Christien Janssen named TU Delft Lecturer of the Year 2022

By Heather Montague

Known for her positivity, passion, and sometimes unconventional teaching methods, Christien Janssen was named ‘TU Delft Lecturer of the Year 2022’ during TU Delft Education Day on 10 November. As a Building Physics (AE&T) lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, she uses experience and understanding to engage her students.

Uncertain path

After earning a master’s in Building Technology at TU Delft in 1996, Christien found work in consultancy but soon realised it wasn’t her thing. So, she transitioned into being a specialist, working on all sorts of simulations. But in 2013, a reorganisation as a result of the economic crisis gave Christien the opportunity to consider a different path. She decided to either become a mathematics teacher at a secondary school or to study computer science. Unsure about teaching, she began studying at Open University of the Netherlands. 

A year later, Christien ran into Associate Professor of Building Physics Truus Hordijk, who encouraged her to apply for a position at TU Delft. She began working as a lecturer in February 2015, albeit it in a slightly unusual manner. “I had a lot of knowledge about building physics, but I had never taught before so they didn’t know if it would work,” she said. “They wanted me to practice teaching first before I would lecture in the big hall.” After about three years, Christien got to teach in Lecture Hall A, the largest lecture hall at the faculty. 

On becoming a lecturer, Christien said: “If you talk to the teachers of my secondary school, I think they would say it was impossible because I am not naturally the type of person to teach.”  But working for the consulting firms, she often trained newer colleagues and found she really enjoyed that. Christien currently lectures on topics including acoustics and climate design. She also works with groups of students, helping them through their studio design and graduation projects. “It is almost like consulting work but it’s the fun part of it.”

I don’t mind doing crazy things as long as it helps them understand better what I’m trying to teach.

Christien Janssen

Unconventional teaching methods

In teaching acoustics, Christien says students need to understand the basics of the sound spectrum. She explains that with sounds, you have tones and you have noise. “A tone is something you can do with a musical instrument so I always take my recorder (wooden flute), a penny whistle and an ocarina (vessel flute),” said Christien. “I let them hear the difference between the same tone on a recorder which is warm, a penny whistle which is a bit sharp and then the ocarina which is completely different. So, on the spectrum analyser in the back they can see what it looks like, actually see the difference. I stand there in front of 300 students playing my wooden flute and they like it. I don’t mind doing crazy things as long as it helps them understand better what I’m trying to teach.”

Understanding the students

Christien doesn’t necessarily think her teaching style is innovative. “I talk to students a lot and I’m very patient,” she said. “I don’t know what’s really innovative about my methods except for my nonconformist way of teaching.” She sees herself as not standing above the students, but standing amongst them. At the same time, she admits to being quite strict as a teacher. “For example, when I start at 8:45 I close all of the doors. Students who are late should feel that it interrupts me.” 
Her classroom is also fun. “I make web-based quiz games and just before the break we do them to review everything I taught in the first part of class,” she explained. “I understand that students are under a lot of stress. I have two kids, 18 and 20 years old, the same age as my students. And I’ve been there myself, I know what it is to be a student and you have to work hard. I also want students to see you can have fun with hard topics.”

I also want students to see you can have fun with hard topics.

Christien Janssen

Preparing for the future 

The field Christien teaches is generally not students’ favourite, she says, and that’s ok. “Most of the students who come here want to be architects and want to design buildings. I accept that not all students will become a master of building physics or climate design. But what I want them to be is at least a good sparring partner for their specialists. In ten years’ time when they are working as architects and they are designing a building and have to negotiate with their building physics or climate design specialist, I want them to understand what the specialist is talking about. If they don’t agree, they should be able to say I know that Christien Janssen told me that it could be done differently!” 
She also wants to be there for the students who do want to be the specialist. “I was that student at the faculty of architecture 30 years ago. I was not a designer, I was not the architect to be, I was the specialist to be, the consultant to be. I want those students to know that you can also choose to not be an architect. If you are good in building physics and you like it you can be a specialist and that’s fine.” 

I want that sparkle; I want that enthusiasm for the students.

Christien Janssen

Unlikely award

Leading up to the lecturer of the year award, Christien said she had been dreaming about it for weeks. “But when the time came, I felt like I didn’t have a chance. I never did a PhD, I’m not an assistant or associate professor, I’m just a lecturer. I was there, as the only woman, sitting between seven men, all with a higher education level than I have so I thought I had no chance. I just decided to relax and enjoy the day. I didn’t expect it so it was a big surprise for me.”
Christien exudes positivity and proves that experience and passion for education are valuable. “My students love me and I love them so that is the most important thing to me. I really enjoy my job. I wouldn’t mind doing this for 15 to 20 more years. As soon as I start getting old and I don’t have the sparkle anymore or I don’t connect with the students anymore I want them to tell me to go and do something else. I want that sparkle; I want that enthusiasm for the students.”