Humans of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Bas Janssens

I could discover an abstract symmetry in quantum mechanics. That is my dream.

Bas Janssens is a new member of Jan van Neerven’s Analysis Group. He is actually the ninth TU Delft researcher to be awarded a VIDI grant. Bas had already signed his contract when he was awarded the grant, but was still working at the Max Planck Institute in Bonn at the time. Alongside teaching the Calculus course, this year, Bas is also developing a new course: Differential Geometry. It is likely that Mathematics students will be able to take this course in the next academic year. 

Bas: ‘My research into cohomology and representation theory of infinite dimensional Lie groups is abstract and theoretical. I examine all possible representations within the Lie groups and look for continuous symmetry. Once I know all the representations, I could discover such a representation in quantum mechanics. That is my dream.s I started out as a physicist, and that influences the direction of my research as a mathematician. However, I had never really properly considered this. It was only when I submitted my research proposal that the connection dawned on me.’