No 7 – 12 November 2015

Degree guide Cool island StartHub

No longer small-scale but The ﬂ ip side of Incubator for startups has still number 1 | p.6 | urban heat | p.8 | been going one year | p.20 | RESOURCE For students and employees of Wageningen UR no 7 – 12 November 2015 – 10th Volume Golden rules of diet Due for a facelift | p.12 2 >> labour of love >> DIAAN + MANTRAILING Diaan Jamar, technician in the Plant Physiology chair group

‘I have to learn to read Malko’

Diaan Jamar and her Bernese mountain dog Malko are not really going to track down missing persons. But they are training for it. This hobby is called mantrailing: working toether to ﬁ nd a ‘missing person’. As soon as they are on the right track it gets serious and there is no holding back Malko. And afterwards there’s the reward: an egg or a piece of cheese or sausage. For Malko, that is. And for his boss? ‘That interaction, doing something together – I love that.’ RK / Photo: Guy Ackermans

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 >>CONTENTS no 7 – 10th volume

>> 4 >> 16 >> 25 SPORT DIWALI ECO CRUISE Staﬀ to pay more Radiant at Hindu festival of light How polluting is the Love Boat?

DOWN TO EARTH Never underestimate how far-reaching Wageningen’s themes can be. I was taken by surprise in my own back garden last week by the words of a plumber. It’s all to do with 2015, or The Year of Soils, declared by the United Nations and adopted with much fanfare in soil-related professional circles. Outside such circles however, the soil story seems to be pretty much dead and – well, buried. Ask AND MORE... around about the Year of Soils next time you’re waiting in the checkout queue and 4 ‘Network rules restrict you’ll be met by a deafening silence. Of course Wageningen got invited here and freedom of expression’ there to explain the tremendous importance of soils in our lives. The highlight 6 Analysis: WU funding in being the election of the soil creature of the year on 4 October. hands of VVD Which brings me back to the plumber in my back garden. Before he started digging 11 Student Council defends he grabbed a handful of soil and let it run through his ﬁ ngers. ‘Good soil, Mister. position on FOS Fertile and full of critters. That’s important. Don’t suppose you knew that. It’s not 22 Exclude previous top the Year of Soils for nothing.’ Thrusting his spade into the ground he added quietly teachers? that the woodlouse is the commonest inhabitant of our gardens soils. Nice. 26 Belly dancer in your room 28 Indonesia burns Edwin van Laar

>> World trade wrestles with GM regulations | p.18

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 4 >> news

WUR COUNCIL: ‘NETWORK RULES RESTRICT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION’

ningen UR from ‘actions that (...) council thinks that students have to install a virus scanner. The staff • Restrictions on use of social could harm its reputation or that the right to make negative state- members also wonder how en- media are unlawful or criminal’. This text ments about their university. That forceable that rule is. • WUR Council has fundamental was in the previous regulations but is a matter of principle. Dutch law As it happens, the council is al- objections a new addition says that the text is is sufﬁ cient for dealing with any ready consulting with the Legal Af- ‘applicable in particular (...) to so- statements so extreme that they fairs department behind the cial media’. According to the draft count as libel or defamation, says scenes. Another phrase that did The council says that the new rules text, targeted investigations of us- Muller. He understands that strict- not go down well - the suggestions for the Wageningen UR computer ers are permitted in order to pre- er rules should apply for staff, but that users ‘are expected to be am- network will restrict people’s free- vent ‘(unjustiﬁ ed) deliberate nega- they already have the dos and bassadors of Wageningen UR’ has dom of expression. It will only ap- tive publicity about Wageningen don’ts of the social media guide- already been scrapped. The Execu- prove the proposed network regu- UR’. lines. tive Board did not want to com- lations if the rules on social media, And the WUR Council is not The debate is not just about the ment on the issue before the meet- among other things, are changed. happy with that. ‘We don’t think freedom of expression. For in- ing scheduled for the evening of The main aim of the regulations the regulations should impose re- stance, the student members of Wednesday 11 November. A com- is to guarantee a secure, stable strictions on social media posts,’ WUR Council do not want users ment from the Executive Board will WUR network. But the regulations says Wilco Muller, a WUR Council who connect to the Wi-Fi network be published on resource-online. are also supposed to protect Wage- member representing VeSte. The with their own devices to be forced nl. RR

SPORT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR STAFF

• Sports rights out of Optare package • Squash, tennis and swimming out of basic package

Taking part in sports through their employer is about to become a lot more expensive for Wagenin- gen UR staff. They are no longer allowed to buy sports rights through the Optare employment beneﬁ t package. And swimming, tennis and squash have been taken out of the basic ‘ﬁ tness’ package. Tightened up tax regulations lie behind these measures, ex-

plains Henri ten Klooster, head of GUY ACKERMANS PHOTO: De Bongerd Sports Centre. Tax inspectors have scrutinized the basic through the package are at too employment benefi ts package fi ts package. But there is nothing I fi tness package there and declared great an advantage, say the tax in- Optare. Within Optare sports rights can do about this.’ it ‘too extensive’. spectors. From now on these can be deducted from the salary be- Besides these changes prompt- Squash, tennis and swimming sports must be paid for outside fore tax. That is no longer allowed. ed by comments from the tax in- do not fi t the defi nition of corpo- their sports rights. How much they This affects 500 staff members who spectors, sports rights were already rate fi tness and should therefore will cost is not yet clear. According currently buy their sports rights set to go up in price this year. Staff be taken out of the package, ac- to Ten Klooster this affects at least through Optare. Another 500 staff will pay 1.50 euros more per month, cording to the tax inspectors. Ten 150 of the 1049 staff members with have sports rights but do not buy bringing the total cost to 240 euros Klooster: ‘The costs for those sports rights. them through Optare. Ten Klooster a year. Students will pay 10 euros sports on the commercial market At least as signifi cant fi nancially deplores the measures. ‘I’ve been more per year (94 euros). These are quite different.’ Staff who play is the fact that it is no longer possi- working for years to get sports raises are due to the construction of squash or tennis, or who swim ble to buy sports rights through the rights into the employment bene- the new sports hall. RK

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 news << 5

MOOCS IN MANDARIN ARE POSSIBLE Ulrike Wild, programme trickle down into on-campus OLUMN|STIJN • Chinese interest in free director for Distance Learn- education. © online courses ing at Wageningen UR, sees Wageningen is not the China as a huge market for Dutch pioneer in this fi eld, Wageningen University. With however. A handful of Delft Honours programme There are fi rm plans to offer the translated MOOC she University courses are al- Wageningen MOOCs - free hopes to reach students who ready being offered in Chi- To all the students who have been turned down online courses – in Manda- do not speak English. Be- nese. And thought is being for the Honours Programme. rin. Wageningen University sides being a recruitment in- given in Delft to MOOCs in wants to license the Chinese strument the online courses Arabic and Russian. So that’s how it goes in Academia. Our whole MOOC platform XuetangX also constitute a calling card Meanwhile the third Wa- system depends on selection and self-pro- for this. If the deal is closed, with which Wageningen geningen MOOC started on motion. Applying for grants, trying to get the fi rst two Wageningen wants to makes its name Monday 9 November. The published in high-impact journals: the aca- MOOCs will be translated as known and ‘claim’ certain course was set up by Sander demic life is a constant battle with victories a pilot. The courses will be topics such as nutrition. It is Kersten, professor of Nutri- and defeats. And hey, you’ve just lost your supervised by a Chinese also hoped that new teaching tion, Metabolism and fi rst battle. teacher. methods and materials will Genomics. RR Of course you will get countless other chanc- es to excel. But – without wanting to discour- age you – do you know how these things work in Academia? The committees which assess in brief research proposals are almost overwhelmed by the fl ood of excellent proposals they get. So the fi rst thing they look at is which com- >> LEI IN QUEST >> DOCTORATES petitors have already received a grant. Be- ‘Best question of 2015’ Record numbers expected cause they have already proved themselves. Could the Netherlands be self-suffi cient? Quest For the fi rst time, Wageningen will produce In other words: success breeds success, and magazine considered that the best reader’s more than 300 PhD graduates this year. This the same goes for failure. So there you’ll be question of 2015. In the magazine LEI re- brings the number of PhD theses to a record with your ordinary degree without honours. searcher Petra Berkhout answers a key aspect high for the third year in a row. Some of the A piece of paper whose value – thanks to all of that question: is there enough food? The PhD candidates still have to defend their the- the attention the Dutch press has paid re- Netherlands can grow enough food for 17 mil- ses in the coming months. So in theory they cently to bare pass grades given out of pity – lion people but our diet would look very diff er- could still miss the mark, cautions head of PhD is in doubt from the start. ent, explains Berkhout in the autumn edition of services Emiel van Puff elen. But the count may But there is hope. I am offering an exclusive Quest. We wouldn’t manage two pieces of fruit reach as many as 305 doctorates by the end of opportunity to all rejected honours students a day without imports, but we do have more the year. Last year’s record was 287 doctorates. to apply for my personal Excellence Honours than enough vegetables. We would still be able In 2013 there were 273. In March this year the Plus Programme. Needless to say, my budget to have a bit of chicken but we had better give 600th Wageningen PhD thesis was submitted. is minimal and my status laughable. But up pork. KG RK there are so many Honours Programmes in the Netherlands by now that employers can- >> STERKSEL not possibly keep track of what they all Bridging loan mean. The Ministry of Economic Aff airs has provided You can apply by sending me a letter of moti- extra funding for Wageningen UR’s Pig Innova- vation and a copy of your rejection letter. I tion Centre at Sterksel this year, to enable the will provide successful candidates with an applied research station to continue its work in induction into the day-to-day reality of life as support of sustainability. The ministry reported a scientist. I’ve got an awful lot of jars that this to the lower house of parliament. As the need washing up. Dutch product boards have been abolished and the pig sector’s producers’ organization is not yet able to fund collective research, Sterksel was in danger of falling between two stools. Earlier this year the Wageningen UR research station halved its staff due to falling research Stijn van Gils (28) is doing doctoral research on assignments. AS ecosystem services in agriculture. Every month he describes his struggles with the scientifi c system.

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 6 >> news

NO LONGER SMALL-SCALE BUT STILL THE BEST

Wageningen has come out top in sometimes speaks to students chemistry practicals had to be reor- • Programme director at the Dutch Bachelor’s degree guide who’ve spent some time at other ganized so bigger groups of stu- Plant explains Keuzegids Hoger Onderwijs for the universities. ‘They comment on dents could be taught in the labs. • ‘Good administration and eleventh time in a row. It’s becom- how well organized Wageningen ed- ‘The crux was always to keep lots of personal contact’ ing normal. Yet something extraor- ucation is. It is possible to have a lot contact between students and dinary is going on because the small more personal contact with teach- teachers,’ says Kuipers. scale which was always considered ers and study advisors, it is easy to The student growth also created to be the secret of Wageningen’s sign up for courses, and the admin- problems for thesis supervision in success has long been a thing of the istration is good. These strong the fi nal year. But Wageningen’s past now. Student numbers have points of Wageningen’s are here to strength, says Kuipers, is that the ed- doubled in ten years. How do you stay.’ ucation institute and the teachers maintain quality in the face of that? The growth in student numbers are quick to come up with solutions. By solving glitches immediately, has compelled Plant Sciences to Increasingly, for instance, students says programme director Anja Kui- make continuous adjustments. Kui- are supervised in writing their thesis pers of Plant Sciences. pers: ‘At the end of the fi rst year we proposals and reports in groups. ‘The increase in student num- have a mini-internship in the busi- Kuipers: ‘That requires fewer staff bers is even bigger for us than the ness world. These used to be indi- per student, and it means students Wageningen average,’ says Kuipers, vidual internships but because of can help each other too. It is more whose BSc programme got the high- the growth in numbers they are now effi cient but achieves the same est score (92 points) in the Keuze- done in groups.’ The fi rst-year learning goals.’ AS gids. ‘In 2005 we had 10 or 12 fi rst- courses in cell biology and mathe- years, this year we’ve got 70.’ She matics had to be scaled up fast and See also the article on page 27

ANALYSIS VVD HAS KEY ROLE IN UNIVERSITY FUNDING

Wageningen UR is struggling ture sector. That would ensure would harm collaboration within covered by OCW are small. ‘I with a deﬁ cit because student collaboration between policy- the sector. ‘The healthcare de- think that we should have a calm numbers are growing faster makers, science institutes and gree programmes are funded by separate debate some time about than education funding from businesses. But the CU is no OCW but there is still coopera- the position of green education,’ the Ministry of Economic Aﬀ airs longer convinced of this. Mem- tion within the healthcare sec- says Leenders. The PvdA needs (EZ). The Dutch parliament will ber of Parliament Carla Dik- tor.’ So the CU is supporting time. be discussing this problem in a Faber now feels the university D66, which has advocated mov- That puts the ball in the court few weeks. Of the various polit- should move to the Ministry of ing green education to OCW for of the other coalition party — the ical parties, D66 (liberals), the Education (OCW). a while. Together they have VVD. Last year, that party com- CDA and the ChristenUnie (both Dik-Faber: ‘Wageningen Uni- drawn up a motion to that effect. bined with the opposition to Christian democrats) want more versity’s growth is capped at two In the past, the PvdA would compensate green education for money for the university, but percent but its actual growth is a have supported such a motion, cuts. What does the VVD want the PvdA (labour) does not see lot more. These problems can’t but the party is now in a tricky sit- now? No comment yet from MP the need. The VVD (conserva- be resolved within the EZ uation. The coalition party pro- Helma Lodders; she will only tive) has a key role. budget. So unless something vides both the Minister of Educa- give an interview just before the changes, we’ll be bickering tion, Jet Bussemaker, and the debate on the EZ budget. That The ChristenUnie (CU) is only a about the funding for green edu- ‘State Secretary for green educa- debate has been postponed be- small party but an active player cation and coming up with a tion’ – Sharon Dijksma until re- cause Van Dam is taking over when it comes to agriculture and band-aid solution every year. cently and now Martin Van Dam from Dijksma as EZ State Secre- education. Like the CDA, the CU That is why OCW needs to take – and they do not agree on this is- tary. The VVD also needs time, to always felt that agricultural (or over green education. Then you sue. That is why PvdA MP Henk discuss the matter with the cabi- ‘green’) education, which in- can apply an allocation formula Leenders ‘does not have a princi- net and decide whether to do cludes Wageningen University, to the budget so that funding is pled standpoint’. He says the dif- anything about green education should be the responsibility of based on pupils and students.’ ferences in funding between before the next election. Albert EZ, the ministry for the agricul- Dik-Faber does not think this green education and education Sikkema

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 news << 7

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER: ALL FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

dle-to-cradle’, he told an audience • Karmenu Vella visits of about 50 – largely students – Wageningen that we need to start thinking at • ‘Think about recycling even at the design stage about how the the design stage’ raw materials can eventually be re- cycled again. He also proposed the ‘sharing economy’ as a new busi- ‘If an EU member state has a ness model. And he argued the budget defi cit of more than three case for ‘blue growth’ in addition percent, panic breaks out. But no- to the much vaunted ‘green body mentions the fact that Eu- growth’. ‘70 percent of the planet rope uses over 40 percent more is covered by seas and oceans, but raw materials than it produces.’ 95 percent of our economic activi- These remarks were made by Euro- ty is on land.’ The success of off- pean commissioner Karmenu Vel- shore wind farms shows that it is la (Environment, Maritime Policies worth making better use of the and Fisheries) during his visit to sea. ‘That sector barely existed PHOTO: AART-JAN VAN DE GLIND VAN AART-JAN PHOTO: Wageningen on 4 November. back in 2007 but now it employs In Orion, Vella made a plea for 75,000 people. That is half as many chance to tell the European com- ifi cation is having on the physiolo- sustainable economic growth. as work in the fi shing industry.’ missioner and other members of gy of shellfi sh. Vella responded ‘Growth and prosperity for every- ‘Lots of obvious statements, but the audience what topics in the en- with ‘research is important’. ‘I body is simply impossible with the still good to hear from someone in vironment and fi sheries they are found that a nice surprise,’ said current linear economic model.’ his position,’ concluded Mischa working on. She said that she Streekstra. ‘Politicians usually ask He advocated a circular economy. Streekstra afterwards. She was one would soon be starting a PhD pro- whether all that research is really Without using the term ‘cra- of the four students who got the ject on the impact that ocean acid- necessary.’ KG

How busy have you been? ‘THE ‘In the days before and after the event I CELEBRITY OF was getting calls from the papers and THE GROUP’ television all the time. The ﬁ rst time you talk to NOS news is especially nerve-rack- ing but fortunately most of the media have taken a positive attitude.’

Did you get some funny questions? ‘A lot of the questions were about how the steak tasted, but they were hard to answer. We haven’t made a product you can taste yet. And I wasn’t happy that people already took bites to taste – it wasn’t made for that.’

Does all the media attention bring you some good things too? ‘We have now been approached by Who? Atze-Jan van der companies. Impossible Foods is interest- Goot, professor of Food ed, for instance. That is a company which Process Engineering at makes ‘plant blood’, imitating the taste of Wageningen University blood using plant material. And it’s been What? Presented ‘his’ taken up at the ministry of Economic Af- vegetarian beefsteak to the fairs too.’ world last week Where? Featured on the And do you get a lot of personal responses? NOS news, in the NRC and ‘Of course family and friends tell you Volkskrant newspapers and they’ve seen you. At work they joke that I’m many other media the ‘Dutch celebrity’ of the group. RR

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 8 >> science

CITY CAN BE COOL ISLAND TOO

enced by processes on the ground. a heat island again. opposite impact on the heat island • Negative heat eff ect in the The boundary layer varies, depend- Theeuwes thought up a useful effect. But which one dominates? morning ing on the weather, from a few doz- formula for calculating the maxi- The answer is that it depends on • PhD researcher comes up en or hundreds of metres at night mum heat island effect. ‘The idea the season. Theeuwes demonstrat- with handy formula to a couple of kilometres by day. In was to fi nd a formula which is easy ed this by linking air and street the night, says Theeuwes, the to use and which contains simple models with temperature measure- boundary layer is thinner over the measurable variables,’ she ex- ments in Rotterdam. Theeuwes: We are all familiar with the concept countryside than it is over the city. plains. She succeeded. The Theeu- ‘The assumption was always that of a heat island by now. Cities are ‘That is because the heat that wes formula calculates the maxi- tall buildings cause more of a heat generally – especially in the evening builds up during the day is released mum heat island effect using just island effect. I have shown that that and at night – hotter than the coun- at night.’ three variables (wind speed, incom- is not always the case. In the sum- tryside. The city stores energy by This difference in the extent of ing solar radiation and the diurnal mer, when there is a lot of solar ra- day and emits it again by night. But the boundary layer explains the dif- temperature cycle). A constant is diation and the days are long, the on a calm, clear summer’s day it ferent degree of warming between used to adjust for the amount of shade effect dominates. So then the can easily be a few degrees cooler in the city and the countryside. ‘The vegetation and the degree of open- heat island effect drops in propor- the city than in the surrounding thinner boundary layer over the ness to the sky. tion to the height of the buildings countryside. Why is that? How does countryside warms up faster than The PhD candidate also studied and the width of the streets.’ A prin- a heat island temporarily turn into the thicker layer over the city,’ says the infl uence of urban architecture ciple that has always been applied an island of coolness? PhD candi- Theeuwes. The result is a negative on the heat. Ponds, for instance, in hot countries. In the winter it is date Natalie Theeuwes of the Mete- heat island effect, or a cool island have a cooling effect by day but completely the other way round. orology and Air Quality chair group effect. In Theeuwes’s model calcu- cause warming by night. The role of ‘When there is little solar radiation has an explanation. Theeuwes stud- lations, this difference can be up to the street and of buildings is much you see that retaining the heat is ied the role of the atmospheric two degrees and reaches its ‘peak’ more complex. Tall buildings and the most important effect. Then the boundary layer in this phenome- about two or three hours after narrow streets trap the heat. But heat island effect goes up when non. That boundary layer is the part dawn. The coolness lasts until they also shut out the sun and cre- there are tall buildings and narrow of the air which is directly infl u- noon, after which the city becomes ate shade. These processes have the streets.’ RK

REDUCING METHANE PRODUCTION THROUGH BREEDING

house gas. of methane production is due to the production of the greenhouse • Correlation with composition Van Engelen studied the ge- heritable traits. Those percentag- gas. She is currently investigating of milk fat netic variation in the methane es are large enough to be able to that in a project for the Top Insti- production of dairy cows. This reduce methane production by tute Food and Nutrition (TIFN), in methane is a residual product in cows through breeding, says Van which she is measuring the meth- Breeding can help reduce levels the fermentation of animal feed. Engelen in the Journal of Dairy ane concentration in the breath of of methane production by Dutch It appears that the composition Science. In her research, she more than 1000 dairy cows and re- dairy herds, according to re- of the cow’s milk fat is correlated used a prediction formula from lating that to their genetic pass- search by PhD candidate Sabine with the amount of methane pro- animal feed researcher Jan Dijk- ports. ‘You need a lot of cows if Van Engelen. Now she has to fi nd duced. Using the milk fat compo- stra. you want to fi nd the genetic pa- the genes that infl uence the pro- sition of 1900 Holstein cows, she The PhD candidate does not rameters for methane produc- duction of this powerful green- calculated that 12 to 44 percent yet know which genes infl uence tion.’ AS

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 science << 9

HEART PILLS DON’T MAKE VISION <<

HEALTHY DIET REDUNDANT Ban not just ritual slaughter, but all slaughter. sugary drinks. • Fewer deaths among cardiac Sijtsma subsequently compared the patients on healthy diets group with the highest health score to The Netherlands Food and Consumer • Diff erence strikingly large the least healthy participants. Of the peo- Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has ple with the best eating habits 13 out of advised the government to ban the 100 passed away during the study. In the ritual slaughter of animals without The healthier their diet the smaller the group with the least healthy diet, 24 out prior stunning. Wageningen’s animal risk of dying cardiac patients run, even if of 100 participants died. A considerable ethicist Bernice Bovenkerk thinks they are receiving the best medicinal effect, particularly in nutritional science. that is a step in the right direction. cocktail, posits Femke Sijtsma in her ‘The big difference did surprise me’, says Which direction? The abolition of PhD thesis. Sijtsma. She points out that this is a very the bio-industry. According to Sijtsma these results specifi c group of people. ‘You can’t just show that healthy nutrition continues to extrapolate from these results to other Three years ago the First Chamber, the upper house of the make a difference, even alongside the groups.’ Dutch parliament, rejected a ban on ritual slaughter, best treatment with, for instance, blood Actually every cardiac patient should based on freedom of religion. pressure-lowering drugs, cholesterol-re- already get dietary advice and be referred ‘According to the well-known animal ethicist Peter Singer ducing drugs, and anticoagulants. She to a dietician, says Irene van Dis, policy a ban of ritual slaughter isn’t in confl ict with religious hopes that this message will resonate in offi cer with the Heart Foundation. It’s freedom. It’s not stated anywhere in the Koran or Torah hospitals. ‘Doctors currently don’t often not known how many people actually get that you should eat meat, argues Singer, so you’re not vio- know much about nutrition and think that advice and referral. An evaluation lating religious law if you ban ritual slaughter. I think that medication is enough.’ does show that eating habits are at least that’s rather too simplistic. It does say that you have the Sijtsma uses data from the 4307 peo- reviewed with 40 percent of patients. right to eat meat, and ritual slaughter is a manifestation ple in the data she bases her study on Sijtsma’s research is not the fi rst to of your religious beliefs. Opposed to those religious val- who had already had a heart attack. study nutrition in cardiac patients. But ues is the ideal that you cannot violate the wellbeing of These people were between 60 and 80 much of that research happened in the animals. These values are not absolute. If they collide, you years old, and were tracked for ten years. time that modern medicines – especially have to weigh them up against each other.’ The PhD candidate examined how much statins that lower cholesterol – were not the participants ate of 24 food categories yet being prescribed for most patients, What are the considerations for you? – from lean meat to ready meals. They according to the researcher. The effect of ‘Ritual slaughter came about from empathy with the ani- got points for each category: 4 if they ate nutrition alongside drugs had still not mal. The Torah and the Hadith state: animals must not a lot of it, 3, 2, 1 or 0 if it was served up been suffi ciently studied. suffer. Ritual slaughter used to be more animal friendly less frequently. This score was added up Sijtsma hopes that her results will be than other methods. In the spirit of the law you could to a ‘health score’ for all the healthy easy to translate to the public because change slaughter regulations now as well, in favour of ani- products such as vegetables. The same she researched actual foods and not nu- mal welfare. That’s why I think that the Dutch govern- was done for unhealthy products such as trients like saturated fats and salt. RR ment should consult with Jewish and Islamic organizations: can you slaughter in an animal friendly way while retaining religious values?’

Why not just ban it? ‘That’s possible, but then you should ban all slaughter. Because to my mind animals have a moral status. If we kill them, we deprive them of the chance to ever have pleasant experiences again. That makes the kill- ing as such, with or without stunning, an animal welfare issue, just like the suffering of animals in the bio-industry. So I think a ban on ritual slaughter is a good ﬁ rst step in the di- A/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM rection of abolishing the bio-industry.’ AS

PHOTO: DUBOVDUBOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 10 >> science

WAGENINGEN TO BECOME SYNTH CITY

es, bacteria, plants or algae, they photosynthesis and other made available for the topic in the • Pioneering role in synthetic carry on fi ddling with the design light-driven processes. One of next few years. The fi rst projects biology possible and production capacity of these them wants to build in photosyn- should start at the beginning of • Research proposals welcome biological factories. So Martins thesis genes into a bacterium, so 2016. The goal is to accumulate soon dos Santos, professor of Systems that it can convert light into ener- fundamental knowledge and link and Synthetic Biology, can already gy; another wants to use light to di- it with applied research so that see the potential for collaborative rect the production of biofuels in new concepts, processes and prod- More than 100 researchers at Wage- research clusters in Wageningen, algae. Martins dos Santos also sees ucts emerge. ningen UR got together on 29 Octo- as became clear after the brain- scope for a special collaboration Martins dos Santos has also ber for a brainstorming symposium storm session. between the microbiologists who managed to attract a fi lm festival about synthetic biology. They are For example: the Central Veteri- study the microbiota in our bowels about synthetic biology to Wagen- welcome now to send in project nary Institute is working on viruses and the ecologists who study the ingen. This will take place in a year proposals for this key topic, says infor the development of vaccines for microbial communities in the soil and a half. ‘Linking art and science itiator Vitor Martins dos Santos. livestock, and physical chemist around plants. gives you the space to dream about Wageningen researchers are in- Renko de Vries is working on the Researchers can soon submit synthetic biology’s potential.’ With creasingly able to understand, imi- mathematical modelling and de- research proposals for this invest- its many biology research groups, tate and design biological systems. sign of viruses. There are other ment theme. The aim is for about he believes Wageningen could de- Whether they are working on virus- groups, too, who are working on 1.5 to 2 million euros a year to be velop into Synth City. AS

MORE BANANAS WITH DITCHES AND MULCH

as a consultant, is looking for • PhD candidate models crop ways to boost production. growth Taulya conducted trials on re- • Matoke important for search stations in central and combatting poverty southern Uganda to measure the effect of drought stress. Large areas of Uganda get no more than With simple means such as 1000 millimetres of rain, while ditches and mulch, Ugandan the crop needs 1400 millimetres. farmers can double their banana The availability of potassium in production. This fi nding comes the soil plays a role too, Taulya from PhD research by Godfrey discovered. The water shortfall Taulya of Uganda. is not easy to solve. Small-scale Taulya did research on ma- farmers cannot afford irrigation toke, the green banana which, systems, although some use a boiled or steamed, forms the sta- fi ve litre water bottle by a tree ple food of Uganda and sur- trunk for a kind of drip irriga- rounding countries. This East tion. They could keep more wa- African highland banana, which ter in the soil by digging ditches produces fruit all year round, is in the rainy season, advises Tau- mainly grown on small planta- lya. And they can plough plant tions and around houses. It is an waste back in so as to improve important crop for combatting the level of organic matter in the PHOTO: BIOVERSITY INTERNATIONAL/A. VEZINA BIOVERSITY INTERNATIONAL/A. PHOTO: poverty but yields are low. Small- soil, covering it with a layer of scale farmers typically get a yield rotting banana leaves. This water can boost production by could be doubled to 40 tonnes of 20 tonnes per hectare, while a mulch helps reduce drought 65 percent, and adding potassi- per year. AS 70 tonne yield is possible. Mean- stress by 10 percent in places um to the soil can improve pro- while, population growth is with low rainfall, concludes the duction by 88 percent. If all the causing an increase in demand researcher. water and soil management Catch up on the for bananas. So the Internation- Taulya uses these fi eld data to measures are introduced inte- latest science news al Institute of Tropical Agricul- make a crop growth model for grally, Taulya’s estimate is that at resource-online.nl. ture (IITA), where Taulya works the banana. In dry regions extra banana production in Uganda

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 discussion << 11

The Student Council is at loggerheads with the executive board on the size of the board year grant, and sent a letter to the editor about this. On the site there was a lot of to-do about free wiﬁ and dirty laun- dry. Got an opinion too? Join in the discussion online or email [email protected] REACTIONS ON... RESOURCE-ONLINE.NL

370 OR 320 EUROS FOS is set should be reexamined. To base the HACKER amount on the old system is not justifi able, in The Student Council wants the grant award- our view. Digital safety week has come around again on ed to those taking time out of their studies for (…) The SC argues that during a year in which campus. An ‘ethical hacker showed how vulner- board work (FOS) set at a minimum of 370 euros a student stops (partially) with his/her stud- able you are when you log in on public wifi net- a month and rejected the executive board’s off er ies in order to serve the university (and city), works. of 320 a month. This caused a confl ict which will the university should shoulder one third of the go before the National Arbitration Committee. In costs. On the basis of calculations by Nibud His main advice is not to use free networks. a letter to resource-online.nl the Student Council we arrive at a set monthly sum of 370.66 And if you have no alternative, like when explains why 50 euros makes such a diff erence. euros. you are abroad, always use the least Here is a shortened version. sensitive options such as nu.nl. Otherwise YOUR OWN HOUSE… there is a chance your communication will be ‘What was not always clear in previous arti- tapped and data stolen. The advice irritated cles is that the executive board wants to make The fi rst period of the academic year is over. Verdwaalde fi etser. ‘This turns the world use of a single set amount from now on. This Those fi rst few weeks are quite a challenge for upside down: he tells the staff they can’t do means that no supplementary board work fi rst-years, writes blogger Carina Nieuwenweg. their work anymore (a researcher has to spend grant will be awarded in future (…) The SC is a lot of time abroad) because ICT is not capa- concerned that the proposed set monthly ‘Nice blog,’ writes Bram. ‘But what do you ble of protecting information adequately.’ He amount of 320 euros is too low. The SC is mean by a back-up plan? Does that just mean thinks it’s high time data transfer was protect- afraid that students on a supplementary stu- you just give up and go home to your par- ed on foreign networks as well. Good idea. dent grant will fi nd it too expensive to embark ents?’ Nobody online thinks that’s a good Your contact details have been stored and on a board year. idea; a brief visit to the home front should we’ll get in touch soon. RR (…) The fi gure of 320 is the average FOS suffi ce. And that is what she means, writes awarded during the past fi ve years. Now that Carina. So don’t give up but cherish the there is a student loan system, the way the thought that you can always go home for some R&R at your parents. ‘Whether it’s because you’ve dyed all your laun- dry or just because you’re PROPOSITION homesick.’ And if you do take the train home, Buur- ‘Failing to plan is planning to man van de Haarweg has a fail’ suggestion. ‘If you are at G.N. Kpèra, who graduated with a PhD on Ede-Wageningen station 2 November in Wageningen and you don’t like cooking, the kapsalon [fries and kebab] there isn’t bad at all.’

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 12 >> features I eat fruit every day. And you?’

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 features << 13 Golden rules of diet get a makeover Dutch government dietary guidelines have long been presented as a pie chart showing ﬁ ve food groups essential for health. The ‘Schijf van Vijf’ or ‘Disc of Five’. Now the trendy food blogs, glossy cookbooks and charismatic food gurus of today are making this icon look outdated. How do we bring it up to date? text: Rob Ramaker / photo: Voedingscentrum

1953. Zeeland is struck by disastrous fl ooding. The Dutch more multicultural and even among the native Dutch, population – 10.5 million – is segregated by religious Mediterranean, Asian and other formerly exotic cuisines denomination and goes to church on Sundays. Scientists are now perfectly normal. ‘So we want people with a variety unravel the structure of DNA and develop a vaccine against of diets to see their eating habits refl ected in the new disc. Gerda Feunekes director of the polio. Stalin dies, Mount Everest is conquered for the fi rst Whether their diet is vegetarian, Turkish or Moroccan.’ Netherlands Nutrition Centre time and the fi rst James Bond book, Casino Royale, comes Not every group will be easy to appeal to, says Noelle Aarts, out. And in the Netherlands the ‘Disc of Five’ fi rst sees the personal professor in the Strategic Communication chair light of day, the brainchild of the information offi ce of the group at Wageningen University. Take hipsters, for whom Dutch Nutrition Council. food is a big part of their identity. Aarts sees big differences Ever since, generations of Dutch people have grown up here between herself and her daughter, for instance. ‘I eat with the Schijf van Vijf, an image used on posters and fl iers quite a varied, healthy diet, pretty much the Schijf van Vijf,’ in a communication strategy for making clear to people she says, ‘whereas my daughter eats probiotic yoghurt and what makes for a healthy diet. The pie chart has been quinoa.’ Hipsters talk about food a lot and love certain food adjusted regularly but in essence it has stayed the same. products. The Nutrition Centre should not underestimate The most recent update was about 10 years ago. That how deep those differences go, says Aarts. Powerful norms period saw the rise of the social media and of diet gurus, are at work in subcultures of that kind. ‘In those circles you bloggers and salespeople, with a cacophony of different can hardly eat a sandwich anymore.’ ideas about diet, most of them more colourful and varied So it is better not to approach people who are so preoccu- Noelle Aarts personal professor in the than the restrained disc. pied with food with generalized advice. Marijke Berkenpas, Strategic Communication chair group If it is to stay relevant, then, the disc needs an update, dietician and a blogger at iamafoodie.nl, agrees. She says agrees Gerda Feunekes, director of the Netherlands Nutri- we should not underestimate people’s interest. Her tion Centre (Voedingscentrum.nl). And the time is ripe fol- readers do not want to be told that eating a hand- lowing last week’s publication of the new offi cial dietary ful of nuts a day is healthy; they want to know guidelines, based on the current scientifi c consensus on what kinds of nuts there are, what the differ- what constitutes a healthy diet. In the coming months the ences between them are and why one of them is Nutrition Centre will be translating these guidelines into a the healthiest. So be specifi c and give details. brand new disc, to be presented in March. Another point Berkenpas makes is that positive communication works best. No wagging of fi ngers but appealing examples, preferably with glamorous pho- HIPSTERS tos. ‘So don’t tell people to avoid jars of The new version needs to appeal to a broader segment of pasta sauce so as to reduce their the Dutch population, says Feunekes. Fewer and fewer peo- salt consumption, but show ple identify with a diet of ‘meat, potatoes and veg’; nor are them how you make your own dairy produce and bread so automatically part of many peo- delicious pasta sauce.’ ple’s diets as they used to be. The Netherlands has become Berkenpas is therefore not in

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 14 >> features

their eating habits and get feedback. With success. The Eet- meter (Eat Meter) has 700,000 active visitors. Feunekes has ‘I DRINK IN every intention of taking these developments further. Digi- tal tools are the way to go so that everyone gets access to MODERATION’ much more personalized dietary advice. BEHAVIOUR Feunekes’ main ambition with the new version of the disc is to ensure people adopt healthier behaviour. That is more ambitious than it sounds, as human behaviour is hab- it-driven and very diffi cult to steer. So something has to be done with the Schijf van Vijf, says professor of Strategic Communication Noelle Aarts. She feels the Nutrition Cen- tre currently focusses too much on providing factual information. ‘That needs to be done but the problem is that lack of information is rarely the stumbling block for behavioural change.’ The provision of information targets our cognition while much of our behaviour is socially determined. We are well aware that something is fattening or unhealthy but we don’t manage to stay away from it, especially in an environment in which we are constantly tempted to eat unhealthy prod- favour of immediately shooting down every food hype. She ucts. ‘That is why fat children often come from fat families.’ thinks the Nutrition Centre would do better to embrace The main group you reach with more information are moti- healthy trends. She didn’t understand, for example, why the vated professionals, says Aarts. And all they get out of it is centre dismissed superfoods in such strong terms. That the confi rmation that they are on the right track. caused a lot of irritation among foodies, whereas super- You cannot change human behaviour directly, says Aarts. At foods – all the hoo-hah aside – are healthy in themselves. the most you can motivate people in the hope that they will Marijke Berkenpas Feunekes of the Nutrition Centre begs to differ. Superfoods decide for themselves to change their diets. To do this you dietician and a blogger at iamafoodie.nl such as goji berries and chia seeds are harmful because an have to go to the people. Aarts: ‘You have to fi nd out what obsession with them can create the impression that a motivates people to behave the way they do.’ healthy diet is impossible without very expensive exotic products. And she believes the centre’s strong stand has worked. ‘It has gone a lot quieter around superfoods.’ The NUDGES Nutrition Centre will therefore continue to oppose hypes Feunekes is well aware of the limitations of providing infor- which go too far. mation. When it comes to dietary choices the crucial factors are taste, price and convenience. ‘Health and sustainability are important on a different level.’ So behavioural scientists DIGITAL TOOLS and consumers are intensively involved in the development The enthusiasm is shared, however, when it comes to digi- of the new Schijf van Vijf. Feunekes wants to try and com- tal media. Through the interactivity of social media and her bine long-term goals such as health with immediate moti- blog, Berkenpas sees straightaway what catches on and vators such as taste and convenience. Making sure the what doesn’t. There can be surprises. ‘A fellow blogger healthy choice is the easiest choice. This can be done in a wrote a piece about ten healthy snacks. That is quite simple variety of ways. One way is to remove unhealthy or unsus- but it was read and googled a lot.’ That is how you fi nd out tainable choices, or at least to make them more diffi cult. what the issues are for people. Feunekes too thinks the She gives the example of supermarkets which only sell sus- Nutrition Centre should make intensive use of digital tainable bananas. That forces consumers to make a sus- media to get involved in ongoing discussions, amongst tainable choice. Decisions can be steered more subtly other reasons. through nudges in the right direction. These are small And that is already happening. There is no action on Insta- changes which have an infl uence without limiting choice. gram yet but on Facebook the centre has a community of For example, you can place fruit instead of sweets near the nearly 30,000 followers. Individual members of the centre till at the supermarket. Or you can make sure most of the tweet and engage with the press. In June diet and health products in school canteens are healthy. The Nutrition Cen- expert Astrid Postma-Smeets joined RLT’s Late Night show to refute the claims of Canadian author Alissa Hamilton in Got Milked? The Nutrition Centre also launched a range of tools and apps with which people can, for example, assess A sensation

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 features << 15

sogenic’ environment. ‘Restrictions on food advertising, for instance, or even a ban on adver- 1953 Experience it! tisements targeting children.’ tre is collaborating with companies on this. Not that it NO REVOLUTION receives any money from the companies, but supermarkets Yet the new Schijf van Vijf will not preach revolu- receive advice on how to help consumers make healthy tion, says Feskens. And that may be for the best. choices. The Nutrition Centre is also trying to motivate food The Nutrition Centre is proud of its record of producers and up-and-coming food professionals to make not getting caught up in hypes and that reserve healthier and more sustainable products. And that is some- is one of its strengths. ‘In a world full of confu- thing the centre will continue to do, says Feunekes, even if sion about diet, you can trust that what the it is sometimes criticized for listening to the food industry Nutrition Centre publishes makes sense.’ too much. This criticism comes from a small group of very Recent research by market research company vocal critics and Feunekes sees no future in responding to GfK shows that the majority of the Dutch agree 1970 this group’s demands with a more activist approach. ‘We with this. The vast majority see the Schijf van are not a lobby and naming and shaming is not our way of Vijf as their main source of nutritional informa- doing things.’ Nevertheless, claims Feunekes, the Nutrition tion and are not interested in dietary hypes and Centre is not afraid of condemning unhealthy initiatives. It gurus. So don’t expect a dramatic transforma- spoke out publically against sweets dispensers in places tion of the Schijf van Vijf next March, says like hospitals and buses, for instance. Feunekes. Our country may be becoming more diverse, more digital and more ‘hip’ but we’ll always have the good old Schijf van Vijf. OBESOGENIC ENVIRONMENT The biggest health gains can be made with the Schijf van Vijf in the group that is least exposed to health messages at present: people with low levels of education and those on DIET GUIDELINES 1980 low incomes. According to Aarts it is precisely here that you The government in The Hague published need to look for the networks and the community. its new Guidelines for a healthy diet on You cannot decide what is good for a group anymore. You 4 November. These rules were drawn have to involve people so that they can tell you what they up under the leadership of Daan Krom- need in order to make the right choices.’ Edith Feskens, hout, emeritus professor of Public Health Wageningen professor of Nutrition and Health over the Research at Wageningen University. Lifecourse, has a lot of experience with interventions in this group. She notices that people are eager for practical guide- On resource-online.nl you can read all lines. ‘You must not just show them the about these new rules and about Daan Schijf van Vijf but really get to work with Kromhout’s life’s work. it.’ This could mean very basic things like guiding people around the supermarket, 1990 pointing out the best things to buy and telling them how to prepare them. Yet Feskens thinks you can please people most by changing their social environment. ‘Research shows that we are exposed to food temptations 70 to 100 times a day. You can resist that for a GET ENOUGH long time but at some point you give in.’ Feskens thinks the Nutrition Centre should campaign for a less ‘obe- 2000 PHOTO: HUGO GOUDSWAARD EXERCISE

Edith Feskens Wageningen professor of Nutrition and Health over the Lifecourse 12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 16 >> picture

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 picture << 17

DIWALI The Hindu festival of light, Diwali, was celebrated by the International Student Organization Wagenin- gen (ISOW) on Saturday 7 November. The ceremony started with men and women in threes lighting can- dles on an altar. Then they went around the room with a ﬂ ame and guests put their hands over the ﬂ ame and then on their heads. After a ceremony involving rice and red spots on the forehead, there was food, performances and partying. These women are watching a dance performance. There is a whole series of photos of the Diwali celebration on resource-online.nl. KG / photo Sven Menschel

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 18 >> features World trade needs uniform GM rules

The European Union and the United States want free trade with each other. The big question is how you can prevent genetically modiﬁ ed food and livestock feeds coming in contact with GM-free goods. The thinking is that uniform rules would help, but they still seem a long way oﬀ . text: Albert Sikkema

ust as the negotiations on the free trade treaty MARKET DISRUPTION TTIP between the EU and the US are in full swing, Tijssens is not sanguine about how this will end, however, Wageningen UR is hosting a conference about a because the EU countries are still deeply divided on the potential spanner in the works: the coexistence of acceptance of GM crops. The political debate on genetic food chains with and without genetic modifi ca- modifi cation has been at an impasse for years. One result tion (GM). The key question is how economic of this is that the EU cannot complete the authorization J superpowers can harmonize their policies on this procedures for various new genetic varieties, leading to a point within the trade treaty. A thorny question because huge backlog of applications and disruption of the world opinion is divided when it comes to GM. Not only market. between the US and Europe but also within the EU. Two weeks ago the European parliament rejected The European political debate on another proposal from the European Commission to start allowing EU countries to decide for themselves genetic modifi cation has been whether to authorize imports of GM food and livestock at an impasse for years feeds. Ruud Tijssens, director of the Agrifi rm group and chair of the European federation of livestock feed pro- European livestock feed products are affected by this, as ducers FEFAC, is pleased with the rejection. Agrifi rm has became clear a few years ago when the European livestock several livestock feed factories in the Netherlands, Ger- feed sector showed an interest in the ingredient DDGS, a many and Belgium and would hate to see each country protein-rich waste product of bio-ethanol production, introducing its own rules for the import of animal feeds. mainly from GM maize. That maize was not authorized by The rejection has also saved the common European mar- the EU. The GM feed was already being shipped to other ket for the present. parts of the world but within the EU there was a zero toler-

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 features << 19

Those differences show up very clearly for GM food. Food producers in the EU must indicate with labels on the packaging if there is GM food in the product; in the US they don’t have to. But the European companies don’t have to state that milk, cheese or meat comes from GM sources. Under pressure from campaigners this is becoming an issue and you can see European food producers showing their true colours, says Wesseler. The British supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury’s, for instance, bought exclusively GM-free chicken for a while. But they changed their minds when they found they could not recoup the higher costs of the non-GM feed. This demonstrates that in practice European supermarkets often call the tune on the supply of GM products. That is different in the US. It is commonly thought that the US is pro-GM but the reality is more complex. Almost all livestock feed is GM and there is a lot of GM maize in foods, but no GM wheat is grown. A GM potato has been developed but is not yet being grown, partly because the market leader McDonald’s is worried that consumers don’t want GM fries. What is more, the American rules for testing the safety of GM crops for humans and for the environment are just as extensive as the European rules.

HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING So the TTIP agreement with the US is not likely to lead to lower standards of food safety, reckons Wesseler. But it would be nice to have uniform standards. Wesseler: ‘Agree- ing with the US to test GM food and measure things like

CO2 emissions from cars in the same way will raise standards of living, even if you opt for the most stringent test. A German study showed that harmonizing the regulations ance policy. This was a headache for traders because a little with the US would raise the standard of living in Germany feed always got left behind in the cargo ships. When a batch by ﬁ ve percent.’ of DDGS was rejected for that reason, the traders consid- European livestock feed manufacturers are eager for ered it too risky to import DDGS to Europe. They were clear regulations too. Tijssens: ‘Currently, if we launch a forced to buy expensive wheat instead. Tijssens: ‘The man- new premix on the American market, we must go through a ufacturers recouped the extra costs by charging livestock different regional distributor in each American state. We farmers more for feed.’ want to get rid of those kinds of transaction costs.’ For the sake of clarity: FEFAC is not against genetic mod- iﬁ cation. Tijssens: ‘We supply the market. There are con- International conference ‘Coexistence in International Trade’, sumers in the EU who are against GM and there are con- 17-20 November in Amsterdam. See www.wageningenur.nl/ sumers who don’t see any problem with GM. There are gmcc2015. commercial feed chains available for both groups of consumers. These market segments exist.’

LABELS The coexistence of these GM and tradi- tional food chains are the centre of attention at the international conference on ‘Coexistence in International trade’, to be held in Amsterdam between 17 and 20 November. At the conference international Market leader researchers and business managers will dis- McDonald’s is cuss how you can streamline regulations in worried that food chains. The issue is not so much one of reducing the number of rules, says Wagenin- consumers don’t gen economist Justus Wesseler, co-organizer want GM fries. of the conference, as one of harmonization. Because if there is one thing that hampers international trade, it is the different regulations in every country.

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 20 >> features

A hub of enterprise

There is a corner of the campus where enterprising stu- Thomas has loads of plans for new busi- dents and fresh graduates gather every day. For a year now nesses or for expanding existing businesses. ‘Once you get the StartHub bug, there is no StartHub Wageningen has provided them with a place where stopping it. My ideas generator is always they can launch their startups. With all the ups and downs switched on.’ Not that all of his innovative ideas lead to profi table new businesses. One of that that entails. ‘You don’t suddenly turn into Bill Gates.’ StartHub’s big plusses is precisely the way it text: Ton van den Born / photo: Sven Menschel enables starters to learn to evaluate their ideas well, says Thomas. ‘Is it feasible, workable affordable? At least 90 percent of the ideas are never put into practice, perhaps because they anne is taking a photo of a boxful Quente and OnsZaden. already exist or just because you never get of healthy snacks. Sander is pack- ‘You reinforce each other here,’ says Mas- round to them.’ ing seeds for posting and Jacob is ter’s student Management, Economics and taking a little timeout in an arm- Consumer Studies Thomas van den Boezem. SUCCESS STORY chair, eyes closed and earplugs in. He was in at the start of BoxBites, a company ‘It is nice to have some sort-of colleagues,’ says We are at the StartHub, a building that puts together healthy snack selections and Sander Onsman, carrying on packing seeds. Swith 20 small offi ces and a communal space was the fi rst resident of StartHub one year ago. He is the owner of OnsZaden, a company that where the companies of students and fresh ‘Now I help StartHub with arranging the pro- sells seeds of tropical garden and houseplants. graduates can get off the ground. Companies gramming and I help students fi nd their way ‘You can link up with others. Because entrepre- with names like Bio Innovations, BoxBites, around.’ neurship is a continuous quest, he says. ‘Who

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 features << 21

are your clients? What is your approach?’ wanted to do something related to StartHub does not have readymade answers to healthy eating habits and she heard these questions, but can offer support and about a young company. ‘Could you help. by any chance use someone for the Besides their fellow-entrepreneurs, help can marketing?’ she asked the entrepre- be obtained from ‘incubation manager’ Jannet neurs, just the two of them at that de Jong. She shows us the communal space, a point. kind of village square for everyone involved in ‘We are a very ﬂ exible small com- StartHub. Workshops are held here every three pany,’ she says. ‘All we really need is weeks, on topics such as negotiation skills or a place for storage and packing.’ drawing up a business plan. That place is the StartHub. Sanne is This evening there is a presentation by there every day from 9 to 5 and she United Wardrobe. This is a success story about loves it. ‘A nice atmosphere with Wageningen students who set up a ﬂ ourishing young people.’ All of them embark-- online secondhand clothing shop. All those ing on similar adventures. ‘We are SanderSandeSaS Onsman, owner of the seed company OnsZaden: curious about their approach – their ‘secret’ all equal. It felt like becoming part ‘It is nnice to have some sort-of colleagues.’ – are welcome to come along and listen. of a family.’ ‘Everything is very low-threshold,’ says De Jong. And the orders are coming in, ‘We want students to drop in and to know she says. The boxes full of goodies where we are. We want them to think: that like fruit and nut bars which make building there at the end of the campus, that is it easier to snack healthily are obvi- entrepreneurship.’ ously appealing. ‘The RTL programme Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden ‘In StartHub we are called recently. They wanted the snacks as a morale booster for the all embarking on actors.’ similar adventures’ MAKING MISTAKES Jacob Paul Bussmann, who is Getting startup companies out of their attic emerging from his armchair, is in rooms and giving them more opportunities: another stage of the startup pro- that is StartHub’s mission in a nutshell, says cess. He is setting up a business De Jong. ‘It’s not easy to do it all on your own. related to the social impact of cli- Sanne Vreede of BoxBites: ‘The TV programme GTST called Look for a partner, is our advice. That might be mate change, which will soon take recently, wanting the snacks as morale boosters for the actors.’rs.’ the most important thing I do: linking people him to South Africa. He is preparing up with each other. Someone might be looking a pitch to get a loan. ‘And I talk to for a partner with a truck, for instance, or for a everybody here. We give each other marine biology specialist.’ StartHub is also feedback on ideas.’ Because that is keen for people to work ‘open source’. ‘Not to what goes on here: exchanging information, energy. You learn from successes and from keep everything to yourself but to involve other brainstorming, asking critical questions. mistakes. Both your own and other people’s.’ people in the process.’ Jacob: ‘There is a businesslike, entrepreneurial ‘You don’t suddenly turn into Bill Gates, you atmosphere and yet it is calm and peaceful. It’s need to realize that,’ says incubation manager ALL EQUAL the perfect workplace for me. The most impor- De Jong. ‘Starting up a business often means Sanne Vreede tries out another perspective for tant thing, perhaps, is that you have all sorts of making lots of mistakes. And then picking the photo of the BoxBites snacks. After she people here who are moving in the same direc- yourself up and carrying on. That is a business graduated from Avans Hogeschool in Breda she tion, single-minded people. That generates skill in itself.’

STARTHUB’SSTA FIRST YEAR StartHubStartH Wageningen celebrates its fi rst then participate in workshops, use a hot birthday on 18 November. This student desk or talk to a business coach. You incubator at Wageningen UR off ers don’t have to have an idea for a busi- space, coaching, training, fi nancial ness, just an interest in entrepreneur- advice and above all, a network of enter- ship. prising students and alumni (up to three Since 2009 Wageningen has also housed years after graduation). Six young com- a general ‘incubator’ for starting entre- panies are already renting a room in the preneurs: StartLife. Participants do not building opposite Rikilt. And there are necessarily have to have a link with four partners involved, including a tech- Wageningen University, although it is nical laboratory and a fi nancial advisor. fi ne if they do. Of the 120 starters the StartHuStartHub also has members, 70 at pres- foundation has helped, 30 were WU stu- ent, whwhoo pay 15 euros a year and can dents.

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 22 >> IMO

TEACHER OF THE YEAR: EXCLUDE PREVIOUS WINNERS?

The ballot boxes for the Teacher of the Year Award closed on 6 November. Once again, students got the chance to nominate their favourite teachers. A process which generally produces a longlist full of the ‘usual suspects’. Should previous winners be excluded to give rising stars more of a chance? text: Carina Nieuwenweg / illustration: Henk van Ruitenbeek

Mieke Kleijn vious winners, because they already know their proﬁ les Assistant professor well. So if it’s just more of the same, a teacher won’t im- ‘I think it’s good to exclude previous press the jury. In my view it is very important that it is winners but only for a limited peri- possible for a teacher to be pronounced Teacher of the od. So a winner cannot join in for the Year year after year. That would only happen in excep- next one or two years. That makes tional cases, if a teacher has done something quite ex- the competition more dynamic, traordinary in the second year. But then the jury can with changing odds each year. But send out a strong message. After all, winning twice is the exclusion shouldn’t be for ever. After a while the even more special that winning once.’ previous winners should be let in again for the sake of healthy competition. That is nicer for the previous win- Martijn van Galen ners themselves too. I am very much in favour of the Third-year student of Molecular Life prize. I think it’s good to put teachers who do a good job Sciences in the limelight. As a teacher it does provide an extra ‘If the Teacher of the Year Award stimulus to put your best foot forward.’ was only a competition for reward- ing the best teachers, I would see Teun Fiers no reason to exclude previous win- Member of VeSte ners. In a competition I think it’s ‘The way I see it, the Teacher of the only right for the best competitor to win, no matter how Year Award is not a popularity many times they have won before. But the aim of the prize: the student voting ‘only’ de- Teacher of the Year Award goes beyond a competition. cides the longlist of 20 teachers. Af- The award is intended to improve the quality of the teach- ter that, the jury draws up the short- ing. In the light of that it is better to give new teachers list of ﬁ ve and picks the winner on the chance to win this distinction each year. Since win- the basis of interviews with the teachers. In fact in these ners often give presentations about their teaching interviews the jury implicitly takes into account the pre- methods, this enables us to evaluate a wider variety of

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 IMO << 23

effective teaching methods. Anyway, teachers who have student in such a class might be more focussed on the been Teacher of the Year are already motivated to get subject matter and not on how the course is taught.’ See fi lms of the best out of their classes. So they do not need the ex- previous winners tra incentive of this award to improve their teaching Dolf Weijers on resource online.nl methods.’ Teacher of the Year 2013 Quick search: Teacher ‘At fi rst, when I won the prize my- of the Year and video Annemarie Zijlmans self I thought, yes, it would be good Education advisor to be taken off the list now to give ‘Teachers should always be able to other people more of a chance. But take part and should not be exclud- I soon realized it’s the students ed if they have won once. After all, who make the choice. If it turns out the award is intended as a motiva- that the same teachers are often at the top of the list, they tor. What I do consider important is must be doing something students appreciate. If you then to take a good look at what kind of take those teachers off the list you prevent students subjects a teacher teaches. I can imagine that a teacher from showing which teachers they rate highly. Students who teaches abstract and diffi cult subjects is less likely to should be able to vote for their favourite teacher, it’s as get high scores in evaluations. It is a fact that it’s harder simple as that. Winning the award made me much to use all sorts of different methods for some subjects. It more aware of the role I play as a teacher and of the fact might well be that a teacher works very hard to achieve that it really does make a difference to students how the learning objectives, but that this is less obvious. A you present the material.’

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 24 >> student Wageningen team wins adventure race

Three Wageningen students and According to Patrick de Baat one from Delft won the 21-hour of IBEX, which organized the long Battle of the SACs, which BOTS this year, the participants took place last weekend around were enthusiastic about the vari- Wageningen. That means that ous race legs. ‘People thought it the adventure race for student was fantastic that we’d hired a climbing associations will be ferry at the furthest point in the held here again next year. race so that they could cross the Rhine.’ But spectators also Having the race in Wageningen thought it made a good show. for two years running will be For example, one curious forest unique in the 11-year history of warden wanted a photo of him- the competition. Until now, the self with the students crossing race was organized in a different ‘his’ woods, says Patrick. location every year. ‘When we The key to the success of Ro- heard that we’d got the most ny’s team was their navigation points, we did think “Oops” for a skill. ‘It’s up to you how you get The winning team with (from left to right) Jurjen Kamphuis, Erik Smid, Rony Nedkov moment,’ says winner Rony Ned- from one checkpoint to the and Damiano Luzzi. kov, a Geo-information Science next. And the long route is not Master’s student. ‘Two of us will always the slower route. You can be graduating next year and one move faster along asphalt than of us is from Delft so our ﬁ rst along a woodland path and thought was how are we going to there’s less danger of getting manage this? But now I can’t wait lost.’ On top of that, his team to organize the BOTS.’ consisted of ‘four ﬁ t and incred- BOTS stands for Battle of the ibly sporty guys’, which meant SACs, an adventure race lasting that they could travel fast right 21 hours for members of all up to the end. Although they Dutch student climbing associa- didn’t always have good luck. tions. The race is organized every Rony: ‘My bike chain snapped year by the climbing association three times and one of my team- that won the previous year’s com- mates had problems the whole petition. In teams of four, the stu- time with his pedal. We kept dents have to navigate the coun- having to stop during that leg, tryside by running, cycling, kayak- so I thought then that we would ing and thinking about their never win.’ LvdN BIJLEVELD ERIK-JAN PHOTOS: route. During the 21-hour long race, participants had to run, cycle and kayak

Dropout rates not aﬀ ected by binding advice

The introduction of the binding binding study advice for the past But the fact that dropout rates of students made an effort to catch study advice (BSA) has had no year. Study advisers now have a way have remained the same does not up.’ measurable eﬀ ect on dropout of dealing with students who are mean, says Educational Institute Van Boekel therefore sees no rates. 10 percent of students putting in a poor performance that director Tiny van Boekel, that the reason to tighten up the BSA. ‘The stopped after the 2014-2015 will avoid having them muddling BSA has not had an effect. ‘The idea of the binding study advice is academic year, about the same as along for years. Students have to BSA worked as an incentive for a not to punish late developers but in the previous year. obtain at least 36 credits, other- number of students. In August the to be able to at oust students who wise they are required to leave the percentage of students dropping are clearly not in the right place.’ Wageningen University has had a degree programme. out did seem to be higher. So a lot LvdN

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 student << 25 Student creates basis for cruise ship ecolabel

He made a model for calculating the CO2 emissions of cruise ships. Now Master’s student Jasper Schlahmilch meets cruise company managers to explain his model. ‘Of course they don’t want to ﬁ nd themselves with a red ecolabel.’

The calculation model is the result of an ACT (Academic Consultancy Training) project. A group of students got the assignment to provide insight into how much CO2 the various types of cruise ships emit. The assignment came from Zee- tours Cruises, the market leader in selling cruises in the Netherlands. The company wants to offer a pos- sibility for compensating for CO2 emissions, like the systems in place for air travel. ‘That kind of sys- formula, but the model has been At the end of October the model negotiations, but he knows the tem has to be based on something checked by Green Seats - the com- the students developed was pre- model better than anyone.’ of course,’ says Schlahmilch. pany that provides CO2 compensa- sented to the cruise companies. Schlamilch sees a lot more po- So together with the other tion systems – and at the moment it They now have the chance to res- tential. As well as an energy label members of his group he calcula- is the best there is, they say.’ pond. ‘We ask them to tell us for ships, he would like to develop ted the fuel consumption of 180 ty- The students, who did not step about their actual fuel consumpti- a label for each cruise. ‘You could pes of cruise ship. ‘Cruise compa- on board a cruise ship for the stu- on. Maybe they have solar panels also look at things like what the nies are not open about their fuel dy, based their work on literature on the roof or they are sailing more company does during a cruise in consumption – they don’t want studies. They could also make use economically. That information is terms of recycling, on-board wa- their competitors knowing more of similar calculation tools in not in the model.’ So his ACT pro- ter puriﬁ cation and passenger than they need to. But on the basis other countries. To a certain ex- ject has left Schlamilch with a part- transport from and to the port. of the year it was built, the engine tent. ‘Those tools are not at all time job. Nowadays he meets with Zeetours will not be doing that for capacity, the size of the ship and transparent. We want to be totally the big cruise companies to ex- the present, says Veenhuizen, but the average number of passengers transparent.’ But as a way of chec- plain his calculations. ‘He does it is certainly something that it carries, you can make a formula king whether his calculations are that well. We have every conﬁ - could be looked into in future, to- for calculating fuel consumption,’ correct, Schlamilch does compare dence in him,’ says Marcel Veen- gether with the travel agents’ as- explains Schlahmilch. ‘Of course his results with the tools from huizen, director of Zeetours. ‘Of sociation and the cruise compa- there are some assumptions in that abroad. course he doesn’t have to conduct nies. KG

Autumn beer and Santa hats Eight goblets of autumn beer in eight different cafés for only 10 euros, with a jolly Santa hat thrown in. Students turned out en masse on Wednesday 4 November for the annual Dobbelpalm procession in Wageningen town centre. A big group descended on the terrace of De Kater café (photo). A bit less than a week before this the beer fans had queued for hours outside De Vlaamsche Reus café, where tickets were sold. Folding chairs, bean bags, chess boards, puzzle books and thermos cans came in handy. PHOTO: REMO WORMMEESTER PHOTO:

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 26 >> student

BALLOONOLOGY If you burst a balloon it tears in two. Clothing sale for a good cause But if you blow it up until it bursts you get a lot more pieces. French researchers have studied why this is. Charity Chic: the title of a In the ﬁ rst case the balloon tears, in clothing sale organised in the second it bursts. The higher pres- Orion by the Student Council sure causes the tear to spread. They party S&I on 3 November. used a high-speed camera to show Around 150 items of clothing the diﬀ erence. Why? Because they changed owners at the sale, could. which raised over 200 euros for the Wageningen refugee support organization Vluchtelingen onder Dak.

As an international student party, S&I wanted to contribute to the reception of refugees. Students could hand over their old clothes and for each item sold 1.5 euros went to the char- DE GLIND VAN AART-JAN PHOTO: ity. The rest of the money went to the seller. Students handed shortage of other things. So it’s clothing sale for charity more in more than a thousand items all well and good to donate often. ‘The concept clearly ap- of clothing. Anne Walther of S&I clothes, but it’s better to give peals to a lot of students, and said ‘We’ve understood from money.’ According to Anne it we can think of more than refugee aid organizations that was ‘pleasantly busy’. Reason enough causes the money can they have enough clothes but a enough for her to organize a go to’. LvdN HARSH Children from religious families are less generous than those who are not brought up to be religious. They are also harsher in their verdicts on what punishment a wrongdoer deserves. This fi nding came out of international research by the University of Chicago. It makes no diff erence whether the upbringing is Christian or Muslim. Love and peace? Actions speak louder than words. DISTRACTED You will retain a new telephone number better if an attractive person happens to come into your fi eld of vision. A positive distraction boosts learning capacity, say neuroscientists from the University of Illinois. The eff ect is vis- ible in brain scans. Positive emotions keep the memory lubricated.

PAINFUL MENSCHEL SVEN PHOTO: Most sleepwalkers do not feel any pain, even if they fall downstairs and Belly dancer in your room break an arm or a leg. This was discovered by French doctors in a hospi- Wageningen student rooms formed in a small student from abroad. International tal in Montpellier. Eight out of ten were transformed into little the- room, with the audience students were so keen to be sleepwalkers who injured themselves atres on 5 November. It was the squashed into the sofa and on part of it that they even went during their nocturnal wanderings ninth edition of Roomservice, the ﬂ oor. With about 400 spec- to Dutch-language shows,’ were not woken up by the pain. They organized by Studium Generale. tators, Roomservice was totally says Wiebe Aans of Studium did feel it in the morning of course. Belly dancer Amarah Ates per- sold out. ‘People ordered tickets Generale. TvdS

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 student << 27

EPISODE 60 - MORTIERSTRAAT 14B<< Text Astrid Kruitwagen The story so far: Vera and her boyfriend Robby are as thick as thieves. He is pretty alternative and his style seem to be rubbing oﬀ on her.

The art of baking KIM PETERSE ILLUSTRATIONS:

hat smells great,’ shouted Bianca as she ‘Tentered the kitchen. Vera and her boyfriend Robby looked up from their intimate whisperings in annoyance. ‘What are you guys making?’ asked Bianca, ignoring their blush- ing faces. ‘Cake,’ said Vera. Bianca let her glance slide across the work surface, which was piled high with cooking utensils. Her attention was caught by a small plastic bag. She walked over to it and saw it contained quite a lot of green leaves. feel diff erent, more relaxed. ‘Aha…,’ said Bianca. ‘I know what sort of cake you’re making!’ ‘What is so funny?’ No one had heard Filippo come in. Bianca She looked at them excitedly. ‘Can I have a piece too when pointed to the cake. ‘Do you want a piece?’ she asked laugh- it’s ready?’ ‘Of course,’ cried Robby. ‘We’ll have a relaxed ing. Sunday afternoon,’ he said, winking at Vera. She looked at Filippo surveyed the three of them, trying to grasp the situ- him in momentary astonishment that turned into a smile. ‘I ation. Bianca who was slouched on the sofa, Vera who was hope you weren’t planning on studying today?’ sitting propped up against Robby and giggling, and Robby ‘Who wants to be the fi rst to taste the cake?’ asked Robby a who was looking back at him with an extremely serious little while later. Bianca looked at Vera. Now that the moment expression on his face. He grinned and took a piece of cake had arrived, she found it a little bit daunting. Apparently for himself. Vera saw the hesitation on Bianca’s face and she volunteered ‘Tasty,’ he said and sat down besides Bianca expectantly. to take the fi rst mouthful. ‘But what exactly have you guys put in this cake?’ ‘Delicious,’ she said. Now Bianca dared to as well. She ate a They all fell silent. Then Vera and Robby looked at each oth- piece. It tasted just like a normal cake. Nervous and excited, er and started to snigger. ‘Nou, erm...,’ said Vera. ‘Can’t you Bianca waited. She had never done this before. tell?’ Filippo shook his head. ‘It must have been some really ‘Are you guys noticing anything yet?’ she asked out of curios- special gear,’ he joked. He stood up and shrugging his ity a little while later. Vera looked at Bianca, saw her serious shoulders he left the room. Slowly Bianca realized what was expression and started to laugh. ‘Are we noticing anything going on. ‘But what about that bag then?’ she asked weakly. yet?’ Her unceasing laughter seemed infectious because now ‘Did you really believe...?’ laughed Vera. ‘That was just Bianca too had got the giggles. Slowly she was starting to green tea!’

Resource follows events at Mortierstraat 14B

Another top degree programme in Wageningen

As many as 15 of Wageningen’s 19 facilities, methods and the content sion of information. According to ward with interest to the publica- Bachelor’s degree programmes of their programmes, Wageningen Philipsen, the latter is related to tion of the Keuzegids for Master’s have been pronounced Top Pro- gets lavish compliments, even from the degree to which students’ views programmes, in May. The evalua- grammes in the Dutch higher edu- the experts. ‘Fantastic, what good were taken into account when the tion of the Master’s in Landscape cation guide De Keuzegids. The news,’ responds programme direc- programme was restructured. Both Architecture and Spatial Planning BSc programme in Landscape tor Jan Philipsen. ‘This really is an the Bachelor’s and the Master’s was on the low side, by Wagenin- Architecture is now among Wage- expression of appreciation for the programmes in Landscape Archi- gen standards, for several years. ningen’s best. teachers, who put a lot of effort in- tecture and Spatial Planning have ‘We’ve put a lot of energy into im- to creating good courses.’ been overhauled recently and the proving the facilities and the cur- Where students on comparable Compared with last year, Wage- students have been intensively in- riculum.’ LvdN programmes in Nijmegen, Utrecht ningen students are more satisﬁ ed volved in the process. and Amsterdam grumble about the with the workload and the provi- Philipsen is now looking for- See also the article on page 6

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 28 >> student

KSV FRANCISCUS - 7SINS PRESENTS: PUT YOUR along and celebrate at their open party in Het >> PARTIES MASK ON Gat. There will be black lights so wear some- Thursday 12 November from 22:30 to 05:00 thing that lights up well in the dark. And make it The best parties according to A masked ball. Or something like it. Behind a bit sexy if you want. Free entrance and free Wageningen Uitgaans Promotie. Check your mask you will be unrecognizable. This is gadgets, good reason to go adventuring in the www.wageningenup.nl for all parties. the 7Sins party at KSV Franciscus. These open dark! parties are always a success. But we do expect it will be very hot wearing a mask, so keep it small HET GAT - SINTEGRAND and elegant. Besides, how are you going to drink Thursday 26 November from 23:00 to 04:00 wearing a big mask? Perhaps you would do well Integrand throws an open party just once a year, to bring a straw. but then they make it a good one! Sintegrand has become a phenomenon in Wageningen and HET GAT - SEXY IN BLACK LIGHT it will be crowded again this year. Enjoy throw- Thursday 19 November from 23:00 to 04:00 ing gingernut biscuits and doing mad things in Biologica is celebrating its 23rd birthday. Come your Gold, Rainbow or Black Pete outﬁ t.

>> THE WORKS

‘THEY DIDN’T COME TO THE CONSULTATIONN MEETINGS’

Who? Ineke van Kapel, Master’s student of Landscape Architecture What? Thesis on sustainable tourism Where? Sint Eustatius

Sint Eustatius has been a special municipality of the Netherlands since 2010 and aims to develop more sustainable tourism. My thesis was part of a big masterplan and had two objectives. My ﬁ rst task was to develop a coastal plan for the biggest beach on the island, where tourism is possible. This design had to take into account the ongoing erosion of the coast and the cliff, the shortage of space and the fact that Oranjestad can contribute to this tourism itself, as well as making money from it. Secondly, I was supposed to help involve the local people in establishing sustainable tourism on their island. That was very difﬁ cult because they didn’t come to the consultation meetings. The island is quite American. Since they got TV and airco most islanders prefer to stay indoors. Everyone gets around by car. When I was out walk- Everyone greets everyone on Sint Eustatius and that positive atmos- ing with friends we were often offered a lift on the assumption that we phere sticks, so you start doing the same. A few people invited me to go didn’t have transport. out for karaoke on a Friday evening. That is a very popular activity; the On one of those walks with a couple of other students I climbed a dor- whole village gets together for a singsong. Suddenly I head a familiar mant volcano. That was really awesome and there was something a bit tune. It turned out they were singing André Hazes full pelt. thrilling about standing on a volcano. We could even go down into the When I got back to Holland I did miss the friendliness and the laid- crater, which was overgrown with banana trees and other tropical plants. back attitude. A lot of Dutch people are always grumbling about every- Nothing like the bare rocks you would normally expect in a crater. thing being so slow, and there is no need for that at all!’ AJ

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 service << 29

EVERY 2 WEEKS RESOURCE IN THE POST?

MEANWHILE IN... << CIFOR PHOTO:

Meanwhile in… Indonesia In the news: Forest ﬁ res have been raging for months in Indonesia. The situation is hard to get under control due to extreme drought. Major damage to ecosystems and public health can no longer be prevented by the rain that is falling now. GO TO RESOURCE-ONLINE.NL AND TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION! Commentary by Windy Mulia Liem, Master’s student Nutrition and Health.

‘There are forest fi res in my country every year during the dry Renkum 0317-313521 summer. They happen because the farmers set forested areas www.everts-weijman.nl alight to create more arable land. This year the summer is Wij verzorgen het extremely dry. The forest fi res have free reign and the authorities cannot control them. Even the peatlands are ontwerp, de aanleg en catching fi re. This causes a lot of smoke. het onderhoud van uw Luckily it rained last week, but the damage is enormous. Half a duurzame en levende million Indonesians have respiratory problems and two million buitenruimte. hectares of forest burned down on Borneo, Sumatra, and the Bel ons vandaag nog Papua Islands. This is the habitat of the orangutan and other afspraak = afspraak threatened species. Children couldn’t go to school for months voor uw tuinvragen en because of the smoke, and now have some catching up to do. In alle 4 seizoenen houden tuinplannen I have never experienced forest fi res up close myself. When I wij uw tuin duurzaam en saw the heart-breaking images on television, I had to try to help groen the victims of this disaster. Especially the children, because they are the most vulnerable group. Without good medical help smoke inhalation can lead to stunted growth and other health problems. Last week I set up a fundraising appeal for the Laan der Verenigde Naties 150 victims together with several other students. The lunch concert www.cinemec.nl / 0900 - 321 0 321 with which we raised money took place in Forum. I really appreciate how much everybody sympathises with the victims. 17 12 11 During the concert there were people of different nationalities NOV NOV DEC who all wanted to do something to help. Some of them hadn’t even heard of the disaster before. I hope that in situations like this in the future people will not just ask themselves why but also how. How would it feel to be a victim of this Film of lunchtime concert HUNGER GAMES A PERFECT A TRIBUTE myself, and how can we Go to resource-online.nl. MARATHON DAY TO SINATRA help these people?’ LdP Search terms: Indonesian students

THURSDAY EVENING WITH BENICIO DEL TORO 10 TOP ARTISTS WITH € 3 STUDENT DISCOUNT AND TIM ROBBINS THE METROPOLE ORKEST

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE 30 >> service Halloween in China

In his latest vlog Derek shows us how Halloween is celebrated in Shanghai. View his videos on resource-online.nl.

(QUICK SEARCH TERM: VLOG)

RESOURCE-ONLINE.NL

classifi eds work for choir and orchestra is rare- Committee and its members. Date keep fi t exercises. Residents of ly performed so this is a unique op- and venue: 18 November, 19.30- neighbouring municipalities are WU’R going to Paris portunity to participate. There are 22.00., VIP rooms 031-034, Forum also very welcome. In December 2015, the global cli- still places available for tenors and building. Next courses are sched- WWW.HIBHOPPERS.NL mate summit (COP 21) will take basses. You only live once, so why uled on January 20 and April 20. place in Paris. On November 29th, not join in? Concerts on 15 and 17 Subscribe: [email protected] Johanna Naber Award 2016 people from around the world will April 2016. Rehearsals on average This award is given to the most gather in Paris to march and raise once every three weeks on a Satur- Meet Showband Irene in Ede original and innovative MSc gradua- their voices to ask for climate jus- day or Sunday. Contact: info@hwso- Are you a brass player or percus- tion thesis in the area of women’s tice. ‘WUR going to Paris’, a student hak.nl. sionist and do you love showbands? and/or gender history. The winner initiative, is joining this historic WWW.HWSOHAK.NL If so, then join the 45 enthusiastic receives the sum of 500 euros and event for the weekend. They are or- members of Showband Irene for an has the opportunity to write an arti- ganizing transportation and accom- Invitation to the crash course on WU evening’s high-quality music at the cle for the journal Historica. Will modation. Join them on Facebook. Education: Governance, Policy and play-in on Wednesday 25 November your thesis be completed between 1 Organization from 19.45 to 22.00, Peppelensteeg December 2014 and 1 December Wanted: Student assistants Lecturer: prof. Tiny van Boekel, Di- 12, Ede. Enrol via [email protected] 2015? If so, submit your thesis be- We are researching the motivation rector of the Education Institute and receive the music via the email. fore 6 January 2016. of members of the public for spend- (OWI) and Dean of Education. The A limited number of instruments are WWW.ATRIA.NL ing time in The Hague Forest. Does course (one evening) addresses four available for loan. participating sound like fun and are issues. The fi rst one is on govern- WWW.IRENE.NL Sheet music / musical instruments you keen on nature? This promises ance and organization of WU, the for loan to be an enjoyable experience and second one on funding of courses Hibhoppers Wageningen The music library of the Van Uven what is more you will be paid 15 eu- and other fi nancial issues, the third Exercise is healthy, even for people Foundation off ers sheet music, mu- ros an hour. Info: andries.richter@ one on main agenda items of Pro- with heart problems. Specially for sical scores and music literature. wur.nl. gramme Committees (the annual them, Wageningen has the sports These very special documents can Education Modifi cation Cycle, the and games group run by the Hib- be inspected and copied by stu- Want to sing? The Bells of Rach- Education and Examination Regula- hoppers Foundation, which pro- dents, or taken out on loan. You can maninoff ! tions and the accreditation of study vides a responsible and varied pro- also loan them via the internet. In Have you heard? The Wageningen programmes, including the internal gramme. On both Monday mornings addition, the foundation also loans Symphony Orchestra & Het Andere quality assurance system) and the and Wednesday evenings, the out musical instruments. Library Koor (The Other Choir) will be per- fourth one is on tasks, responsibili- sports hall in Nude is the venue for opening times: every third Thursday forming The Bells. This magnifi cent ties and authorities of a Programme enthusiastic sporting activity and of the month from 20.00 to 22.00.

RESOURCE — 12 November 2015 service << 31

Location: Generaal Foulkesweg 1A, Wednesday 18 November, 20.00- from a human- rights-based perspec- colophon Wageningen. 22.00 tive, while at the same time promot- Resource is the magazine and news website WWW.VANUVEN.NL DOCUMENTARY ‘THE GARDEN’ & ing hopeful alternatives. Organized for students and staff at Wageningen UR. AFRICAN DINNER (PART OF by: OtherWise, together with FIAN Resource magazine comes out every fortnight agenda GRASSROOTS SCIENCE) Netherlands, ILEIA, RUW Foundation on Thursday. From the ashes of the L.A. riots and Toekomstboeren. Address Thursday 12 to Wednesday 25 arose a lush, 14-acre community gar- WWW.ST-OTHERWISE.ORG Akkermaalsbos 14, 6708 WB Wageningen November den, the largest of its kind in the (Nexus, Building 117, bode 31). POBox 409 6700 AK Wageningen. FILMS FOR STUDENTS United States. Now bulldozers Wednesday 25 November 12.30 – Secretariat: Thea Kuijpers, At Movie W arts cinema you can en- threaten its future. ‘The Garden’ is a 17.15 [email protected], 0317 484020 Website: www.resource-online.nl. joy the following fi lms: Mia Madre, three-times Best Documentary VHL: AFTERNOON SYMPOSIUM ISSN 1389-7756 a drama involving humour and sor- Award winner! Afterwards there is ‘RESILIENT FOOD LANDSCAPES’ row about the loss of a mother; Vic- time for discussion. Venue: Building With speakers Paul Opdam, Willem Editorial staff • Edwin van Laar (editor-in-chief) toria, an adventure in Berlin that with the Clock, Generaal Foulkesweg Ferwerda and Wouter van Eck, work- [email protected], 0317 482997 becomes a nightmare; The Wolf- 37, Wageningen. If you’d like to join shops and poster presentation. • Lieke de Kwant (editor) [email protected], 0317 485320 pack, the story of six brothers who the African Dinner, sign up before 15 Venue: Hogeschool Van Hall Laren- • Roelof Kleis (ecology, social grow up in isolation and see only November at [email protected]. Grass- stein, Larensteinselaan 26a in Velp. sciences, economy), [email protected], 0317 481721 movies; Slow West, an innovative roots Science Wageningen is a col- WWW.HOGESCHOOLVHL.NL/AGENDA • Koen Guiking (web editor) western in which a young man laboration between RUW Founda- [email protected], 0317 488190 searches for his beloved in the Wild tion, OtherWise and Boerengroep. Thursday 26 November, 19.00-22.00 • Linda van der Nat (students, education) [email protected], 0317 481725 West; and lastly Inhabit, a docu- Four times a year we organize a se- YOUNG KLV LECTURE: TO DO A • Rob Ramaker (nutrition, fi sheries), mentary about permaculture, an ries of activities about socially driv- PHD, PLEASURE OR BURDEN? (EN) [email protected], 0317 481709 ecological vision of the global food en initiatives that tackle global A PhD programme will take up to • Albert Sikkema (plant sciences, animal sciences, organization) problem. Venue: Movie W, Wil- problems. The November’s theme is four years. Many students doubt [email protected], 0317 481724 helminaweg 3A. activism. whether they should do a PhD. For Others who work on Resource WWW.MOVIE-W.NL WWW.STICHTINGRUW.NL those in doubt join the lecture and Guy Ackermans, Jeroen Bok, Ton van den Born, learn about the basic requirements, Alexandra Branderhorst, Stijn van Gils, Thursday 12 November, 19.00- Sunday 22 November, 15.00 selection procedures and the com- Aart-Jan van de Glind, Yvonne de Hilster, Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau, Milou van der 22.00 (NL) BLUESBAND FLAVIUM IN LOBURG mon career path of a PhD candidate. Horst, Amy Jansen, Nicole Janssen, Iris Keizer, YOUNG KLV TRAINING: ARE YOU LIVE Arthur Mol, rector magnifi cus, will Jan-Willem Kortlever, Sander de Kraker, Kito, Hilde de Laat, Sven Menschel, Carina DAUNTED BY THE PROSPECT OF This band really needs no introduc- tell you all the ins and outs of doing Nieuwenweg, Rik Nijland, Onnika van WRITING YOUR THESIS? tion; they received this year’s Dutch a PhD. Furthermore, the rector and Oosterbosch, Derek Pan, Kim Peterse, Camilla You wouldn’t be the only one, ac- Blues Award. With Blues classics two current PhD students will share Ponte, Lucas du Pré, Simone Rijlaarsdam, Henk van Ruitenbeek, Eva van Schijndel, cording to the student counselling ‘Nightlife’ and ‘Nobody knows you their experiences and view of the Kristina Simonaityte, Twan van der Slikke, service. The experienced trainer when you’re down and out’ the band trajectory. Venue: Triton – StartHub, Joris Tielens, Pascal Tieman, Kees van Veluw, Veronika Wehner, Daniël Dreadson, Geraldine Sinnema and a study ad- scored positions in the hit parade. building 119. Rob de Winter, Remo Wormmeester visor will be giving genuinely help- Anyone who thinks Blues is pretty WWW.KLV.NL Design ful information that will enable you static will be surprised by this after- Geert-Jan Bruins to make progress. Once the exten- noon’s performance because the Deadline for submissions: one sive project has been broken down band swings like no other. Smashing Translators week before publication date Clare McGregor, Susie Day, Clare Wilkinson into an easy-to-grasp, comprehen- solos, pleasant Blue(s) notes, fanati- (max. 75 words) sive structure, you will be halfway cal Train Blues, you will see it all Email: [email protected] Printer Tuijtel, Hardinxveld-Giessendam there. So if you have become during the performance. Venue: Café bogged down or you feel over- Loburg, Molenstraat Wageningen. Subscriptions A subscription to the magazine costs €58 whelmed, enrol via www.klv.nl and WWW.FLAVIUM.NL (overseas: €131) per academic year. come to Impulse, Wageningen. Cancellations before 1 August. Monday 23 – 26 November Advertising Thursday 19 November, 19.45 FOOD4ALL FESTIVAL, 4TH Nu in de boekhandel en webshops: (ook als eBook) External: Bureau van Vliet, T 023-5714745 LIVE STAGE MARNIX PRESENTS… EDITION [email protected] GORDIE TENTREES & JAXON Join us for an interesting selection of Internal (reduced rate): Thea Kuijpers, [email protected]. T 0317 484020 HALDANE (CAN) documentaries, inspiring lectures Cordie is a singer-songwriter and and a delicious FoodWaste dinner. Publisher Marc Lamers, Corporate Communications & Jaxon is a composer, singer song- Diff erent events, at various locations Marketing Wageningen UR writer and multi-instrumentalist. in Wageningen, such as the lecture Both are from Canada. At fi rst a on restoration agroforestry by per- short intro by Jaxon and then they maculture expert Mark Shepard. carbon neutral natureOffice.com | NL-215-190920 play as a duo. Admission 12 euros. Shepard runs New Forest Farm, We dreigen te stranden op print production Booking in advance through mail: which is considered to be one of the klimaat. Maar zijn verdeeld. [email protected]. most ambitious sustainable agricul- Welke aanpak brengt ons op Venue: Café de Bospoort, Bospoort ture projects in the USA. The één lijn en mobiliseert alle 1, Ede. Food4All festival aims to highlight krachten? WWW.LIVESTAGEMARNIX.COM the problems of our food system

12 November 2015 — RESOURCE >>TYPICAL DUTCH ILLUSTRATION: HENK VAN RUITENBEEK HENK VAN ILLUSTRATION:

Everything is ‘lekker’!

Lekker eten, lekker weer, slaap lekker, ga lekker zitten, lekker ding, mmmm lekker. Whether it refers to food, the weather, how you slept, a nice sit-down, someone you fancy… ‘Lekker’ is everywhere and everything.

‘Lekker’ was one of the ﬁ rst words I learned when I ﬁ rst arrived in the Netherlands. ‘Lekker’ is a special word that can be used in many instances. It means tasty, yummy, delicious, but also nice, good, comfortable, attractive etcetera. Don’t tell a friendly The Dutch language is really interesting. It is a unique language with a great history. When you Dutch person you just met: hear how many dialects it has in proportion to the size of the country, you realize how amazing it ‘Ik vind je lekker’ is. Dutch is also spoken all over the world. In Europe, Asia, Oceania, America and Africa. If you don’t believe me, just ask a Dutch person or Google it. Dutch is also quite a hard language to learn, but the use of ‘lekker’ is pretty easy. You can use this word to describe almost anything you like. The Dutch themselves love this word and they use it quite a lot. There is a catch, though. I thought you couldn’t go wrong with using ‘lekker’ but trust me, you can. Don’t tell a friendly Dutch person you just met: ‘Ik vind je lekker.’ He or she might think you are a bit weird. But to people you know you can safely say ‘lekker!’ on many different occasions. Now go and try it out! Maja Tišma, MSc student of Leisure, Tourism and Environment, from Serbia.

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 25 euros and Dutch candy.