Stories of Science

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reading time: 4 min

A safe and just algorithm? Start with a systems perspective

Whereas algorithms are good at keeping planes airborne and forthcoming self-driving cars on the road, algorithmic decision-making by the government puts civilians at ever-increasing risk. Unless we apply lessons from systems and control engineering to the design processes and governance of public algorithmic systems, like Roel Dobbe does.
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reading time: 4 min

A safe and just algorithm? Start with a systems perspective

Whereas algorithms are good at keeping planes airborne and forthcoming self-driving cars on the road, algorithmic decision-making by the government puts civilians at ever-increasing risk. Unless we apply lessons from systems and control engineering to the design processes and governance of public algorithmic systems, like Roel Dobbe does.

read time: 4 min

Hydrogen leads the way to a climate neutral Europe without energy poverty

Energy is a driver of economic activity, personal development, and social participation in civic life. That is why, for professor of Smart Energy Systems Zofia Lukszo, the energy transition is about much more than reducing CO2 emissions. ‘Our future energy system should not only be sustainable, but also inclusive – dependable, available and affordable for everyone.’

reading time: 6 min

The Future Ground: Planning cities for an uncertain future

It is estimated that some 5.5 billion people will live in highly vulnerable climate regions by 2050. However, cities are grappling with ways to think and plan for a resilient future. To become resilient to extreme climate disruptions such as flooding and droughts, cities must transform long-term urban planning. With her advisors, Dr Nazli Aydin and Prof. Tina Comes, PhD candidate Supriya Krishnan is developing "The Future Ground": a methodology for long-term urban planning under climate change.

reading time: 4 min

Staying dry thanks to government and the public

Climate change greatly increases the risk of flooding. For his master’s thesis, Jonas Lechner used a smart model to study the role households can play in reducing flood risks in coastal cities. It turns out they can play a big role. His research earned him the title of best graduate of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

reading time: 4 min

Breaking down barriers to open science step by step

The call for transparency is growing both from within and outside the scientific community. Yet public sharing of research data is not yet taken for granted. Open science advocate Anneke Zuiderwijk is researching and developing tools to help improve sharing, availability and use of data and to make it easier. Thereby, she hopes that the social value of open science will grow and be utilised in more ways.
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InDetail: how algorithms work up to their use in society

How can a computer drive a car or write a news story? What will the impact of all these new techniques be on our lives? And how can we steer those techniques in the right direction? At InDetail, researcher Stefan Buijsman looks at all these questions, from the functioning of algorithms to their use in society.

reading time: 4 min

Safety first: evacuating with common sense

In case of a fire, an attack or other emergency, you want to leave a location as fast as possible. However, it’s often still a good idea to first take a moment to listen to or look at the instructions. But of course the instructions then need to be available. Evacuation expert Natalie van der Wal investigates, with the help of human behaviour and computer simulations, how an evacuation can be organised as efficiently as possible. And how well organised are the evacuation protocols of TU Delft itself for that matter?
Kun je algoritmes wel of niet vertrouwen?

reading time: 7 min

Algorithms: can you trust them or not? - TU Delft Story - Technology, Policy & Management

“Algorithms do not discriminate inherently; the human factor is key – what data we put in, at what point we find an algorithm good enough, when we intervene, and how easy we make it to lodge objections to it.” Assistant professor Stefan Buijsman is exploring how we can use artificial intelligence responsibly. His attitude is positive: “I think that good interaction between AI and people can make our word fairer, cleaner, healthier, and safer.”
Dialoog met bewoners zorgt voor een fijne leefomgeving

reading time: 6 min

Dialogue with residents creates a pleasant living environment

When residents feel connected with their neighbourhood, they feel more responsible for creating a pleasant atmosphere. But how do people connect with their living environment and how can you support that process? This is what Geertje Slingerland researching: "I find it fascinating how people live together in the city and would like to establish a dialogue between policy makers and residents in order to create a pleasant living environment."
De waterstofauto als cruciale schakel in een duurzaam energiesysteem

reading time: 6 min

The hydrogen car as a crucial link in a sustainable energy system

Conventional cars that run on fossil fuels no longer meet today’s needs, certainly not in view of the Dutch government’s target of being CO₂ neutral by 2050. A combination of hydrogen cars and battery electric vehicles, are the way forward as stated by the TPM researcher Samira Farahani. She and other researchers at TU Delft are working on Professor Ad van Wijk’s concept of the 'Car as a power plant' (CaPP). In this concept, hydrogen cars will act as power sources in a sustainable energy system in which electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power is converted into hydrogen.
Revolutie in modelleren van reisgedrag

reading time: 5 min

A revolution in modelling travel behaviour

How do you get drivers out of their cars? How can you make alternatives, such as public transport and cycling, attractive? ‘People who travel a lot by car develop biased views related to alternatives making them less attractive,’ says Maarten Kroesen, researcher into travel behaviour at TU Delft. His groundbreaking research into attitude and travel behaviour could help to make a difference, but it calls for some serious measures that will make car use unattractive.
Ontwerpen voor duisternis

reading time: 8 min

Designing for darkness

Days are short in December and January, but this does not mean darkness sets in early in the Netherlands. On cloudy nights, light pollution turns the night sky of Delft a bright orange. Let’s start designing for darkness, Dr Taylor Stone proposes in his research.