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Biweekly magazine of the Eindhoven University of Technology
2 October 2014 | year 57
For the latest news: www.cursor.tue.nl/en and follow @TUeCursor_news on
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Around the world on electric motorbikes in 80 days
Dura Vermeer to turn Potentiaal into residential tower
26 September - In 2016, a team of TU/e students will be traveling around the world in eighty days using homemade electric motorbikes. The STORM student team will present its plan in Boxtel on October 2. Racecar driver Michael Bleekemolen will be opening the 80 Day Race then and there. To prove to the world that electric vehicles aren’t just eco-friendly, emission-free, and silent, but also ready to match performances by fueled vehicles, STORM is building a series of electric motorbikes. If the TU/e students complete their trip around the world, they might have secured a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest trip on an electric motorbike.
25 September - Construction group Dura Vermeer will transform the seventeen-story TU/e building Potentiaal into a residential tower with three hundred housing units. The adjacent Corona building will become the new home to the cultural associations. On September 25th, the Executive board and the construction company signed the contract, which states that Dura Vermeer temporarily takes over the building. Construction work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016. Early 2015, TU/e will transfer Potentiaal and the adjacent Corona building to Dura Vermeer. Right now, those buildings are home to Electrical Engineering.
Students vot best univers e TU/e ity once aga 24 September in - Wee
kly Elsevier has and universitie conducted its an s of applied sc nual study into iences, and st the quality of un the Netherland udents have vo iversities s for the second ted TU/e the be time in a row. by professors st university of In the ranking and associate of study progra professors, TU Elsevier TU/e ms, scored /e did exceptio is once again nally well, too. the best univer According to sity of the Netherlands. La st year, TU/e was the overal l number one for the first tim e. Not only does the Eind hoven institute have the high est number of satisfied stud ents, but the curricula sc ore very well with (associate ) professors. Arthur van Leeu wen, chief editorial resear ch at Elsevier, was very clear in his verdict. “TU/e has scor ed way better than all other universities.”
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TU/e Department of Industrial Design struggling 19 September - The Department of Industrial Design is struggling financially. The budget for 2015 is 1.5 million short. The Departmental Board has set up a plan to close that gap. Staff has until November 1 to draw up the plan: by then, a new budget is to be submitted to the Executive Board. According to dean Aarnout Brombacher, the main reason for the deficit is the lack of money from government funds (NWO, STW) and businesses.
More news on www.cursor.tue.nl/en
The 3rd en 4th R like in BoRRel!
The annual ‘Wervingsdagen’ a.k.a. ‘Bedrijvendagen’ are on their way again and on Sept. 29 we were invited to join the kick-off borrel with some free bees (ouch! do they sting?). Checking their website proves that there will be gratis drank and they also promise us a significant amount of free beer! Clear case now: although these recruitment days are targeted at all TU/e graduates this invitation seems to be addressed primarily to the (male) locals who of course will traditionally enjoy the free beer! And what about other large groups in our community? Will they feel attracted to join and enjoy the free beers? Not so sure. In my previous columns I dealt with the 1st recommendation ‘Recognizing cultural differences’ and the 2nd one about ‘Respecting cultural differences’, and possibly accepting and appreciating them. The 3rd R is about ‘Reconciling cultural differences’ i.e. developing best practices and creating win-win situations by bringing the best from both worlds, yours and mine, into a new culture where values on both sides will be
recognized, respected and reconciled. The 4th R recommends to root these best practices into some reporting or procedure after they’ve been realized. So that they don’t get lost and others can profit from them by repeating and reproducing them. Back to our BoRRel… not so sure values, norms and practices are being Reconciled and a win-win situation Realized here. This typically Dutch borrel-tradition may indeed not appeal to many in our community. Gender, nationality, religion or other beliefs, origins and orientations are not recognized nor respected. Who is holding those beer bottles? Touché, white male hands! It would be about time to realize our community is about diversity. As we all want to keep talent in the Brainport region, let’s start here with inclusion and develop some sense of community at TU/e. In my next columns I will make suggestions on how to further develop our community on campus, so start looking around you!
Vi advisor in ncent Merk, ternationa l commun ity
People | 23
See for more news www.cursor.tue.nl/en
And how are things in Mexico City? More and more TU/e students go abroad for their studies to follow courses, internships or a doctorate path. What is it like to find your way in a new country? Students tell their stories.
Mexico, the country of drug cartels, Tequila, tacos and corruption. It’s also the country I decided to do my internship for the bachelor program of Industrial Design. It is a challenge , because the country doesn’t have a long design tradition. Early August I left for Mexico City to start my internship at ‘Studio José de la O’. I’ve been in Mexico for more than a month now, and I love it here. I’ve noticed some things, too. For one, Mexicans do eat a lot of tacos and chili peppers. To my great surprise, it’s not tequila that’s the most popular liquor in Mexico City, but mescal. Although it’s also made of agave, it’s much smoother than Tequila. For designers, Mexico City is paradise. There are incredibly many resources and it’s brimming with creativity. No matter how crazy your design, Mexicans make it for a bargain. There are lots of major internationals factories, but you’ll find small family-run factories just as well. During my first week my internship coach took me to a little glass factory that manufactures his glass products. The factory was inside an ordinary house, but the kitchen and living room were transformed into a glass workshop. Unfortunately there’s a big difference between the rich and the poor in Mexico, a divide that’s maintained by the current government. The people see the president as a puppet of the rich, who are often in cahoots with drug cartels. Despite there being several unsafe places and roads, to me Mexico is the country of colors, warmth, openness, great food, and very friendly people who are always there for each other and for strangers. I hope I have been able to share my enthusiasm and encourage others to visit this beautiful country. I’m sure they’ll love Mexico as much as I do.
Ch studaernlotte van t of I der So ndustr mmen, ial Des ign Would you also like to write an article about your time abroad? Please send an email to cursor@tue.nl.
Read more stories online: www.cursor.tue.nl/en
Life after TU/e
Name: Siddharth Chunduri Place of Birth: Santharavuru, Andhra, India Date of Birth: 20 August, 1989 At TU/e from: August 2010-August 2012, for an Embedded Systems master program. Current position: Software engineer at ICT automation What do you do in your current position and was it difficult to find a job? I am a software engineer at ICT automation making Python software for ASML-based projects. Initially, I wanted to be a video and image processing research er but I graduated in a bad time for that. The economy was suffering, so althoug h I tried my best, in the end I decided to compromise and head in a new direction. The Internet was my job hunting ally. I would send my resume to companies’ HR departm ents directly. The best way to apply, in my opinion, is through the compan y website. I wouldn’t say it was difficult, as Eindhoven is a hi-tech area, but your degree should match the job you apply for. It’s also important you tailor your CV to the company you are applying with, and it helps if you’re flexible rather than stubborn. How do you reflect on your time at TU/e? I came to the Netherlands because I didn’t want to do what most Indians do, which is leaving for the US or the UK. I chose TU/e specifically because of its good ranking at the time. In hindsight I feel there was a large divide between internat ional and local students. Dutch students and international students were separate social entities. Still, I am thankful to TU/e, since I’ve matured in leaps and bounds. Compar ed to the pressure of studying at TU/e, the pressure at work is peanuts. Will you stay in the Netherlands? I have been in the Netherlands for four years now. I don’t intend to leave. Although the Netherlands can be quite boring, whenever I feel bored I take a vacation . When I’m here I treasure the peace, the weather, nature, the tranquil ity, and the non-judgmental attitude of Dutch society.
What happens to international students after they graduate from TU/e? Do they go job hunting in the Netherlands, pack their bags and explore the world, or return to their home countries? International TU/e graduates talk about their lives after TU/e.
What advice would you give current students? If you are serious about a career in industry rather than research, make sure your thesis links to that, and try to write it with a reputable company. I did mine at Philips and that definitely helped me getting several interview call backs. Know that staying in the Netherlands is not for everyone. After graduation, your social circles will shrink. The acquaintances you make after university will most likely be your colleagues. There is a huge difference between university friends and colleagues. So treasure the former. Finally, take your Dutch language course at universi ty seriously. I’ve come to realize Dutch was more important than many of the regular courses I followed.
24 | Zoom in
2 October 2014
Into the Darkness: A look at depression and university life Text | Angela Daley “I couldn’t stop crying. I had a headache all the time and I was always dizzy. And the weather can be terrible in Chongching. The sun doesn’t shine. All I could think was ‘I have to get away from here.’ Xin Xu, 23, is a new master’s student in the Built Environment Department and though he’s very happy with his new life in the Netherlands, his undergraduate program in China was marred by extreme stress and a slip into depression. Like for Xu , the university years are often the first time that many people experience mental health issues. Stress, new personal and academic responsibilities and loneliness can take their toll on students in a way they’ve never experienced before. And for international students, those stresses can sometimes be even greater. Last spring, the TU/e community was shocked and horrified when a 24 year-old PDEng trainee from Spain took his own life. Professor Bart Smolders from the Electrical Engineering Department knew the student personally, “It was so unexpected for a lot of people that this happened because he was a very social guy, always in between people. It was known that he was depressed. He was worried that he couldn’t finish his traineeship even though he was a very good student. We had directed him to the doctor and based on that he had gotten medicine. Many people were in the loop but nobody expected this to happen. His friends didn’t expect it. Nobody did.”
being a student that could push some people into depression, and like the Spanish student, ultimately compel them to end their own lives?
Not every depressed person attempts, or even contemplates, suicide. But even its milder forms, depression is an insidious illness that can rob a person of their quality of life, taking a toll on productivity, relationships and self-esteem. But what exactly is depression? And what are the signs to look out for?
Lu Chunqiu, 22, from the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, started a master’s program in August and says he sometimes feels overwhelmed, “I have a lot of homework. It’s a lot more work than I did during my undergraduate program. I had an assignment that was given on a Friday and was due that next Monday. I had to spend all day Sunday in the library to get it done.” Xin Xu often felt isolated during his undergraduate program, “I didn’t feel like anyone was taking care of me. I would think ‘Nobody cares about what my life is about. I’m just one tiny person in the middle of so many.’”
The World Health Organization defines depression as “a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness and poor concentration. It can be long lasting or recurrent, substantially impairing a person’s ability to function at work or school, or cope with daily life.” While everyone may experience these symptoms on any given day, depression comes and stays – generally, doctor’s only diagnose depression when these symptoms have been present continuously for two weeks or longer. According to the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, one in three people in the Netherlands will suffer from depression or anxiety at some point in their lives. And students may be particularly vulnerable. One recent study from Ireland found rates at around 14 percent in the student population versus just 8 to 12 percent in the general population. What is it about
“Students often suffer from loneliness, performance anxiety and stress,” says Eindhoven psychologist Lina Butkute who often sees students in her practice. “And they’re experiencing many things for the first time - heavy academic workloads, romantic loss and the responsibility of taking care of everything themselves without their parents’ help. These stresses can be particularly difficult for this age group because they often have less well-developed coping mechanisms than older adults.”
A fish out of water Living abroad and learning to adapt to differences in language and culture adds an extra layer of complexity to student life for international students. Judith Beenhakker, a psychologist with the Education and Student Service Center (STU), says that foreign students face multiple challenges, “When you’re an international student, you experience a lot of new things all at once. They have to adapt and that process can be very different for every student.” Butkute agrees, “Friends and family - their entire social network - are far away and they’re often going
through culture shock. And this culture shock is not only about getting used to new sounds or new foods - the really stressful part is that you have to develop a new identity.” For some international students, the adjustment period will be rocky and, unfortunately, their native cultures might include deep-seated taboos about seeking help. Xin Xu says his family criticized him for getting depressed, “I went to the hospital and I was diagnosed with a ‘depressed status.’ This was a big step to take in China - to go get help. There are a couple of things you’re absolutely not supposed to be in Chinese culture. You can’t be gay. You can’t be single. And you can’t be depressed. My parents thought I was trying to avoid things. They didn’t really think I was depressed. They told me that I was just using this as an excuse because I wasn’t working hard enough.” All students feel the pressure to perform well at university but foreign students often have extremely high expectations for themselves. Butkute explains, “Their parents, sometimes their whole families, have put money towards their education and they feel intense pressure to perform. International students are very focused on their studies and they can be very critical of themselves. I try to explain to them that they can only dedicate so much energy to so many things before it becomes too much for them to handle.” Lu Chunqiu echoes a common worry for international students, “I want to finish as quickly as possible so I’m taking a bigger course load than most people do. People ask me if I ever sleep because I’m doing so much. This is a two-year program and I need to have it done in two years. I took 5 years to do my studies in Finland and I still regret that.” In addition to his immense workload, Lu has pressures that the average Dutch student can barely imagine; “My parents are already saying that I should get married and have a baby. I can understand that. I should save my time. I should get
everything done - get married, finish my studies, have a baby, all of it - while I’m still young. I shouldn’t waste my time on things like gaming or traveling. I need to focus on the valuable things.”
Striking a balance helps Lu’s outlook is shared by many of his fellow foreign students but mental health professionals warn that it can be counterproductive. STU psychologist Sandra van Dongen encourages moderation, “Sometimes it’s a challenge to convince these students that it’s good to have a balance with sports and other activities. They want to put all of their time and energy into studying.” Her colleague Beenhakker adds, “I try to explain it to them like this: imagine an Olympic athlete. They can’t train all the time. That’s not the way to get a gold medal. Even they take breaks to rest, eat, and do other things. You have to do that, too. It’s just as important as studying.” Butkute also emphasizes regularity, exercise and getting enough daylight for fighting off depression, “It’s important to stay active and stay outside as long as possible. Students stay up late, get up late and then they miss this very important part of the day when they need to be outside. Your activity level is very important. It lessens your stress level and provides you with more adrenaline which makes your state of mind more positive.” Luckily, TU/e is dedicated to supporting students in all aspects of their academic career, including bolstering students’ “soft” skills - which can have a direct affect on
mental health according to Beenhakker, “TU/e is really investing in teaching students how to be more assertive, to improve their teamwork skills and how to more effectively interact with other students. Learning these skills can have a positive influence on a student’s ability to build a social network which in the long run can help them maintain good mental health.” In addition, STU’s psychologists explain that the university’s focus on creating a sense of community is one key to helping students weather the inevitable ups and downs of university life: “Social interaction is extremely important in fighting off depression which is one reason why the university has created a buddy program where an international student can be linked with a Dutch student”, says Sandra van Dongen. Prevention is important but what if you suspect that you’re already depressed? Getting help and getting it quickly are vital to recovering, explains Butkute, “Look at it as a fight against an illness. If you surrender, what will be left? You don’t have to give all of your energy to these negative thoughts. It’s important to overcome this stigma with seeking professional help. Don’t wait too long. Ask yourself: If not now, then when? And if not me, then who?” “If you’re in need of help, then turn to it,” says Xin Xu, “Don’t be shy about it. I struggled with whether I should see a doctor or not. But I just couldn’t live that way anymore. After you get help, you’ll see that it’s not a big deal. It’s a simple thing. If you got a cold, you’d take some medicine. This is the same thing.”
Want to talk to someone? Friends, family and your study advisor are often a good place to start but may not always be enough. For additional help, contact the Education and Student Service Center (STU) at 040 - 247 4747 or STU@tue.nl. Or make an appointment at the desk of STU in MetaForum. Discussions with STU’s staff are always completely confidential.
See for more news www.cursor.tue.nl/en
Zoom in | 25
Photo | Bart van Overbeeke
26 | Research
2 October 2014
4 burning questions
María Fernanda Neira D’Angelo | Chemical Engineering
Waste to energy 1 ’s on f your o r e ov the c rtation? disse What
2 Wh a peo t do y ou t ple a t par ell whe n t abo ut y they a ies our s rese k arch ?
3
1 | cover
What person, technology, or device has been essential for your research?
For the cover I decided on an image of a “thinker” who seems to be searching for alternatives restlessly, because this thesis deals with alternatives: alternative energy sources, represented on the cover by the color green, and alternative reactor types, represented by the background image: a cross section of a microreactor with a catalyst layer on the walls.
2 | parties I usually say to people outside my field that during my PhD I studied a method to convert organic waste into energy, and I focused on the apparatus to realize that conversion.
4
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3 | essential
fit
ne e b y iet
soc
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Many things have been essential for my work, but the most important one was probably my experimental setup LUCCI, which was built to conduct experiments with different types of reactors, condi tions, etc.
4 | society benefit Society can benefit from this research because we are now one step closer to a way of efficiently using available resources that are considered waste today, and convert them into something very valuable: energy.
(edited by Tom Jeltes) Photos | Bart van Overbeeke
Research | 27
See for more news www.cursor.tue.nl/en
Virginia Ballotta | Biomedical Engineering
Support for growing heart valves
1 | cover My thesis cover shows white blood cells undergoing changes after being mechanically stimulated on a fibrous substrate, which is depicted on the background.
2 | parties A new concept for the replacement of diseased cardiovascular tissues, such as blood vessels and heart valves, aims at harnessing the ability of the body to heal itself. The aim of my research is to provide a deeper insight into the properties of the biomaterials used as replacements for such tissues. More specifically, I investigated how the inflammatory response of the human body to the implanted biomaterials can be tuned with mechanical and biochemical stimuli, to obtain healing and tissue regeneration.
3 | essential One of the most important techniques adopted for my research is electrospinning. It allowed us to manufacture the fibrous substrates, the so-called “scaffolds”, by processing polymeric solutions into tridimensional, porous matrices in a controllable manner.
4 | society benefit Several efforts are being made to provide an alternative to currently available treatments for cardiovascular defects in children. As a child grows, the implanted valve or vessel will not be able to grow with them, so they would need to undergo several surgeries. My research provides a small contribution to the current knowledge for the development of smart materials able to grow and remodel inside the body.
Pieter-Jan Hoes | Built Environment
Buildings with flexible thermal capacity 1 | cover What you see on the cover is a photograph of a material with a coating that changes color depending on the temperature: the material has been warmed by a hand. In my study I’ve researched if this type of coatings might be used to save energy in buildings. The coatings I’ve researched, however, influence the thermal radiation of a surface.
2 | parties The thermal mass (thermal storage capacity) of a building depends on the materials that have been used. Buildings can be divided in roughly two types: thermal light buildings (steel and wood constructions), and thermal heavy buildings (brick and concrete constructions). Light buildings heat up more easily, which can be an advantage in case a building that’s cooled down needs to be heated (because it’s faster and less energy-consuming). The benefit of heavy buildings is that they won’t overheat easily. I’ve studied the potential of buildings with an adaptive thermal storage capacity. Such buildings have the benefit of both light and heavy thermal constructions, and that approach improves building performance and increases their robustness for changing user behavior, the seasons, and climate changes.
3 | essential I’ve researched the potential of several thermal storage concepts using complex computer models. These models can predict the performance of buildings with integrated adaptive storage concepts. Without a computer there’s no way I could have conducted this research.
4 | society benefit Reducing the energy buildings need is an important issue in society right now. I’ve researched a building concept in which the energy needed for heating and cooling can be reduced without compromising comfort for the building users.
t 2013, Augus d n a 1 01 ate ugust 2 s in ly intim ween A a remarkabevolutionarieeam t e b d Filme to Homs is of young r ia. They dr Returnit of a group western Syr President h portra y of Homs in ing free from stice throug the cit country be d fight for ju r e b o of theirr al-Assad anations. t c O e s u y o a Basha ul demonstr H btitles ilm F Mond , h s eacef utch su 0 u p D p .3 h 1 it m 2 hw 20.00- oos, TU/e ca : Englis guage ee: none n D a L s e t om ce f Zwar Entran n to H
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don’t TU/e and Eindhoven so you Cursor collects all events at , and nts eve ic athletic and academ have to. Symposiums, films, notify can You nl. ue. or.t urs w.c at ww to parties: you can find them all ail em an d sen website, please e us of new events through our her will ine gaz Ma sor Cur do so. cursor@tue.nl if you want to ing happenings. publish a selection of upcom
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Monday October, 20 .00h, Gasla TU/e campu b, s
Sonic Labs : sound in a space and a spa ce in soun d
How can a sp Horst Rickels ace create sound? Th van der Hors and Robert Pravda anis is what sound resear results of a t investigate in the Gasd audiovisual artist Kaschers week of exp erimenting. lab. Come and listen toper the Entrance fee: none for stu dents, other s pay 5 euro s
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Monday October, 19 .30-21.30h, Blauwe Zaa l, Auditorium , TU/e camp CEO lectur us e
Eelco Blok
(KPN) After KIVI (R oyal insitute successful se o f En ginee on the door. ries of CEO lectures, rs) has organized a CEO of KPN. We have the pleasurethe next one is knockin enthuse stu Goal of the CEO lectureto listen to Eelco Blok, g career. The dents and young engin is to stimulate and technology CEO’s KIVI invites have eers for a successful themselves so that TU-students are a strong connection to these CEO’s with the CEO’s and so better able to identify a complete are better imaginable that experiences of you at the 6different background. Kthan that of CEO’s from with drinks th of October from 19:3 IVI hopes to welcome afterwards. 0-21:30 (Bla uwe Zaal), Event langu ag e: English Entrance fee: none
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Woensdag oktober, 12.40-13.35 uur, Blauwe Zaal, Auditorium, TU/e-campus
Kolonel Joost Doense: missie Afghanistan Kolonel Joost Doense biedt je een kijkje achter de schermen van de Nederlandse militaire inzet in Afghanistan. Een meeslepend verhaal van binnenuit, mijlenver verwijderd van je comfort zone, vol niet ingecalculeerde risico’s. Over stof, hitte, besluitvorming in onzekerheid, moed en kameraadschap. Voertaal evenement: Nederlands Entreekosten: geen
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e ie ieder l iekers dijkjes in de he s s la k n k o ij z n z s a r V nte n. film t hebbe oorlogs Deer Hu en The er gezien moe gmenten wat w o N l e r s fra ke Oo pocalyp ns één nd van Ryan, A ebber minste ekt aan de ha te a iv r P e fh r Saving aarde filmlie Salden besp rechtge enmoed. Jan tot heldd maakt. boeien rlands t: Nede n e m e l even Voertaa osten: geen k e e r t En
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Donderd ag ok to uur, Gas lab, TU/ ber 20.30-22.30 e -campus Tim Kn ol
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Studente jaar de K nband Stip & K kiezen b leine Prijs band ieboom won afg staan. B ij wie ze in het v wedstrijd en moelopen fluwelenij Tim Knol dus: oorprogramma wcht voorliefd stem, verfijnde de troubadour m ilde de seven e voor Amerikaasongteksten en et ee ties. nse coun tryrock u n it Entreeko anderen sten: Studenten betalen 5 euro gratis,
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October Friday 18.30-22.00H de Bunker dylaan 3 John F. Kenne Eindhoven
g OMG!: Gettin u! to know yo
d TINT want to d and 4U2 anent is about te ar st s ha r is ev y year The new stud with this OMG! event. Th ces in the first encounte welcome youand interreligious differen You will be invited for intercultural al with them in daily life.eating food in different ter and how to de learn different ways of rences in a first encoun a workshop toa presentation about diffeialized in Cross Cultural d cultures, withta Sari, psychologist specs from different cultures an ing by Betty Tjip Also there will be couple of their experiences in liv r . e ei m gy th lo so in u yo ces Psycho to share with with differen backgroundsrtners and how they deal pa with their nl daily life. t-eindhoven. .nl! • www.tin en ov dh in -e nt fo@ti Sign up at: inge: English hers 5 euro Event langua (PhD)students 3 euro, ot Entrance fee:
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Woensdag oktober, 20.00-21.30 uur, Gaslab, TU/e-campus
Jan Jaap van der Wal sp
reekt vrijuit
“Incest, daar zal de PVV het komende jaren.” (JJ vd Wal, toch van moeten hebben de van het vrije woord? In een Live 2012) Waar ligt de grens kort optreden zet Jan Jaap het publiek op scherp. In het inte de grenzen van vrijheid van rview vertelt hij hoe hij over meningsuiting denkt. Voertaal evenement: Nederla Entreekosten: Studenten gra nds tis, anderen betalen 5 euro