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Yu-Wen Chen

About Yu-Wen Chen is a first-year PhD student in the Interactive Intelligence group at TU Delft, supervised by Dr. Pradeep Murukannaiah and Prof. Dr. Catholijn Jonker. Prior to the start of this PhD position in September 2021, She obtained cum laude MA and MSc in Language and Communication Technologies from the University of Groningen and Saarland University. Her research focuses on using Natural Language Processing to recognize actors, values, and appeal within the climate change debate. Her project is part of the HIPPO DAI Lab , with the goal to support stakeholders with AI during the public policy deliberation and negotiation. Yu-Wen Chen Y.W.Chen@tudelft.nl Van Mourik Broekmanweg 6 2628 XE Delft The Netherlands

Meet & Eat | Local Community Engagement in Design Education – Can Cats and Dogs Live Under One Roof? with Reinout Kleinhans | 12 April

Meet & Eat | Local Community Engagement in Design Education – Can Cats and Dogs Live Under One Roof? with Reinout Kleinhans | 12 April 12 April 2022 12:30 till 13:30 - Location: Teaching Lab - By: Teaching Academy About this event | Click here to sign up directly Many lecturers at TU Delft seek to connect their teaching to current societal and global challenges in the ‘real’ world. This can require various forms of interaction with target groups, communities of ‘users’ or other stakeholders of design products. This is also known as community engagement. Think for example about the redesign of a neighbourhood park, a square or a public transport facility. However, community engagement (CE) is notoriously difficult in the context of time-bounded courses at TU Delft. While CE can have major benefits, real people and their interests can be harmed if students and their instructors mess up. Mutual Trust and reciprocity are delicate issues. So how to start if you want to incorporate CE in your teaching? In this Meat &Eat session, Reinout Kleinhans (Education Fellow 2020) will discuss the balancing act of engaging local (residential) communities and other stakeholders in student research in university courses. Underlying the short presentation is a conceptual framework that identifies six key challenges and practical solutions for CE in existing or new courses. This Meat &Eat session is particularly relevant for university lecturers and other staff who seek more intensive collaboration with non-university partners in the context of challenge-based university education, exemplified by Joint Interdisciplinary Projects (JIPs), the City Deal ‘Kennis Maken’ and many other examples. About Reinout Kleinhans Reinout Kleinhans is Associate Professor of Urban Regeneration and Neighbourhood Change at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. His research and teaching interests and expertise include urban regeneration, citizens’ self-organisation, community entrepreneurship, challenge-based learning and community engagement. Please note We are happy to inform you that this Meet & Eat will be organised in the Teaching Lab. A vegetarian lunch will be provided. Please let us know if you have any dietary wishes. In case you are not able to join the event (last minute), please let us know by sending an email to teachingacademy@tudelft.nl . Click here to sign up

ABP Pension Information Meeting April

ABP Pension Information Meeting April 05 April 2022 10:00 till 14:30 - Location: Online Your ABP Multi optional Pension! Our society is constantly changing and your pension is changing with it. Changes in State pension ages, pension accrual and choices when you retire often make retirement a difficult subject. For many people, retirement seems a long way off, for others it is getting closer and closer. Either way, it is important to delve into your pension. And to get answers to questions like: Can I retire sooner, or later? What is conditional pension, and what should I look out for? How much pension and State pension do I accrue? How much pension can I have paid out if I retire? What happens to my pension if I work less? What is surviving dependents pension and what can I do with it? I want to make calculations myself: how does MIJNABP work? Do you have these or similar questions? Retirement is important As an employer, we think it is important that you know what the possibilities are with your ABP pension. That is why, in cooperation with ABP, we have organized an online presentation. During this meeting you will receive answers to the above questions.You can follow the presentation at home, or in the workplace, through Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams also offers the opportunity to ask questions to the ABP pension officer during the presentation, which can be done both verbally and through chat functionality.. However, the presentation is not intended to elaborate on personal case studies. Who? International employees and their partners at TU Delft who are interested in learning more about the Pension System in the Netherlands. When? 5 April 2022 - 10.00 to 11.30 for employees < 55 years. Sign up for this online presentation? CLICK HERE Participants are asked to sign in to Microsoft Teams 10 minutes before the presentation starts so that the presentation can start on time.

Look back DEWIS Virtual Coffee February

Thanks to all the participants of the last DEWIS (online) Coffee Meeting in February! We had a great discussion and reflection about challenges and benefits of remote working during the Pandemic. It was nice to see that in the end, despite being a hard time for everyone we all were able to go through the challenge and grow stronger than before. We are all strong resilient women of science!! During the talk common and similar experiences and stories have been shared by the participants and here below (Figure 01) we captured some of the insights and personal stories shared. Figure 01. Personal Stories & Experiences shared by the participants during the last coffee meeting After that, we discussed and brainstormed together: ‘How can we foster a ‘Culture of Care’ within universities?’ Figure 02. Insights captured during the discussion of the last coffee meeting. In conclusion we all agreed that we need to create a network of support and being supporters for each other , always asking your peers and colleagues how they feel and offer your help. Don’t be afraid of reaching out if you need help yourself or simply need to chat with someone for some company! We are all on the same boat, we all go through difficult moments and we all need human contact to thrive and feel alive. In Figure 2 we captured some of the thoughts of the discussion. Hopefully, this has been the last Online Meeting and from next ones we can meet again in a physical space. Our first upcoming networking event will be our Spring Networking Diner! It was also the last meeting facilitated by Chiara Marradi , who unfortunately moved on in her career (now she lives and works in Belgium). However, she was grateful to be part of this network of inspiring women!

Koen Jurgens joined ImPhys as MSc student

Koen Jurgens is a Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences Msc student from Utrecht University, track Biophysics & Molecular Imaging. He will 3D print phase plates to engineer the point spread function, and consecutively evaluate the performances to optimize the design of these phase plates. His supervisor is Bernd Rieger.

Kornelis Blok in Foodlog over energiecrisis na oorlogssituatie Oekraïne

Door de oorlogssituatie in Oekraïne zijn de energiekosten en brandstofprijzen geexplodeerd. Om het Russisch gas niet meer nodig te hebben komt het Internationaal Energieagentschap (IEA) met een tien-punten-plan.

The Berlage Sessions: On Detail

As part of The Berlage Sessions, Christoph Kumpusch gives the lecture 'On Detail'.

Webinar Remote Teaching | Getting a BOLD Edge: Student Readiness for Learning in a Digital World | 13 April

Webinar Remote Teaching | Getting a BOLD Edge: Student Readiness for Learning in a Digital World | 13 April 13 April 2022 10:00 till 11:00 - Location: Online - By: Teaching Academy This webinar reports why learning how to learn online is now a crucial life skill and cannot be left to chance. It outlines what we know from the research on student readiness for successfully engaging in new forms of blended, on-line and digital (BOLD) learning and shares an innovative effort to help give learners a digital edge for their study. The basic thesis woven throughout the talk is that we can learn a lot on how to design our courses and what it really means to be a BOLD learner by taking more time and creating opportunities to listen to the “voice” of learners. Student Readiness is a focus in the DigitTeL Pro project in collaboration with the 3 courses: ' Synchronous Hybrid ', ' Blended ' and ' Online Distance '. If you are interested in DigiTeL Pro or the courses, the presentation slides of the launch session in November 2021 are available, including the full launch recording : Introduction CPD and DigiTeL Pro by George Ubachs (EADTU – European Association for Distance and Teaching Universities) Student Readiness for Digital Education by Mark Brown (DCU – Dublin City University) Synchronous Hybrid Education by Marieke Pieters (KU Leuven – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) Blended Education by Naomi Wahls (TU Delft – Delft University of Technology) Online Distance Education by Albert Sangrà (UOC – Universitat Oberta de Catalunya). Future webinars will be announced once the titles and descriptions are finalized. If you have a topic that you would like us to cover, please email Naomi directly: n.l.wahls@tudelft.nl . Join the weekly webinars via MS Teams group

Hans de Bruijn in Trouw over de kracht van toegeven

Hans de Bruijn legt in zijn column uit dat Baudet geen genuanceerd standpunt heeft in zake de oorlog in Oekraine, maar wegkijkt.

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TU Delft ranks 2nd in SustainaBul

Friday 24 May 2024 the award ceremony of the SustainaBul took place, organised by Studenten voor Morgen . TU Delft ranked second in the Sustainabul. The ranking represents the sustainable performance of higher education institutions in the Netherlands; sustainability in education, research and in operations. We are proud to have moved up from spot 8 to spot 2 in the SustainaBul 2024! Marie-Anne, Chair GreenTU Javier Trescoli Garcia, GreenTU Education, Monika Roeling, researcher Sustainability in Education and Marie-Anne, Chair GreenTU. Rating Each higher education institution completes a questionnaire and shares a best practice in sustainability. Based on this input, institutions are awarded points by Studenten voor Morgen. GreenTU, TU Delft's student board for Sustainability, completed the questionnaire and shared a best practice from TU Delft. In 2023, TU Delft was in position 8. This year, TU Delft received more points for research and education. In the area of operations, the university can still improve. Best Practice Award At the start of the 2023 academic year, the GreenDatabase was launched. This is an interactive online overview of all sustainable courses linked to the Sustainable Development Goals at TU Delft. TU Delft made it into the top 5 for the ‘Best Practice’ award. We are determined to keep improving as a university on all levels of sustainability in the coming year and hope to see that reflected in the results of the SustainaBul 2025!’ GreenTU board A second place in the ranking recognises sustainable achievements at the university. TU Delft aims to become carbon-neutral, climate-adaptive and circular by 2030, with contribution on the quality of life and biodiversity. More about the SustainaBul, here . More about the sustainability ambitions, here .

Remote sensing research reveals pre-collapse monitoring of Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine

New findings from a spaceborne monitoring team of University of Houston, TU Delft and DLR indicates the collapse of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine may have been already ongoing before the war with Russia, with deformations in the dam pre-dating the actual collapse. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment this month.

Protecting a Sustainable Future

For Marjan Popov it is clear: our society is at a crossroads. “We are undertaking perhaps the biggest engineering challenge of our time – we are radically changing the electricity grids.” According to him, the complexity of the electricity grids is comparable to the human body. “Similar to how patients are treated, in terms of taking care of their health, we should always monitor, control, and protect the electricity grids. I make this comparison because both the human body and the electricity grid are vulnerable to many different diseases, or disturbances, and some of them can have serious consequences. Therefore, undertaking comprehensive security and safety measures is an essential part of our energy transition.”

Creating life from lifeless biomolecules with AI and lab evolution

“What is life? How does a living cell emerge from lifeless molecules?” wondered a multidisciplinary team of Dutch scientists. To answer these questions the research team, led by the TU Delft, aims to build a living synthetic cell from lifeless biomolecules, using laboratory evolution and artificial intelligence for the first time. The ten-year research programme to do so, entitled “Evolving life from non-life” or simply “EVOLF”, was awarded 40 million euro by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Summit grants scheme. Co-applicant Gijsje Koenderink (TU Delft): “It is fascinating, all lifeforms consist of cells, and all cells consist of molecules. Notably, these molecules are not alive, but a cell is. How does a living cell emerge from lifeless molecules? How many components are minimally required and how should they be wired to establish a living cell? These are the big questions we will try to answer in the next ten years.” New approach EVOLF The EVOLF team aims to bridge the gap between non-life and life by building a living synthetic cell from lifeless biomolecules. This approach builds on their earlier pioneering work in biophysics and biochemistry, in which the scientists already created cellular modules for a minimal genome, metabolism, and cell division. This work has laid the foundation for the construction of an actual living synthetic cell. With an entirely new approach that uses artificial intelligence and directed laboratory evolution to accelerate the building of synthetic cells, the team hopes to answer the question of how life works. Main applicant Cees Dekker (TU Delft): “Our dream is to create a living cell from lifeless molecules. Using artificial intelligence, we can scan parameters much more effectively to optimise complex networks of biochemical reactions. Our goal is to integrate cellular functions into one unified synthetic cell that can autonomously replicate, communicate and evolve. In addition, we will intimately connect the scientific work with philosophical and ethical research.” Dekker emphasizes: “In our ‘living lab’, philosophers and humanities scholars will work together with scientists on articulating a new definition of life as well as responsible research guidelines to establish conditions where humans remain in firm control of synthetic life.” Partners consortium EVOLF and Summit grant The EVOLF-consortium consists of scientists of TU Delft, AMOLF, University of Groningen, Radboud University, Wageningen University & Research, Hubrecht Institute, and VU Amsterdam. The Summit grant will allow the consortium to hire 100 PhD students, postdocs, technicians as well as install critical infrastructure and enabling technologies. By realizing the dream of building a synthetic cell, which Dekker calls “one of the grand challenges of this century”, the consortium aims for a breakthrough in the life sciences, on par with discovering the double-helix of DNA or decoding the human genome. More: From quantum to climate: five teams of top scientists receive Summit grant More information Want to know more about living synthetic cell building from lifeless biomolecules? Then feel free to contact: Cees Dekker , c.dekker@tudelft.nl / 06 3036 2478 Gijsje Koenderink , g.h.koenderink@tudelft.nl / 06 4877 5702 Fien Bosman , press officer Health & Care TU Delft – f.j.bosman@tudelft.nl / 06 2495 3733 More about the research of Cees Dekker More about the research of Gijsje Koenderink Prof.dr. C. Dekker C.Dekker@tudelft.nl Prof.Dr. G. Koenderink g.h.koenderink@tudelft.nl

TU Delft Cybersecurity MSc student participated at the 2024 European Space Agency (ESA) Academy Training

In April 2024, the European Space Agency (ESA) Academy launched the pilot edition of a five-day Cybersecurity Training Course . After an open call, thirty highly motivated Bachelor and Master students were selected to attend the course at ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium — the ESA Education Training and Learning Facility. First-year TU Delft Cybersecurity Master student Jegor Zelenjak was selected to attend the event. During the Cybersecurity Training Course, the students have gained invaluable knowledge about Cybersecurity in the space domain, in the areas of Cyber Risk Management, (Applied) Cryptography, CCSDS Space Protocols, Radio Frequency (RF) communications, Software Defined Radio (SDRs) and RF Attacks and Jamming to Space Systems. Besides theoretical knowledge, the course provided practical exercises to help students understand the material better. The group project allowed the students further to apply their knowledge in a real-world operational scenario, while also allowing them to learn from other group mates with the same or different backgrounds. Finally, as part of the course, the participants also visited the ESEC-Redu site, which has satellite communications facilities and upcoming cybersecurity centres. The participants have also received a certificate of participation and a course transcript. For further information about ESA Academy’s Cybersecurity Training Course, click here : TU Delft MSc student Jegor Zelenjak at ESA Academy Training Course on Cybersecurity. Antonios Atlasis, Head of Systems Security Engineering Section at European Space Agency, delivers a lecture at ESA Academy Training Course on Cybersecurity. Trainees at ESA Training Course on Cybersecurity.

"Checklists no longer suffice"

Justin and Eleonora, you have just become co-directors of the TU Delft Safety & Security Institute , but surely you were involved before. What is your connection to or experience with the institute? Justin : As an AI expert I have been working with the local police force for years, both at my previous job in Singapore and now with the Netherlands police since I joined TU Delft in 2021. Amongst others, I’m now leading the recently established Model-Driven Decision-Making Lab which falls under the framework agreement that TU Delft signed last year with the Netherlands police . Both parties have been collaborating for years on topics like forensic technology and cyber security and with this agreement it has become a more formal partnership. The TU Delft Safety & Security Institute played a key role in bringing that agreement about and will continue to coordinate the collaboration. So that is how I became involved with the institute. Eleonora : Transport safety is the central topic of my research. I have been following the institute quite closely since I came to Delft, as its first director, Pieter van Gelder, is part of my section. It was very nice to get some seed funding from the institute to collaborate with people from different fields and really start new research pathways. And then during the past year I got involved in the transition team, a group of researchers from all the TU Delft faculties brainstorming on plans for the prolongation of the institute. This was something that I liked very much. The discussions we had were very interesting and constructive. What did the transition team discuss? Did you identify certain challenges for the field that the institute should address? Eleonora : The meetings with the transition team made me realize that it is becoming more and more important to address safety and security in an integrated way, as both the research agendas and the policy agendas are connected. We live in a in a time where things are happening very fast in terms of technology developments and geopolitical developments. There are many different societal issues, like climate conditions, an aging population and new digital technologies, that both Justin and I and our TU Delft colleagues are working on. I think the challenge is to keep safety and security a primary focus in all that work. And we cannot look at transport safety or industry safety or infrastructure safety or digital vulnerability separately, because one risk is associated with many others. For example, physical infrastructures increasingly become part of digital networks. Justin : I don't like to think in terms of challenges, I prefer opportunities. Yes, both safety and security are big and important themes. But at the same time, they are not yet. Sure, there are many researchers at TU Delft working on it and they have found their way to the institute. But I think there are also still many researchers at TU Delft who don't explicitly address safety and security, even though they could as they work on topics that raise such issues. They are just not sufficiently aware of the safety and security aspects of their work, or don't have the incentives, the means, the avenues, to address them. The challenges mentioned here by Eleonora were put central in the 10-year anniversary magazine of the TU Delft Safety & Security Institute, published in October 2023 with the title progreSSIon; Safety & Security in a Changing World . So, there are opportunities to do more. I think one of our goals should be to facilitate these researchers not yet working on safety and security by further expanding the work that the institute has been doing in the past 10 years. This includes organizing events, creating funding opportunities and building a strong ecosystem also involving external partners from domains like the police and defence, and certain companies. If I may play the role of the devil’s advocate for a moment... It surprises me to hear you say that many researchers who could or should be working on safety and security don’t do that yet, especially when it comes to safety. Is that not a very basic value in engineering? Justin : No, it's not surprising. Safety is not the most attractive topic. Think for example of autonomous cars, a technology that I work on. Engineers tend to get excited by the amazing opportunities that new technologies such as AI open up, and they don't care about crashing sometimes. Especially in startup companies, safety may often be an afterthought. OK, something went wrong. Who cares, right? As long as we push the envelope, and the investors are happy and we can raise money, it is OK. Safety is then seen as something that somebody else will take care of at some point, for example the government must worry about. But of course, to really deploy something in society, in practice to really commercialize something, safety suddenly becomes of primary importance. To make sure that important values are not ignored or overlooked, TU Delft pays a lot of attention to integrating ethics in the curriculum and to responsible research and innovation. Despite these efforts, could it be the case that exactly because safety has been a basic value in engineering for a long time, that people have the tendency to relegate it to the background without thinking about it too deeply? Eleonora : Safety is indeed often taken for granted. Even though every engineer or technology researcher is aware that safety is important, there is a risk that it is seen as something that can be addressed quickly. People think that if they follow the rules or tick the boxes of design guidelines, that things will be OK. But the systems are becoming more and more complex and with more and more interfaces with other systems. As a consequence, just following rules and regulations does not guarantee safety anymore. We need to critically rethink what safety and security mean in this day and age, and in the case at hand. Checklists no longer suffice. This is even more the case with new technologies like the autonomous cars that Justin just mentioned, areas where the industries are rushing, and authorities are lagging with regulation. We are moving into new areas of technology or applications where guidelines don't exist about what is safe or secure. We need to make sure that future engineers and planners are aware of these challenges and are trained to address them in their work. Safety and security education has a key role in this. Would more focus on safety help or hinder innovation? Justin : The European AI act does limit certain things. It will probably hinder certain technological developments, but would those really have been progress? Perhaps we can make it our business model in Europe that we have high ethical quality standards. That our products are green and safe. But yeah, it could also have drawbacks for business, there are two sides to it. Eleonora : I fully agree that safety is sometimes seen as a barrier while it could be a strength. When you have it, you take it for granted. But when you don’t have it, for example when you have a major aviation accident, you see again that there are serious consequences in terms of human losses, economic losses, reputation damage. But since Justin mentioned the ethical aspect, another point that was very much discussed within the transition team was that of inclusiveness. We want safety for all. And this is something that, I think, deserves a lot more attention from researchers. There is also a very important role for national and international governments to play here, to ensure that safe infrastructures, services and so on are accessible by all. We can think of countries that are not technology ready, or vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. Can you give some examples of how inclusiveness and safety relate? Eleonora : Sure. One example from my own field, traffic safety, is the automated vehicles which are developed in industrialized countries for industrialized countries to make the roads much safer by eliminating human errors. But the largest share of traffic fatalities takes place in low to middle income countries, which lack the required digital infrastructures. How can we make the roads safer over there? Another example is that industry has in the past prioritized the safety of the car occupant over the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. These people are unprotected, so this is a baseline vulnerability in our traffic system. Yet as a society we want people to be able to safely use active transportation modes like walking and cycling, these are more sustainable. So here you see three values coming together: safety, inclusiveness, and sustainability. So in the coming 5 years, equality and inclusion will be an important horizontal aspect cross-cutting our main four research themes [ see text box and image ], along with finding sustainable solutions, working transdisciplinary and integrating safety and security [ see image ]. Key research themes for the coming 5 years Safe by design Digital vulnerabilities Forensics & failure analysis Security & geopolitics To round off this interview, this is the first time that the institute has two directors instead of one. Will you have a certain division of work? Justin : Well, in a way it is straightforward, I will be more focussed on security, while Eleonora has more of a background in safety. Eleonora : But that does not mean that we see them as separate things. Justin : No, of course not, integrating safety and security concerns is key to the institute. Eleonora: Exactly. I think that one of our first steps will be to put together a new management team with people from different faculties. We look very much forward to talking to the faculties and to people who are interested in contributing. Our general approach will be to first build on what is already there, because in the previous periods a lot has been done and there is a very strong basis of activities and things that are already going on. And then we will also start thinking about new initiatives and opportunities. Safety versus security Safety relates to unintentional threats caused by natural disasters and unintentional human behaviour, such as technical failures and human error. Security relates to intentional threats caused by intentional human behaviour, such as sabotage, crime, fraud and terrorism.

New funding, new directors, new participating faculty, new themes: TU Delft Safety & Security Institute continues its work

The mandate of TU Delft Safety & Security Institute has been renewed for another 5-year period to continue its work with and for the safety & security research community at TU Delft. For this next chapter of the institute, Behnam Taebi will hand over the directorship to Eleonora Papadimitriou and Justin Dauwels. Together they will take the lead as co-directors. With Mechanical Engineering joining, the institute now represents the safety & security communities of six faculties. “Transdisciplinary safety & security: connecting TU Delft researchers and domains towards a strong societal positioning” is the strategy for the coming period. Building on its achievements in the past 10 years, the institute will continue its efforts regarding inclusive community building while also taking on ambitious new challenges. Continuation and change ‘Safety & security in a changing world’ was the theme of the anniversary magazine of the Institute , which was published at the end of 2023. Safety & Security aspects of climate change, new digital technologies, and the rapid changing geopolitical tensions all increase the need for inclusive, comprehensive, and thoughtful multidisciplinary engineering approaches. Considering such developments, and after a process of community and stakeholder consultation, the Safety & Security (S&S) Institute has picked four overarching joint research themes as its focus for the next five years: Safe & Sustainable by Design, Forensics & Failure Analysis, Digital vulnerabilities, Security & Geopolitics The first two themes are a continuation of the themes that successfully guided the work of institute over the past five years , the last two are new. Work undertaken under these themes includes expanding Safe by Design to more domains, novel work on the safety and security of transitions in transport, and programming on national security. The institute will continue to develop new initiatives under the recently signed framework agreement with the Dutch police to work on safety & security issues , which already led to the establishment of a joint Model-Driven Decisions Lab (MoDDL). Old and new faces The new funding period for the institute also involves a change in management. Behnam Taebi will step down as scientific director of the institute. In an article in the institute’s recent anniversary magazine, he reflected on the history and future of the field with Pieter van Gelder , who was scientific director during the first 5-year funding period. In the coming five years the institute will have two scientific leads, namely Eleonora Papadimitriou (Faculty of Technology, Policy & Management) and Justin Douwels (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science). The research of the former has a focus on safety, the research of the latter on security. Together they will deliver the synergy that the institute aims to create between both domains. In an interview on the website of the institute they introduce themselves. In the coming period the co-directors will start shaping the new management team, involving all the participating faculties. Eveline Vreede continues her activities for the institute. More information For more information, you can contact: Scientific co-director Dr. Eleonora Papadimitriou Scientific co-director Dr. Justin Dauwels Executive Manager Eveline Vreede

Summer School on Circularity in the Built Environment

The Circular Built Environment Hub will host the third Summer School on Circularity in the Built Environment from 8 to 10 July 2024. The summer school focuses on the Eurodelta region and its potential to contribute to the transition towards a circular built environment.

Israel-Hamas: EB TU Delft calls for immediate ceasefire

Given the development of the conflict between Hamas and Israel since 7 October, rulings by the International Court of Justice, signals that colleagues and students no longer feel safe, and protests at universities, the TU Delft Executive Board and deans feel the need to express their concerns about the situation in Gaza and Israel. We find the human suffering caused by the violence between Israel and Hamas appalling. We share the feelings of sadness, bewilderment and helplessness. We condemn all violations of humanitarian law of war, and hope that this conflict ends as soon as possible. We reject any form of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. We endorse International Court of Justice rulings and UN Security Council resolutions calling on Israel to stop the famine in Gaza, urging Hamas to release all hostages and calling for an immediate ceasefire. Collaboration with Israel and Gaza Demonstrations on our campus have been peaceful so far. Our conversations with activists are respectful. They deserve credit for this. That said, we have different views on partnerships. Ending or freezing all contacts with a country's educational institutions does not offer a solution. We believe it is important to stay in dialogue with students and colleagues from conflict areas, as it is they who can contribute to change. Within TU Delft, the Knowledge Safety team advises whether a particular collaboration is permissible and/or desirable. As TU Delft, we obviously comply with Dutch and European legislation. Knowledge safety then involves issues such as dual use, but within our knowledge safety assessment framework, human rights and ethical aspects are also explicitly considered. For collaborations that provoke social debate, TU Delft has previously established a so-called moral deliberation. In it, issues are highlighted from various angles. We therefore also want to organise a moral deliberation on how to guarantee that collaborations entered into by TU Delft go hand in hand with international law, both in letter and in spirit. We decided not to publish a list of collaborations with one individual country because we are concerned about the social safety of scientists and students involved, a risk that is not inconceivable given the way the current social debate is raging. On the publicly accessible website CORDIS anyone can look up which partners from which countries TU Delft collaborates with in European research projects. As an academic institution, we are very concerned about the destruction of academic infrastructure in Gaza. Precisely because scientists and students can make such a vital contribution to positive change. We will therefore do our utmost to explore ways in which TU Delft can contribute to rebuilding the educational and academic infrastructure. In this regard, we are open to suggestions, and will join other universities/UNL in advocating that OCW also make efforts in this regard. Open approach of university From various quarters, we are called upon to take a (political) stand for or against one of the parties involved. In our opinion, such a stance does not suit us as a university. As an academic institution, we want to remain in dialogue with academic institutions from other countries, unless the government explicitly prohibits Dutch universities from doing so, for instance by imposing sanctions. We want to continue to provide space for our staff and students to share insights and information, raise concerns and share opinions, within the existing framework of co-determination. Because they are about topics that affect us, these can be difficult, uncomfortable and/or painful conversations. In doing so, we consider it essential that TU Delft is and remains a safe place for all our students and staff, regardless of their origin, background or political beliefs. We encourage and facilitate independent thinking, critical debate and analysis, in the hope that this results in solutions, innovations and ideas on how to do things differently. We also encourage our scientists to share their expertise with society as they play an important role in interpreting the ongoing conflict. We appreciate the involvement of students and staff who continue to draw attention to this issue in various ways. We are glad that the conversation is and will continue to be had in various places within the university. We ask our community to engage in conversation with consideration and respect for each other from person to person. There is always room within TU Delft for difference of opinion, for different scientific perspectives and for personal feelings. Calls for hatred, violence, intimidation or calls that otherwise transgress those frameworks of open society obviously do not fit in here. Having and continuing an open conversation with each other is especially important as tensions within universities mount. Guideline for protests at Universities of the Netherlands Demonstrating and protesting is part of our democracy. As Executive Board and deans, we will of course continue to respect peaceful protests surrounding the situation in Israel and Gaza. Occupying a building or grounds does not count as demonstrating/protesting and is not allowed, nor is staying overnight in buildings or grounds of the university without permission. This is in line with the UNL directive released on 14 May. Executive Board

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Culture change is the main focus of the Plan for change on social safety

At the heart of the Plan for change on social safety is the promotion of cultural change. Developed in collaboration with insights from DEWIS and various stakeholders across the organisation, it underscores the need for cultural change to strengthen social safety and drive tangible progress, i.e. in increasing the representation of women in science at TU Delft. Based on your valuable contributions, collected through idea boxes distributed across faculties, we're pleased with TU Delft's commitment to prioritise the need for cultural change and to keep an eye on desired long-term cultural change and what is needed to achieve it. DEWIS will continue to organise activities that contribute to the necessary cultural change, e.g. workshops or theatre plays to create more awareness and to start the conversations about our social norms. In line with the UN's noble goal of gender equality, we strive for full and effective participation and equal leadership opportunities for all genders at all levels of decision-making. We therefore applaud TU Delft's determination to strengthen the position of women in science and to increase the proportion of female assistant, associate and full professors, department chairs and MT members. DEWIS has put forward actionable proposals to facilitate this, and we're ready to engage in a constructive discourse with the Executive Board and the Deans in the next phase. You can read the full Plan for change on social safety here. On 15 May, the Executive Board presented the plan to the Inspectorate of Education. The Supervisory Board then formally presented it to The Supervisory Board then formally presented it to the Minister of Education, Culture and Science Robbert Dijkgraaf.

Effect of vibrational modes on fluidization characteristics and solid distribution of cohesive micro- and nano-silica powders

Fluidization of powders with small particle sizes is typically troublesome due to their cohesive nature. These powders to not transition from a packed bed into a homogeneous fluidizing one upon the introduction of a gas flow. Rather, they tend to stay mostly stationary, forming vertical channels through which the gas can escape. Several methods have been studied to overcome this behaviour and initiate fluidization, one of which is vertical vibration. We hypothesized that a horizontal component of the vibration would be more effective in disrupting the channelling, since the vibration would work perpendicular to the channel direction. In our work we compared the fluidization quality of beds of micro- and nano-particles, subjected vertical and elliptical (a combination of vertical and horizontal) vibration. In contrast to our expectations, we found that adding a horizontal component mitigated the effect of the vibrations, to the point that channels mostly remained present in the bed, whereas solely vertically vibrated beds showed full fluidization. Additionally, utilizing sectional pressure drop measurements, we showed improvements in fluidization behaviour with respect to the superficial gas velocity, which could not be acquired through conventional indicators of fluidization. Finally, we confirmed our results by X-ray imaging, where the presence or absence of channels could easily be demonstrated. Rens Kamphorst, Kaiqiao Wu, Matthijs van Baarlen, Gabrie M.H. Meesters, J. Ruud van Ommen Rens Kamphorst Go to the publication

Strings that can vibrate forever (kind of)

Researchers from TU Delft and Brown University have engineered string-like resonators capable of vibrating longer at ambient temperature than any previously known solid-state object — approaching what is currently only achievable near absolute zero temperatures. Their study, published in Nature Communications, pushes the edge of nanotechnology and machine learning to make some of the world’s most sensitive mechanical sensors.

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Assumptions of AI hiring and their impact on job seekers

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly common in job recruitment, offering automated online interviews and skill-assessment games. These tools promise efficiency and bias reduction but raise concerns about their validity, reliability and ethical implications. Research by Evgeni Aizenberg, Matthew J. Dennis and Jeroen van den Hoven sheds light on the assumptions underpinning AI hiring assessments.

Hiring: Assistant Professor Water Resources Engineering

In collaboration with the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, within the Flagship Water Security of our Climate Safety and Security Center (CASS) in the campus of the TU Delft in The Hague, we have a new opening for an Assistant Professor! Are you interested in driving innovation in water systems management and preparing the next generation of engineers for their climate and policy challenges? Apply now! Job description Key job responsibilities include: Education: Organize, initiate and contribute to the development and teaching of graduate courses in our new MSc program Environmental Engineering, fostering connections with other programs. Guide and assess BSc and MSc students, coordinating fieldwork, student projects, assignments and exams collaboratively. Organization: Contribute to organizational / administrative activities and committees focused on education within the Department of Water Management and the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences. Your involvement will be pivotal in advancing the Flagship Water Security of TU Delft | Climate Safety & Security Center (CASS). Impact: Drive the inception of educational initiatives and assets in launching new research projects with societal impact. Actively engage with government and private partners to increase societal relevance. Because of the joint affiliation with the TU Delft | Climate Safety & Security Center, seize opportunities to collaborate with the public sector, including Dutch Ministries and Policy Advisory Bodies, water management organizations as well as international public policy organizations. Outreach to the broader community and schools is encouraged. Research: Contribute to groundbreaking research in water resources engineering, closely connected to climate safety and security concerns. This role offers collaboration prospects with the Energy, Food, Materials and Human Security flagships within CASS, ensuring international visibility and impact. Requirements We invite you to show in your application how your expertise relates to the demands from the water domain, the safety and security domain and the education domain which this position aims to connect. Furthermore, you: hold a PhD or equivalent degree in water management, environmental science, civil engineering, environmental engineering, or a related discipline; demonstrate affinity with academic teaching across diverse settings, including empirical contexts; possess a solid understanding of the higher education landscape, including diversity and inclusion values; exhibit a track record in delivering high-quality research, as evidenced by your publication record; possess excellent communication skills, you are capable of effectively engaging with peers, students and stakeholders; demonstrate an affinity for, and preferably a proven ability to collaborate with, the public sector. Conditions of employment This position is offered as an Academic Career Track position (0.8 – 1.0 FTE). During the Academic Career Track, we expect you to grow towards an Associate Professor position within a maximum of eight years, for which a position will be available. With other Academic Career Track colleagues, you will participate in the Academic Career Track Development programme, where you are offered ample opportunities to develop yourself in the areas of Education, Research, Societal Impact & Innovation, and Leadership & Organisation. You will regularly discuss your development and results with senior staff based on a personalized development plan and performance criteria agreed upon at the start of your Academic Career Track. You will start with a temporary contract that will be converted to a permanent contract no later than 12 -18 months after a positive evaluation, based on continuous confidence in your development potential and fit in the organisation, Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. We expect you to obtain a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years if you have less than five years of teaching experience. This is provided by the TU Delft UTQ programme as part of the Academic Career Track Development programme. TU Delft sets high standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. If you do not speak Dutch, we offer courses to learn the Dutch language within three years. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged and you can work partly from home. For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service . This service addresses the needs of new international employees and those of their partners and families. The Coming to Delft Service offers personalised assistance during the preparation of the relocation, finding housing and schools for children (if applicable). In addition, a Dual Career Programme for partners is offered. The Coming to Delft Service will do their best to help you settle in the Netherlands. TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration. Challenge. Change. Impact! Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management. Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences. Water Management The mission of the Department of Water Management is to advance fundamental scientific understanding of the water cycle, and to develop innovative engineering and water management solutions. Our main aim is to help solve key societal challenges related to water systems and their interactions with humans. These societal challenges include the impact of climate change and urbanization on water quantity and quality in natural and engineered systems, environmental and human health risk assessments, as well as the associated adaptation strategies, innovative water treatment technologies to produce clean water, and solutions for resource depletion on food security. Recently, an external research assessment committee rated the Department of Water Management `excellent’ on all three aspects reviewed: quality of research, viability and societal relevance. The department currently has 40+ FTE academic staff and over 100 PhD students and postdocs. This position is embedded in the newly founded interdisciplinary Climate Safety & Security Center (CASS) at TU Delft | The Hague. This center pursues an ambitious and extensive program that considers climate change and stability in an integrative way. It focuses on the flow of the essential commodities water, food, energy and critical materials. The new position plays a crucial role in the flagship Water. To help realize your ambitions, you will receive a generous start-up package including 1 PhD candidate within the scope of the CASS program. You would also collaborate with leading international researchers and have access to TU Delft’s state-of-the-art facilities. Additional information For more information about this vacancy, please contact Remko Uijlenhoet: r.uijlenhoet@tudelft.nl . Application procedure Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later then 11 June 2024 via the application button and upload : A well-crafted motivation letter (1-2 pages) detailing your interest and suitability for the position. Your Curriculum Vitae (CV), highlighting relevant experiences, list of publications and achievements. Your statement on research and education including your view on leadership and commitment to equity and inclusion (maximum 3 pages). Contact information for four referees who could provide insightful recommendations. An abstract of your PhD thesis (1 page). Links to two selected publications that you wish to emphasize. Please note: You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure. Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

Jacob Hoogenboom appointed as professor

TU Delft's Executive Board has appointed Jacob Hoogenboom as Professor of Electron and Light Microscopy in the Department of Imaging Physics at the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

New building market appears to be past trough

In 2023, 18,000 new-build owner-occupied houses will have been sold. This is half the number of sales in 2021. Housing production of owner-occupied houses remains a major concern, as production has been under considerable pressure for three years. Still, the new construction market seems to have reached its all-time low. In fact, during the year of 2023 a slight increase in the number of new houses sold was observed.

Wrapping instead of welding boosts construction endurance

Structures constructed to produce energy offshore have to hold out in rough circumstances. The so-called jacket foundations made of large steel tubes that fixate windmills to the seabed are sensitive to fatigue loading, especially their welded connections. In the near future, the fatigue endurance of this steel construction can be a hundred times better thanks to an innovation by TU Delft of wrapping the joints with composite material, instead of welding them. 

AccessAbility Week 2024

We warmly invite you to the AccessAbility Week 2024!
From 3 until 6 June, Horizon and Student Onbeperkt are organising the AccessAbility Week to raise awareness and increase knowledge on accessible and inclusive education.