Topical lunches
Topical lunches 2023-24
March 11, 2024: Claudia Werker, chairperson of the Inclusive Research and Innovation in STEM initiative, DEWIS board member and member of the Works Council, will give a presentation on Diversity and Inclusion at Delft University of Technology from the perspective of these organizational units. The session provides an opportunity for participants to come together, share ideas, and envision a future of progress and inclusivity. Register here for the lunch.
February 22, 2024: What is the role of science in the 21st century? Confining to truth or making normative demands?
Denzel Ignacia and Mylene Van der Koogh, TU Delft PhD candidates, delivered an insightful presentation on climate activism within academia. The lecture began with an emphasis on increase of CO2 emissions despite multiple international climate agreements: Why haven't we been able to bend the global emissions curve and what should scientists do about it – given that it us who have most insight into those developments.
The speakers, Denzel and Mylene, presented the idea and motivation behind Scientist Rebellion Delft, one of the active local groups of the nationwide Scientist Rebellion movement, and outlined their objectives as well as their efforts for bringing awareness about climate change. They argued both for the responsibility (given scientific insights into the realities of climate change) and the associated influence (the authoritative standing of scientists in the public debate); which they argued should be used to initiate change for the better. They outlined a number of initiatives they are currently pursuing to implement measures towards more sustainability on the campus (e.g. encouraging the cutting of ties with questionable banks and fossil fuel industries as funders) and their activism outside the campus (A12 blockade). After the presentation, the floor was opened for questions, sparking engaging discussions among participants on various aspects of climate activism and its intersection with science communication and integrity.
Participants criticized that the movement goes beyond the scientists’ core competencies and responsibilities of searching for truth. In this manner, participants grappled with the delicate balance required to maintain scientific integrity narrowly conceived while engaging in activism, acknowledging the role of private values and opinions in shaping perceptions and actions. Other participants underscored that TU Delft already has committed itself to a much broader understanding of scientific responsibility – namely to the values of responsibility for society and for sustainability. In this sense, it seemed Scientists Rebellion merely filled in their views on what this meant to them as individual researchers and what they would see to happen to make true those value commitments as outlined in the Strategic Vision of TU Delft. Amidst this discussion concerns were raised about the potential dangers of extreme scientific activism, highlighting the potential of loss of reputation and public dismissal of scientific opinions stemming from the contentious convergence of science and politics. Additionally, the significance of social and dynamic dialogue in conveying scientific facts and fostering understanding was emphasized, challenging the notion of scientific absolutism, and advocating for nuanced discussions at a global level.
What became eventually clear was that this debate probes deep convictions about the nature of the scientific enterprise. As participants navigated these complex topics, a shared commitment to fostering informed, inclusive dialogue emerged, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing climate challenges on a global scale.
January 31, 2024: Topical lunch was cancelled.
December 7, 2023: Dr. Alexander Verbraeck, Full Professor at the TU Delft faculty of TPM, discussed to do’s and don’t of grant applications. Among the many lessons learned was “"If it's not risky, it won't get funded. If it's too risky, it won't get funded". We explored different grant types (personal, consortia and industry) and the aspects that are important in each of those grant types. Let’s be smarter, more efficient, and more successful in grant applications by applying what we’ve learned from Dr. Verbraeck.
November 10, 2023: Dr. Martin Sand, Assistant Professor in the TU Delft faculty of TPM delved into the multifaceted topic of Research Integrity Education at TU Delft. During the lecture, we explored the unfortunate reality of fraud and research replication crisis in academia as well as the pressing need for collective responsibility to safeguard the integrity of the scientific process. The discussion illuminated the importance of cultivating a culture of accountability and the crucial role of transparency in overcoming these challenges. Furthermore, we explored the imperative for a unified Code of Conduct for research integrity, recognizing the pivotal role it plays in establishing ethical guideline.
October 4, 2023: Dr. Kaitai Liang, Assistant Professor at the Cybersecurity group in the TU Delft faculty of EEMCS, explored the realm of data protection, with a focus on "Searchable Symmetric Encryption" (SSE). Dr. Liang discussed the existing shortcomings in data security technology and underscored the imperative for improvement. In addition to the SSE topic, the lecture introduced APNet - Assistant Professor Network Netherlands, shedding light on its purpose and functionality.
September 7, 2023: DYA kicked off the academic year 2023-24 with the first DYA Topical Lunch. The event began with the introduction of the new DYA board, followed by a reflection on the achievements of the past year. The discussion delved into topics related to career development and personal growth within the new ACT, charting a strategic course for the year ahead. Attendees also had the opportunity to provide valuable feedback.
Topical lunches 2022-23
The April topical lunch was presented by Piero Colonna, Full Professor of Propulsion and Power in the faculty of Aerospace Engineering. He addressed the topic “21 years at TU Delft: some lessons learned that may help young colleagues”.. During the event, Piero shared with us his personal experiences during his professional career. Having been part of the Dutch system for more than two decades, he has been able to advise young academics based on his extensive experience. We were able to ask their point of view on our concerns, which is important to be able to relativize our perspectives.
During the March topical lunch, Martijn Warnier, section and department head of the Multi-Actor Systems Department, talked about the topic “Navigating career promotions”. During the event, the main steps to apply for a promotion at TU Delft and what this entails have been considered and discussed, being the subject of open discussion among the attendees. You can find the photos of the event here.
The DYA Topical lunch of February took place on Wednesday the 8th. We had the unique opportunity to learn from Stefan Buijsman about how to effectively communicate our scientific research. During the event we were able to share our concerns about the topic, such as what kind of communication platforms should we use and what communication strategy can benefit us depending on our situation. The photos of this event can be found here.
On the 10th of January 2023 we held the second Topical lunch in which the speaker David Vermaas discussed about the topic “Juggling with it all: balancing the diverse and variable tasks of an early career academic”, allowing us to discuss about how to balance work and family life. Through this event, we have been able to learn some effective methods for young researchers to deal with their multiple weekly tasks. The photos of this event can be found here!
On the 5th of December the first topical lunch took place. The speaker Dr. Janna van Grunsven (Assit. Prof. at TPM, TU Delft) discussed the topic “Diversity, not Deficiency! Embracing Cognitive Variations in Research and Education”. For more information, please consult the document attached.