tightening up of the rules. Is it good to keep religion and science separate in this way? Or are the acknowledgements a personal postscript which is none of the university’s business? text: Nicolette Meerstadt / illustration: Kito

Jaap Molenaar Professor of Applied Mathematics few good rules. Anyway, I haven’t come across an acknowl- ‘I go for the latter option: it is none of edgements section yet that wouldn’t pass muster. In most the university’s business. In fact I cases, PhD students have a sense of what is acceptable think it’s a shame for PhD students and what isn’t.’ to be deprived to the chance to express their deepest motives. You Fred Schonewille, do need a few rules to prevent things Legal mediator, PhD Leiden getting out of hand, limiting the length of the acknowl- ‘Just before my PhD ceremony in edgements, for instance. But the way it is now is far too 2012, I was told to cover up the rigid. And I object on principle: expressions of religion do dedication in my thesis because it not have to be banished from the public arena, in my view. referred to a psalm. Afterwards I It is good to get to know a PhD student outside the domain of lodged a formal complaint, and I was science as well. That said, it would be a good idea to put a vindicated. Legally the doctorate disclaimer above the acknowledgements. Something like board’s position was completely untenable. In the ‘The university is not responsible for the contents of the Netherlands we have constitutional freedom of religion acknowledgements.” and opinion, and rules about PhD cannot take that away. I have thought about the option of a loose sheet of paper, In my view what is happening in Wageningen is sheer but that is too transitory and it will get lost. I am strongly intimidation. The dean threatens that the PhD graduation in favour of changing the present rules.’ cannot go ahead, because he doesn’t have any watertight arguments. Actually that ﬁts the management culture in a Dolf Weijers lot of Dutch universities.’ Personal Professor of Biochemistry ‘Technically speaking, the acknowl- Maricke van Leeuwen edgements are part of a scientiﬁc PhD candidate in Soil Science publication. The rules for acknowl- ‘I am religious myself, and for Chris- edgements were sharpened up in tians it is important to thank God, September, so you have to enforce just as it is your parents or friends. I them across the board. Of course a got my job thanks to God’s guidance. PhD candicate wants to mention everyone who God is at work every day: he shows contributed to the thesis, but is this the place to me who I can be as a researcher and acknowledge “inspiration” as well? what my capacities are. He put me where I am. I certainly In Leiden, where I got my PhD, you can put a loose leaf in want to thank Him for that. But the acknowledgements in a the back of the thesis, and that is more of a separate thing. thesis are distinct from the academic content. I believe I think we should be able to come to an agreement on a that being able to thank God is important for foreign PhD

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

(5(6SLQGG IMO << 23

‘So I thought I would just come and thank You in person’

Oscar Reyna candidates, because if they are believers they often show it PhD candidate Sociology, more explicitly than the Dutch do. As for whether you Development and Change from Mexico should thank animals as well? I’m not so keen on animals ‘Beliefs, desires and faith are always myself.’ present in scientiﬁc life, even if they are not explicitly mentioned or Jeroen Candel expressed. That is why I think that Chair of Wageningen PhD Council the university should be very much ‘The PhD council believes the aware of the acknowledgements. They embody the very acknowledgements to be a personal personal motivations and the cultural context of scientists. part of the thesis, separate from the From an anthropological perspective, this also gives infor- academic part. It is a personal note mation on the broad multiculturalism that characterizes Wa- that has nothing to do with the geningen UR. The beliefs of the scientist that are part of the research. PhD candidates should be free to say what they scientiﬁc production process may even be a subject of stu- like in it, so that includes religion or politics. The Council dy themselves. An unrestricted acknowledgement pro- therefore appeals to the Academic Board to withdraw the vides information on who wrote the thesis, what were the rule. We were amazed, actually, that this rule was motives for doing the research, the cultural background introduced. It came somewhat out of the blue. And what of the author and other aspects. This can be valuable in- problem does this solve?’ formation for someone who reads the thesis in future.’

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 24 >> student ‘Board work looks good on your CV’

The annual struggle to ﬁll student boards is familiar to many associations. There are plenty of students willing to do a board year, say members of the

AID Board, the only obstacle is CREDIT FOTOGRAAF they don’t know which organization suits them best. This was reason enough for the board to hold a student board market in Forum.

On Tuesday 4 March, some 70 students sauntered past the stands run by Aiesec, Integrand, Thymos, RUW and other associations seeking students keen to share the administrative load during the next academic year. It’s a good turn-out, thinks AID Board member Vera Wiegman. ‘I already knew students were keen to do a board year, but I didn’t expect to see so many here.’ According to Vera, many students consider a gap year but

still feel daunted by the prospect of GUY ACKERMANS FOTO: emailing an association or going in Dozens of students came to the board market. person to its offices. ‘By contrast, it’s easy to visit this market and student associations have large In Vera’s experience new boards already looking for our successors there’s no obligation involved. You memberships they can draw on so do usually manage to fill their right now.’ can take your time and see what’s they don’t need a market like this seats, despite the uncertainty This was the first time the on offer. Now we just have to hope one,’ explains Vera, ‘but associa- surrounding student funding. ‘It board market was held, but if were it gets some results.’ tions like RUW and the Farmer’s looks really good on your CV, so it up to Vera it would be an annual Foundation have no members. is certainly an option that appeals event. ‘Everyone I spoke to about GAP YEAR This was exactly the right way to to students. What’s tricky for us is it was enthusiastic. So regardless The market was intended get everyone considering a gap that while students only decide at of the longer term, I think it would exclusively for associations year interested in taking on a role the end of the academic year be good idea to do it again next without members. ‘Study and in these clubs.’ whether or not to do it, we are year.’ LvdN

New hope for tropical greenhouse

It might yet be possible to save connected with the greenhouse via and councillors are enthusiastic bedrock of Onsman’s plan. He the tropical greenhouse on the pedestrian bridges. Underpinning about the plan. The municipality is wanted to see 24 rental homes old Dreijen campus. A plan to this plan is the understanding that keen to keep the greenhouse for its built for graduates. The plan failed build apartments in and around the greenhouse remains easily cultural and historic signiﬁcance. because the investor withdrew at the greenhouse appears likely to visible from the Arboretumlaan. the eleventh hour. succeed. ‘It’s good news that a plan has EARLIER PLAN FAILED Vandenbrink’s plan is been submitted to develop the Earlier attempts to preserve the considerably more ambitious. In The plan is the initiative of greenhouse into student accom- tropical greenhouse came to any event, it depends on a Vandenbrink Property B.V., an modation,’ says the councillor nothing in October of last year. provincial subsidy. Whether this investment company based in responsible, Lex Hoefsloot. Student Sander Onsman wanted to has been secured will be known at Ermelo. It is keen to build 80 The investor has now reached turn the greenhouse into a the end of May. In addition, the apartments: 20 in the greenhouse agreement with Wageningen UR multifunctional educational current zoning plan will need to be itself and the remaining 60 in two concerning the redesign of the centre. As in the present plan, changed to permit a substantial adjacent buildings that will be greenhouse. Wageningen’s mayor home building was the ﬁnancial number of student homes. RK

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

(5(6SLQGG student << 25 NOT MUCH LUCK FOR ANNA JOCHEMSEN AT PARALYMPICS

Disqualiﬁ cation, followed by a fall. The Paralympic Games in Sochi have not gone to plan for Wageningen student Anna Jochemsen. So far she has not managed to gain a place on the podium.

During her fi rst descent on Saturday 8 March, the student of Nutrition & Health was disqualifi ed. The Wageningen alpine skier missed a section and did not appear on the results list. ‘Enough to make you weep… and CREDIT FOTOGRAAF that’s what I did,’ tweeted Anna Jochemsen after she was disqualifi ed. She had pictured her Paralympic debut otherwise. ‘I wanted to take the corners very close, because I had lost a lot of time there in the training. I saw too late that I had cut that corner too fi ne and came out on the wrong side. That is a worst case scenario,’ says a disappointed Selfi e of Anna Jochemsen in Sotchi. Jochemsen on the website of NOC*NSF. and that made me too cautious. favourite but in the last World Cup snowboarder but we have very Anna’s descent on Tuesday 11 That wasn’t necessary.’ competitions I came third twice. It different schedules so that is not March ended dramatically too. In a telephone interview with is putting it too strongly to say I such a good idea.’ She hardly During the second part of the Resource before her fi rst decent, expect a medal, but actually there notices the tension around the Super combination, the slalom, Anna was still optimistic. She felt is a little bit of truth in that.’ Ukraine. ‘I am not concentrating she fell soon after the start and good and very relaxed. ‘The body on that at the moment. Putin did could not fi nish her race. The fi rst feels good. We have already had PUTIN come into the dining room, I part, the Super G, was cancelled two offi cial training sessions. In Anna is enjoying herself at any heard. But I was in my room at the due to bad weather. The Rosa my head I am continuously skiing rate. The atmosphere in the time. The Ukrainian competitors Khutor piste was shrouded in thick that run. It is the same piste as in Olympic Village is ‘great’. ‘Actually are present as usual.’ LvdN/RK fog, so that visibility was too poor the Olympic Games, only the run is it’s very relaxed. We have already for the skiers. The postponed shorter. For us it is made ourselves at home. We pretty Anna will be out on the piste again Super G is on the programme for about two much have our own corridor, on Wednesday 12 March, in the Friday 14 March. kilometres.’ and I have a room to slalom, and on Sunday 16 March, in She hoped to bag myself. I could have the giant slalom. TOO CAUTIOUS a medal for one of shared with a For competition schedules and info, Anna’s only success so far was the the fi ve events she see: www.nos.nl.ps2014 and Super G on Monday 9 March, in ended up entering. ‘I www.paralympischspelen.nl which she came sixth. A good am really going for a result for a debutante, but she still medal. If that doesn’t had mixed feelings at the fi nish. ‘I work out it will really be a am annoyed about how I tackled pity. I feel as things,’ says Anna on the website though I am so of paralympischespelen.nl. ‘Sixth close. I am not a place is good for me, but the time difference compared to number one is too big. I saw that the fi rst skier didn’t make it to the fi nish,

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 26 >> student

HANGOVER A bad hangover has no impact on Factcheck: Vacant rooms? how soon the next beer will go down the hatch. This fi nding came ‘There is a fair amount of vacant therefore be building on the present. There will only be some out of research among frequent accommodation in Wageningen at Nobelweg and at the Lawickse Hof.’ rooms free from 1 May,’ says drinkers done by the university of the moment,’ said D66 candidate Arman Krechting. He manages Missouri. The ‘hair of the dog’ Peter Veldman at a student HOUSING DESK buildings for private owners. myth that you can drink a hangover debate in the runup to the ‘Some private rooms are harder to ‘Above the zonnestudio in the away doesn’t hold water either. municipal elections, on 28 rent out at the moment,’ explains Plantsoenenhuis I have 58 rooms, The question is whether that is February at SSR-W. He was André Vermeer of the but I manage almost 100 in total good news or bad. referring to student rooms HousingDesk. ‘Outside throughout Wageningen. More specifi cally. But has he got his Wageningen, especially in Rhenen, rooms keep being added.’ SELECTION facts right? Time for a factcheck. there are certainly empty rooms We may have hit already. That is normal for April PETER VELDMAN ON HIS REMARK: upon a IDEALIS and May. The new Idealis ‘My remark was mainly intended good ‘There is a period every year when complexes have solved part of the to put in perspective the criterion there are empty rooms,’ replies housing problem. If you really want statements people make that for admission to Corina van Dijk, spokesperson for to know whether there are vacant there are still massive shortages. universities. The Idealis. ‘That moment is approach- rooms in Wageningen, you should True enough, the prognoses are taller the better. ing now, but it is not here yet. We call the manager of the that student numbers will go on Scottish scientists expect the fi rst vacant rooms at the Plantsoenenhuis. His rooms are growing, but in the last four years have discovered end of March, and there is already quite expensive, so if there are a lot more accommodation has that tall people little interest in rooms that are due rooms empty, they will be there.’ been built as well. We need to have a higher IQ on average. Of the to be vacated. The student keep an eye on it, but it is not correlation, 70 percent can be put population is still growing and in PLANTSOENENHUIS acute anymore.’ NM down to genes, since there are the next couple of years we shall ‘I have zero empty rooms at genes which are involved in both intelligence and growth. The rest of the correlation comes from environmental factors. We favour a height check at the entrance to the Forum. FLY-MAD American scientists have succeeded in steering fl ies using laser light. They linked a heat- sensitive protein to neurons in fl y brains, in this case the part of the brain that makes fl ies randy. The system is called Fly-MAD: Fly mind- altering device. As soon as the light is switched on the fl y tries to copulate with a ball of wax. Viagra is nothing to this. One can only wonder what the applications could be… RIGHT PLACE A lad on a night out in Ede’s wild scene got fi ned for vomiting on the street. The proud cop who dished out the fi ne reported it on twitter GREEN KNITTING On 7 March Orion was fi lled with the vintage clothing and stalls displaying sustainable fashion. at once: ‘Colleague Michel and I comfortable clicking of knitting needles. As part of the ‘We wanted to raise awareness about sustainability issues have just fi ned someone for Green Fashion Festival, organized by fi ve students of in the fashion industry and at the same time bring some vomiting in public. That counts as Wageningen UR and Van Hall Larenstein, the Grandmas of art and culture onto campus,’ says student Alice Dos San- answering a call of nature in the Grannies Finest taught environmentally aware students tos, one of the initiators. ‘Wageningen students know a lot wrong place too.’ The question is, how to knit their own scarves. about sustainable food, but fashion seems like a separate where in Ede are the appointed There were several dozen students at the two-day event, subject. Which is odd, because cotton is a major agricultu- places to throw up? which consisted not just of a knitting workshop but also of ral crop, in which chemicals and GMO are commonly discussions, lectures, an exhibition, a fashion show with used.’ LvdN, photo: Guy Ackermans

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

(5(6SLQGG student << 27

EPISODE 26 - MORTIERSTRAAT 14B<<

The story so far: during a summertime house party, the housemates found Derk kissing Tom, his gym buddy. This had brought the ﬂ irting between Derk and Vera to an abrupt end. ILLUSTRATIONS: KIM PETERSE ILLUSTRATIONS: Muscles

erk was sitting in the canteen in DLeeuwenborch. Trying to fi nish writing a report while eating his pumpkin soup, he was feeling tired and tense. For the past three weeks he had been waiting to hear his marks for an important exam, and there was still no news. A small group of people joined him at his table. He smiled politely at them, but they appeared not to notice. Nothing unusual there; In a large mirror, Derk could see the people behind him. lately he seemed to have become invisible. Things had been Tom was holding a dumbbell behind his head to train his pretty quiet on that front ever since his spell of fl irting with scrawny triceps. ‘Getting outrageously strong,’ was his Vera. And while he certainly thought Tom was a hot guy, motto. Derk traced the contours of his body, smelled the something was holding him back from being fully warm scent of sweat, heard the clink of metal on metal. homosexual… Derk didn’t want to draw attention to himself Bang! A falling coff ee cup brought him back to the canteen. in that way. He wanted to be ordinary. Normal. Get married Derk froze and switched his attention back to his laptop. He someday, have children, be one of the crowd. Couldn’t he felt extremely hot but did his utmost to concentrate on his just do that? He’d kissed girls a couple of times since Tom report. It was impossible. With a sideways glance, he but it was becoming increasingly obvious that the opposite peered over to where the guy had just been standing, but sex simply wasn’t his thing. V-neck was gone. Derk’s attention was drawn toward a buff body in a grey There was no way it could ever lead to anything, thought V-neck. Broad shoulders and a good chest were clearly Derk. Guys like that are only attracted to girls. Derk himself outlined. A muscular neck and a chiselled jaw line beneath played a lot of sport but he couldn’t claim to be muscular. friendly brown eyes. Derk’s breath caught in his throat and He was a little on the slender side compared with the grey he blushed. Wow. This guy was clearly a fi tness fanatic. His V-neck. ‘Perhaps tomorrow I’ll try going to the gym,’ he thoughts drifted back to the Bongerd, a few months earlier. decided.

Resource follows events at Mortierstraat 14B

Study advisors speak up for BSA The binding study advice (BSA) is advice. According to the SSC, it was seriously and work hard. Lazy stu- A BSA would be a good ‘stick’ for a good way of motivating lax not clear what the university was dents who ignore their problems these students to be aware of.’ students. This is the emphasis in aiming to achieve by such a need protecting from themselves, According to the advisors, a a letter from study advisors to measure. say the advisors. ‘What we see connection is being made in the the WUR Council. The study The study advisors say they are happening in practice is that those discussion between the BSA and advisors are concerned about the ‘surprised’ by the rejection. They students muddle on for two or the pass rate target. But they are rejection of the proposal for a had already spoken up at an earlier three years,’ says Anja Janssen, unrelated. ‘There are other BSA. stage in favour of the introduction study advisor at Food Technology measures for achieving the desired of a binding study advice. They be- and chair of the study advisors’ pass rate. As far as we are con- In mid-February, the Student Staff lieve a BSA requiring a minimum circle. ‘They don’t show up for cerned the BSA is an instrument Council, part of the WUR Council, of 36 points to qualify to continue meetings and they stick their for making sure students are in the voted out a proposal by the is a good way of stimulating ﬁ rst- heads in the sand. We as study right place. That argument has not executive board for a binding study year students to take their course advisors can’t do anything about it. come to the forefront.’ LvdN

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 28 >> student

Wageningen PhD Council’s annual party, a IXESN - TROPICAL PARADISE PARTY >> PARTIES huge event to which every PhD candidate in Friday 21 March from 23.00 to 04.00 Wageningen is invited. Everyone can bring a When spring begins on 21 March temperatures The best parties according to guest, so even if you are not doing a PhD, you will soar even higher! If that’s possible. Wageningen Uitgaans Promotie. Check are welcome as a partner. Time for a tropical party, with ice cold drinks, a www.wageningenup.nl for all parties. limbo dancing contest and tropical beats. KSV - WINTER VS SUMMER This Erasmus party is being held at The Spot. Thursday 20 March from 22.30 to 05.00 International students know what it is to party, Is it still winter or is it already summer? so this is one party you don’t want to miss. Are Who can tell? KSV doesn’t seem to know, you ready to sweat? but at this party you can fi ght it out among yourselves. This bash is happening in the fi rst This feature is provided by the WPC- PHD PARTY week of the new period, so a lot of guests are WageningenUP-team Friday 14 March from 22.00 to 04.00 expected. Take your student card and four Fancy hitting the dance fl oor with the smartest euros, and make sure you get there in good people in Wageningen? Come to the time.

>> THE WORKS

‘EVEN THE POOREST OF THE POOR COLLECTED CLOTHING’

Who? Lisa Naus, third year BSc International Land and Water Management What? Centre for Disaster Preparedness Where? Manila, the Filipijnen

‘I have always been fascinated by natural disasters and I wanted to go to Asia because of the culture and the environment. In that respect the Philippines may have the worst location on the globe, because its residents are affected by almost every kind of natural disaster going. And yet what I saw was a population that is not easily defeated. Because I was in Manila I hardly saw the structural damage done by typhoon Haiyan (called Yolanda locally), but I did see how sponsored walks were organized and how even the poorest of the poor collected clothing for the victims. The optimism is truly the project worked, how it was implemented and how training was incredible. The strength to carry on and always keep on smiling. done. I conducted interviews myself too. One week I interviewed poor My internship took place at the Centre for Disaster Preparedness in families in their ‘houses’, and the next I went to a conference to talk to Manila. It was quite an experience to live in a megacity like that, with all city offi cials. its smog and very heavy traffi c. The offi ce was on the university campus, I did some travelling as well. On my own, which is fairly unique. the only big green space around. There were no other foreign students Everyone was very curious and asked where my friend was. That led to a in the organizations or the house I lived in, so I only had Filipino lot of nice moments. Sometimes I got asked out to lunch colleagues. I gave one of them the bag of salty liquorice I got for spontaneously, or I got a lift back to the village. Most Filipinos live in Christmas. She was so keen to make it last she cut them all into smaller Manila because of the companies and facilities, but everything outside pieces. it is much more beautiful. Glistening white beaches, chalk cliffs and For my internship I joined the project called Securing the Safety of terraced riced fi elds as far as the eye can see. It doesn’t come much Informal Settler Families in Metro Manila. This meant observing how better than that.’ LvdN

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

(5(6SLQGG service << 29

Visit the Neighbours Week 24 till March 27, 2014

Register now! Registration Spend your lunch break taking till 19 March an expedition to the North Pole, go study the possibilities of the MEANWHILE IN... << electronic tongue or follow lectures on food waste and healthy aging. These are just a few of the many activities on offer! During Visit the Neighbours Week, all Wageningen UR staff will be welcome to pay a visit to their neighbours. Meanwhile in… the Ukraine In the news: Last weekend Russian military took over border posts You have till 19 March to sign up. Don’t wait too long, because in the Crimea. The situation on the peninsula has been unstable LW¶V¿UVWFRPH¿UVWVHUYHG

e-mail [email protected] Commentary by Pavel, a student from Russia

‘The situation in the Ukraine feels like a real nightmare. But when I wake up and read the news, it is still a reality. You don’t learn much from the news anyway; you just get to see the game in which the EU and Putin flex their muscles. It reminds you of the Cold War. I see a lot of worrying news on Facebook too, such as Russian in memoriam dents. He was also actively and friends of mine who have been arrested for protesting against the creatively involved in social activi- Russian military intervention. ties in the groups he worked in. The population of the Ukraine is divided because the quality of life Wouter was a dedicated worker there continues to be poor. All the neighbouring countries are who took a lot of interest in what more prosperous. People in the west think they would be better off went on around him. He was very in the EU, whereas in the east, including the Crimea, they think aware of the people around him, as they would be better off with Russia. Whether that referendum in well as of nature. One example was the Crimea can be legal, I don’t know. But I don’t think it will the way Wouter had a eye for unu- make much difference to the residents which country they belong sual trees in Wageningen, and for too in the near future. I think your identity comes more from the the animals he came across in and region you live in. around Wageningen. He grew old Here I am constantly asked about my opinion of Putin and the apple and pear tree varieties and events in the Crimea. I must admit that I don’t know how it will was very active on his allotment. end, either. I’ve got used to Putin’s behavior by now, and what can He was involved and concerned I change? If he does something else ridiculous, I am certainly Wouter Tigges about those who crossed his path ashamed of it, but by the same token I feel sorry for Italians when I Wouter Tigges passed away on 26 and was an involved and interes- see Berlusconi in action. February 2014, totally unexpected- ted colleague. It is hard to believe Mid-February I hoped that the worst was over. I was talking about ly. Wouter retired early in 2004 af- that Wouter is no longer with us. it with a Ukrainian friend, and we both thought the situation ter a long career at Wageningen His sudden death leaves his family could only get better. Now I see how wrong we were. For me University and the institutions it and friends stunned. Our thoughts personally, it could get difficult, because I am going to Russia for grew out of. Since 1968 he had are with his wife and children, and fieldwork in two months. Now I still have a visa, but if things worked in the Animal Sciences, we wish them strength and comfort escalate further it could turn out badly for me. I prefer to stay Animal Ecology, Animal Taxonomy in this great loss. positive and hope it doesn’t come to that.’ KO and Entomology groups. He was actively involved in experimental On behalf of the staff of the Ento- At the interviewee’s request a pseudonym has been used. research on mites and insects, in mology chair group, practicals and in field trips for stu- Marcel Dicke

13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG 30 >> service

wanted/on offer a description of an idea, a visual Social entrepreneurship United Colours sketch illustrating the idea and a Maurits Groen is co-founder of Off- There will be a running event called Offers and requests for goods and description of the consumer Grid Solutions, a social venture United Colors on the 5th of April in voluntary work for students and benefits. Sdeadline for the which has a sustainable business Wageningen. Just as in The Color staff. Send no more than 75 words competition is 6 April 6. 1st prize: model. They focus on providing Run you will be pelted with color to [email protected], with ‘Wanted/ € 5 000 and 6 months paid safe, sustainable and self-sufficient powder during a 5 km race. For a On Offer’ as subject, on the Thurs- internship at Electrolux. energy and light solutions to people total of only 10 euros you can join. day before publication. INFO: ELECTROLUXDESIGNLAB.COM/EN/ living at the bottom of the pyramid. You will experience a fantastic run, What makes Maurits a ‘social en- while supporting charity! Call for Abstract: Beer in a healthy Counceling for students with RSI trepreneur’? How do you become a CHECK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STICHTING.DURF lifestyle Free counceling for students of social entrepreneur? How can com- FOR MORE INFORMATION. The Scientific Committee of the 7th Wageningen University about RSI panies change into social enterpri- Beer and Health Symposium (30 problems or complaints about pain ses? Young KLV training, Tuesday Unaccepted foods September in Brussels) invites sci- in arm neck or shoulder (CANS) 25 March, 19.00-20.00 in Impulse. The Unaccepted Foods event (Lec- entists aged below 35 years old to every Thursday, 17-18 pm at the INFO: WWW.KLV.NL ture and tasting) has been moved submit abstracts and apply for the Kolkakkerweg 2 at the practice of to April. Why don’t we eat horse Young Scientist Award 2014. This Karin Vaessen (therapy). Also Racket sport tournament burgers or fried insects for dinner? award is designed to acknowledge when you have questions about SWU Thymos organizes in collaba- At this event, the background of research contributions that further special mouses, keyboards or how ration with Walhalla, de Lobbers the unpopularity of such food items the development and knowledge to prevent RSI/CANS problems and de Stuiterd a tournament just will be explained from a Food Cul- regarding the health benefits of while working with the computer with racket-sports. Venue: De Bon- tures perspective. And what could moderate consumption of beer, or in the lab your welcome at the gerd. Date: Wednesday 26 March be reasons to start eating these and it’s role in an adult’s healthy free counceling. The entrance of starting at 18.30 hours. The tour- foods? Join the discussion with lifestyle in the broadest sense of the practice is at the left side of nament is played in teams of 2 in RUW and challenge your food ha- the word. Abstract must be submit- the building. different racket-disciplines. The bits at the food tasting, 8 April in ted before 31 May. MORE INFORMATION: WWW.BETERBEWEGEN.NL tournament is free and no experi- Leeuwenborch, C 82, Wageningen. INFO: WWW.KENNISINSTITUUTBIER.NL ence is required. INFO: STICHTINGRUW.NL SUBSCRIBE NOW AT WWW.SWUTHYMOS.NL Who will win the Simon Jelsma announcements Excursion to GREEN LAB Rotterdam Award 2014? Workshop Presentation skills Discover innovative urban agricul- Do you know the most inspiring Announcements by and for students Which skills will form the recipe ture projects by bike! Rotterdam is young Dutch person, dedicated and staff. Send in a maximum of for an attractive and catchy an example case when it comes to with heart and soul to a just world 75 words to [email protected] on presentation. Presenting info food production in the city. See without poverty? Oxfam Novib is the Thursday before publication clearly & effectively is a key skill to how you can set up a mushroom looking for a young, innovative, (and for the International Edition get your message or opinion across farm in an old swimming pool and enterprising Dutch (wo)man with a include an English version). and, today, presentation skills are make honey on a rooftop. Date: 12- clear vision on development coo- Subject: Announcements. required in almost every field, 13th April. peration. whether you are a student, MORE INFO: WWW.STICHTINGRUW.NL The Award consists of a little sta- Racket sport tournament administrator or executive. Making tue and 3.000 euro to be spent to SWU Thymos organizes in collaba- a great first impression, getting Study trip to Copenhagen & Malmo the winner’s project. Likely candi- ration with Walhalla, de Lobbers and keeping the attention of your How does a city become climate dates for the Simon Jelsma Award and de Stuiterd a tournament just conversation partners, getting neutral within 20 years? How to 2014 can be registered no later with racket-sports. Venue: De Bon- people interested in what you say recycle waste, water and energy in than 21 March 2014. gerd. Date: Wednesday 26 March or write. The workshop provides a city with a million inhabitants? FOR REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION: starting at 18.30 hours. The tour- you of tips concerning the content, What is Nordic Cuisine and how do WWW.OXFAMNOVIB.NL/SIMONJELSMAAWARD nament is played in teams of 2 in visual aids and your verbal/non- urban food projects shape the city? (DUTCH WEBSITE) different racket-disciplines. The verbal skills. Tuesday 1 April, Join RUW on a study trip to 2 pio- Creating Healthy Homes tournament is free and no experi- 19.00 in Impulse. neer cities, we’ll visit municipali- Electrolux Design Lab 2014 ence is required. INFO: WWW.KLV.NL ties, universities, NGO’s and inno- competition is opening for SUBSCRIBE NOW AT WWW.SWUTHYMOS.NL vative food communities to answer submissions. Electrolux Design Lab Campus Run these questions! Date: 6-13th July. searches for future concepts to Course - CV writing Are you ready for the Batavieren- MORE INFO: WWW.STICHTINGRUW.NL home environments in a contest When writing a CV, you can face a race? Participate on April the 2nd for all creative design students daunting task in differentiating (6.30 PM) with the Campus Run to around the world. We accept yourself from other job applicants. check out your shape. Distances entries from all design and In this workshop you learn the tips are 2.5 or 5k, moreover it is an op- technology students (and 2013 and tricks to show your talents in portunity to qualify for the Univer- graduates). This year the your CV. The trainer can take a sity team. Take your chance and competition addresses the issues look at your CV in advance and subscribe via batavierenrace@wur. proefschriften.nl of health and sustainability under gives personal feedback. Monday nl or subscribe the day itself at the Aandacht voor uw the theme of Creating Healthy 24 March, 13.00-14.30 in Impulse. Bongerd. proefschrift. Homes. Competitors should submit INFO: WWW.KLV.NL [email protected]

RESOURCE — 13 March 2014

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agenda Tuesday 18 March, 20.00 BIOMIMICRY, MISSING PIECE? Panel discussion with dr. Vincent Friday 14 March, 22.00 Blok, prof. dr. Huub Rijnaarts, dr. PhD PARTY Eric van Seventer, prof. dr. Johan PhD Party in Junushoff , for all van Leeuwen (WUR) en Saskia van March 18th Wageningen PhDs, with or without Muijsenberg (Certifi ed Biomimicry 10.30 am a guest. Professional). In Impulse. Wageningen Forum REGISTRATION: HTTPS://PORTAL2.WUR.NL/ Room 221 SITES/WAGENINGENPHDCOUNCIL/ Tuesday 25 March, 20.00 REMEMBRANCE OR OBLIVION? Tuesday 18 March, 12.30 Early Modern Dutch History, Leiden SOUNDBITE ‘SOUNDSCAPE’ University) explores the diff erent Do you like to listen to live music strategies by which societies cope during your lunchbreak? Freek with memories of pain, violence Bakker (PSG), trumpet and Herman and confl ict. In Impulse. Social unrest among Koster, keyboard bring musical landscapes (‘soundscapes’) in Thursday 27 March which ‘sound tissues’ alternate DON’T TELL MUM people and animals? with short, structured statements Unitas goes crazy with handcuff s, (musical ‘haiku’s’). It will also ex- bars and tight outfi ts, with nothing plore the interaction with visual less than a naughty police agents Modelling social interactions images and moving pictures, as and sexy jailbirds theme on and innovation part of the improvisations. Various . Unitas will spoil you with snacks, atmospheres pass by and at times acts, art, a photo-corner and the duo will stop their journey in, more. Please register at [email protected] sometimes, peaceful, local stati- TICKET IN PRE-SALE: 20 MARCH IN FORUM, OR www.wageningenUR.nl/cas ons, intimate r&b café’s or empty AT JUNUSHOFF OR UNITAS (INDUSTRIEWEG 42). windy planes.

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13 March 2014 — RESOURCE

(5(6SLQGG >>TYPICAL DUTCH ILLUSTRATION: HENK VAN RUITENBEEK HENK VAN ILLUSTRATION:

The inspection shelf Three months after arriving in the Netherlands, I decided to move into a new apartment. It was a nice, cosy place. Only one thing grabbed my attention: the shape of the ﬂ ush toilet. Besides the old fashioned elevated cistern of water connected to the whole system, making it resemble a mediaeval throne, the most surprising detail about the Dutch toilet is the ﬂ at surface in the toilet bowl.

Fortunately, I was not the only one for whom it seemed strange. My Spanish friend noticed it too. Why would the shape of the toilet be different in France and Spain compared to the Netherlands? Getting to the bottom The investigation was on its way. However, it proved diffi cult to introduce this topic when chatting of Dutch toilet design: with Dutch colleagues, so looking for information in order to solve our initial question was not a literature review that easy. As scientists, after hours – not to say weeks – of literature reading and brainstorming we successfully made a list of several pros and cons. The Dutch design is water saving and silent, which is ideal when you are surrounded by people. And it saves you from being splashed. However, like every invention, it turned out to have draw- backs as well. The fl at fl ush toilet requires more effort to clean and without a complete immersion the smell easily spreads throughout the whole room. Finally, we found out another reason which matches quite well with the preventive behaviour typical of the Dutch population: the fl at fl ush toilet is designed for the owner to examine his or her faecal matter in order to perform a health check. Wow. Not sure we will start investigating whether or not we are sick through this self- diagnosis tool but we are glad to have gotten to the bottom of this issue. Jonathan Nicolas from France and Ignacio Miro-Estruch from Spain, PhD students at the Division of Toxicology

Do you have a nice anecdote about your experience of going Dutch? Send it in! Describe an encounter with Dutch culture in detail and comment on it brieﬂ y. 300 words max. Send it to [email protected] and earn ﬁ fty euro and Dutch candy.

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