Slash 14 - In English

14 APRIL 2016

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE EINDHOVEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

The Mission: What future technological challenges are we facing?

CEO ASML PETER WENNINK: ‘THE NETHERLANDS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THREE SEPARATE UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY’

DREAM AND DARE: TU/e CELEBRATES SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY

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Niels Deen (1975) is a professor at Multiphase @ Reactive Flows at Mechanical Engineering. He made the switch in early 2016, when he left his position as associate professor at Chemical Engineering.

n.g.deen@tue.nl

TEXT HAN KONINGS PHOTO BART VAN OVERBEEKE

TEAM PLAYER

‘The group I’ve been supervising since January 1 is actually a merger of two other groups: Combustion Technology and Process Technology. At Chemical Engineering I busied myself with the latter.

The vacancy appeared at the perfect time.

It’s my job to make sure the new group works together well. I’ve never supervised a group before, but I’m ready.

I consider myself a team player. Part of the staff may be older than I am, but there are no generational differences. You are measured by your performance and attitude.’

CHEATING

‘As a process engineer, combustion technology is one of the areas I focus on right now. So far, nobody has come up to me about the emission tests that were cheated with in the car industry. I knew manu­facturers were sailing close to the wind in that respect, but I was shocked to hear Volkswagen had actually developed software to cheat the tests.

They crossed the line, big time.’

EVENING LECTURES

‘I am strongly opposed to the evening lectures that will be introduced in the new academic year.

On the one hand, it will affect students’ and teaching staff’s social lives, but more importantly, people’s attention spans just drop after six hours and that’s disastrous for education. Being an organization with so many creatives, surely we can think of a better solution?’

On page 51 backward / with Jan Meuldijk

NEW OUTLOOK

‘Every scientist benefits from exploring new surroundings. I was educated in Twente and then did my PhD at the University of Aalborg in Denmark.

You learn many things about other cultures, new ways to go about things.

You don’t even have to go abroad for that, anyway. Switching departments within TU/e alone has made me look at things differently, both considering method and the focus on education and research.

IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES

‘Finding funding for research you are at the mercy of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research NWO at times. Professor Hans Kuiper, whom I worked with in Twente and Eindhoven, taught me the benefits of being safe rather than sorry. Apply for funding strategically: get in touch with more than one potential funder. Don’t bet on one horse. That really appeals to me, because Mechanical Engineering is leaning heavily on Technology Foundation STW. We’re doing great right now, but it does make us vulnerable, too.’

TU/e 60

‘We have our work cut out for us at TU/e as far as diversity goes. For its sixtieth birthday, I wish TU/e sixty more women in top positions.’

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no.14 APRIL 2016

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Peter Wennink, CEO ASML

COLOFON Slash is the magazine for external relations and alumni of the Eindhoven University of Technology and comes out three times per year.

Total or partial use of Slash’s articles can only be done in consultation with the editors and with acknowledgment of their source. The use of photographs or illustrations is only allowed in conjunction with the creator’s permission. www.tue.nl/slash

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Connection between alumni and university set in glass

Editorial Address Eindhoven University of Technology Communications Expertise Centre, Postbox 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, e-mail slash@tue.nl, Tel (040) 24733 30/247 4020 Head editor Han Konings Final editing and coordination Brigit Span Translation Angela Daley Magazine concept Maters & Hermsen Journalistiek, CEC. Design Natasha Franc

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Sixty years of dreaming and daring

Editorial advisory board drs. Steef Blok, prof.dr. Carlijn Bouten, mr.drs. Ben Donders, prof.dr.ir.Maarten Steinbuch Do you want to advertize in Slash?

Please inquire with H&J Uitgevers, Tel (010) 451 55 10 Do you want to receive Slash?

Register at: www.tue.nl/slash ISSN: 2212-8468

KEEP IN TOUCH Interested in collaborating with TU/e or in studying, working or getting your PhD with us? Or would you like to keep in touch as an alumnus?

Here are our contact details:

University genes: real TU/e families

04 NOW

38 SPARK

Campus then and now

Bert Blocken

28 BACK­ GROUND

42/43 PLANNER/ VENTURER

Jan and Frank on sixty years of TU/e

Designing sounds for BMW

Collaboration (strategic partnership, contract research) TU/e Innovation Lab, +31 (0)40 247 48 22, Innovationlab@tue.nl Employment or PhD candidates Personnel Department +31 (0)40 247 20 90, jobs@tue.nl Designers Education Stan Ackermans Institute +31 (0)40 247 24 52, sai@3tu.nl Studying (bachelor, master)

Education and Student Services Center, +31 (0)40 247 47 47, studeren@tue.nl Alumni +31 (0)40 247 34 90, alumninet@tue.nl Press Office and Communi­ cations Expertise Center +31 (0)40 247 48 45, cec@tue.nl, www.tue.nl

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NOW/

Whoever thinks TU/e campus has been seeing lots of construction works lately is right, of course. W-hal was turned into a shiny MetaForum, the pond has returned, a new road plan banned all cars from the heart of campus, and Flux arose at the end of the Green Strip, around which the compact campus is situated.

Right now, Potentiaal is being turned into student accommodation, and a brand new building is being built to house students, too. Then, the Hoofdgebouw is being stripped, so it can reemerge as Atlas in 2018, housing services and two departments.

All these construction activities are nothing compared to what happened in the early years of Technische Hogeschool Eindhoven.

They built a brand new university from scratch, which must have been an impressive sight for Kennedylaan residents at the time.

What used to be a soggy patch of land with the occasional farm alongside the Dommel River was turned into an urban area boasting modern, robust buildings. Paviljoen not included, that is: the supposedly temporary building is rumored to have been leaking as early as 1970.

Below you will find a selection of photos that aptly illustrate construction activities.

APPROXIMATELY 1960 The chimney towering over Ceres, W-hal is finished and connected to Matrix’ precursor on the south side. Gaslab is already there. Construction workers are laying the foundations for E-hoog (later to become Potentiaal). The sports fields feature bleachers. On the eastside of campus, Paviljoen had already been completed (not pictured).

APPROXIMATELY 1963 We’re facing east. The Paviljoen is on the far left.

E-hoog and the Hoofdgebouw are in use. T-hoog, which was to become Vertigo later), is under construction, and the black building west of that was used as a chemistry lab: today, it is home to restaurant De Zwarte Doos.

APPROXIMATELY 2000 The sports fields have made way for W-hoog and W-laag (what is now Gemini) and N-laag (demolished in 2012; Flux was built in its place).

Helix has arisen at Dorgelolaan, and Laplace and Traverse are seen in the north. For athletics, staff and students must cross the Dommel River.

TEXT NORBINE SCHALIJ PHOTOS BART VAN OVERBEEKE AND BEELDBANK TU/E

NR.14 APRIL 2016 / MAGAZINE OF THE

TO THE GREEN STRIP

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MEMO/

Nanny fund refunds babysitter for conferences Since January 1, researchers at the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science at TU/e who have children have a right to use a special Nanny Fund. The fund is linked to Professor Bettina Speckmann’s Vici Grant and pays for children’s and nanny’s travel expenses and accommodation in case parents need to attend a conference. As such, the Nanny Fund seeks to promote equal opportunities for men and women in science.

The new Nanny Fund contains fifty thousand euros from NWO’s Aspasia Program, which focuses on ‘a fair distribution of women in higher scientific positions’.

TU/e to honor three ‘science gods’ during anniversary event The three excellent scientists the university will be honoring in light of its sixtieth anniversary this year are logistics expert Gilbert Laporte, material chemist Joanna Aizenberg, and plasma physicist Mark Kushner. They will receive an honorary doctorate for their professional accomplishments in the Eindhoven Catharina Church during the dies natalis celebration.

TU/e’s sixtieth anniversary will be celebrated in the Catharina Church at Stratumseind 2 in Eindhoven on April 21, 2016 at 3.30PM. Theme of this year’s dies natalis is Dream & Dare.

The celebration is followed by a reception at Muziekgebouw Frits Philips in Eindhoven from 5.15-6.30PM. Read more about the honorary doctorates on pages 32-35

TU/e professors at Universiteit van Nederland TU/e professors Johan van Leeuwaarden (Mathematics & Computer Science), Elphi Nelissen (Built Environment) and Kitty Nijmeijer (Chemistry) have been teaching about their areas of expertise in Universiteit van Nederland (University of the Netherlands), an online series in which prominent researchers deliver compact lectures on pressing issues. A new lecture is uploaded every weekday, and professors change weekly.

Watch all lectures at www.universiteitvannederland.nl/hoogleraren/

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TU/e’s sixty summers You may have noticed TU/e turns sixty this year. Apart from the regular dies natalis celebration on Thursday, April 21, festivities include a three-day festival on campus: Dream & Dare. From April 22-24, everyone is invited to enjoy science, music, culture, and TU/e at a number of stages and university buildings. Friday oozes science, with lectures by TU/e university professors, a drone café where your order is taken and served by drones, and science shows. On Saturday, it’s time for music and culture with performances by Nielson, Chef’Special, and Jett Rebel.

And on Sunday, TU/e welcomes everyone to their open day.

For the full program, go to: www.tue.nl/60years

Four million euros for improved pregnancy protection TU/e spin-off Nemo Healthcare has been granted four million euros by the European innovation and research program Horizon 2020.

Two years ago, the company started selling an innovative adhesive bandage with sensors that register a pregnant woman’s contractions. A new version of the plaster will enable the registration of mother and unborn child’s vital cardiac activity.

Portable plasma eliminates bad stoma odor Plasma expert Job Beckers has developed a portable plasma filter that erases unpleasant odors from stomata bags. Dubbed Plasma Pendix, he wants to further develop the idea into a commercially viable product.

In the Netherlands, more than thirty thousand people carry stomata: a hole in the abdominal wall through which partly digested food can leave the body in case part of the intestinal tract stopped working properly due to illness or surgery. A special bag that collects the feces is connected to the stoma.

These bags also end up containing digestive gases, Beckers explains.

“Those have to be disposed of, but their smell is rather pungent. Because of that, the bags have carbon filters, but those tend to block easily.” Beckers’ solution: plasmas, as they have no difficulty breaking down odor molecules.

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FRONTRUNNER/

He plays the devil’s advocate: the Netherlands are too small for three separate universities of technology. The year TU/e celebrates its sixtieth anniversary, Peter Wennink, CEO of ASML and member of the TU/e Supervisory Board since last January, argues for a merger with Delft and Twente. He explains why Eindhoven needs to be upgraded to a city with global appeal, why cooperation between TU/e and corporates must intensify, and why microelectronics will still be important in the future.

Peter Wennink CEO ASML

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FRONTRUNNER/

TEXT ENITH VLOOSWIJK PHOTOS VINCENT VAN DEN HOOGEN

H

Halfway through the interview, he suddenly sighs: ‘Stop being so formal with me. Treat me like you would anyone else - everybody does.’

He might just be telling the truth. ASML is known for being a down-to-earth company in these parts, and that reputation fits Wennink well. He calmly finishes his last cracker after having apologized for having lunch. And although he knows exactly when to stay quiet, he tends to speak his mind. About the three Dutch uni­versities of technology merging, for example.

‘It has always amazed me that the Netherlands has three universities of technology. The research university in Aachen has more students than our three TUs combined. If we define competencies and implement specializations, we’d prevent competition. It makes sense for a businessman.’

His statement came out of nowhere, really, because the question was a different one: why did ASML decide to base their new Institute for Nanolithography in the Amsterdam Science Park rather than in Eindhoven? The decision was cause for frustration in Eindhoven. And why wouldn’t it: ASML and TU/e had been working together closely for years. Was Eindhoven really too small to mobilize sufficient expertise?

That was part of it, says Wennink. Only to start talking about the TU merger. Dutch universities should join forces rather than compete within

the tiny country we are. ‘We (at ASML, ed.) see the Netherlands as one large pond of potential.

There may be sub-ponds, but to us they are just ponds of fish. What mattered to us was that AMOLF, UvA, and VU offered the best research agenda, which had the depth, creativity, and international scope we wanted for this field of research.’

The Eindhoven region needs to work on its appeal The image of our capital was another thing that influenced their decision, says Wennink. ‘Amsterdam is more appealing than Eindhoven, that’s just the way it is. I love Brabant and don’t want to leave, but Amsterdam’s cosmopolitan allure is much more interesting to foreigners.’

NOTEWORTHY ‘Investments to control the complexity of innovations are growing. If it were up to the government it’s a dead end, which would mean that soon we won’t be able to compete with the larger knowledge centers of the world anymore.’

‘Hard technology is a matter of patience, yet investors want to see results asap: they want to be raking it in within four or five years.

You can’t.’

‘The university is a nursery with newborns. Someone has to work with those newborns and shape them into adults. That is what the industry does.’

It worries Wennink that Eindhoven is less attractive to foreign knowledge workers than Amsterdam with its canals, red light district, and drugs. If the Brabant region wants to become an international epicenter of knowledge where educated employees enjoy spending their time, the region must start working on its appeal. Unfortunately, the government funding that is needed to promote culture and sports is sub-par, Wennink says.

‘TU/e has grown enormously over the past years, and you think you’d want to offer all those students a city that does right by those ambitions. At ASML, we have employees of 85 different nationalities.

If they want to go ice-skating, there is not enough money unless ASML funds it. It is a travesty! People want to live a little. We are not part of the big four The Hague, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam, yet if you look at the economic value of the Brainport Region and our contribution to innovation in the Netherlands, we come out on top. The difference in government funding compared to the big four is unacceptable.’

He and other Brainport management heavyweights recently wrote a letter to ‘put the government through the wringer’. The stakes: more money

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PETER WENNINK’S CAREER Peter Wennink (1957) studied at the NIVRA school for Auditors.

Upon graduating he started working as an accountant with Deloitte, later becoming a partner and specializing in high technology and the semiconductor market. In 1999, he became CFO at ASML. He was appointed CEO and President of ASML in 2013.

Wennink is married and has two children.

(‘I won’t name numbers’) for culture and sports.

Because, even if he likes to consider the Netherlands one large pond of potential, the time has come to stand up for the fish from the southeast.

Because they are not being fed as much as elsewhere in the pond’, he says seriously. ‘This is about the ecosystem of the southeast of the Netherlands.

As always, we’re in this together: TU/e Executive Board chairman Jan Mengelers signed the letter too.’

Joining forces, it is mentioned more than once during the interview. After all, it is through cooperation with knowledge institutes, with clients, suppliers, employees, and stockholders - that ASML has become what it is today. Wennink, originally an auditor, witnessed the last seventeen years of the company.

Before that, he worked at Deloitte.

‘When ASML became a public company, I helped.

Back then, it was still a young company with a kind of cowboy culture. It had a great energy, people believed in the company and what they were capable of. Others sometimes wondered: isn’t all this a little too ambitious? And that’s when I came on board.’

And suddenly he was on the other end of the table: no longer as a consultant, but as CFO. In a company with techies, of all places. A while ago, he told a

‘Engineers need to reflect from time to time’

New York Times reporter that engineers can be naïve. What did he mean by that? ‘In my experience, hardcore engineers can solve the most outrageous problems because they immerse themselves in the subject matter’, he explains.

‘They don’t pay too much attention to anything else. Because their sole focus is on technology, they tend to miss what is going on around them.

What demands do clients and suppliers have?

Does this product have added value? You can’t lead a company by only developing beautiful technological products. I have to correct them from time to time: engineers need that to reflect.’

Naïve or not, engineers remain the brains behind the ASML chip machines and Wennink would never underestimate that. To double the number of transistors on chips roughly every two years, as Moore’s Law dictates, technological boundaries have to be pushed continuously. Something that cannot be done in two years, but requires long-term fundamental research. Reason for the company to work very closely with numerous knowledge institutes, of which TU/e is a major one, says Wennink.

‘TU/e is an immeasurable source of talent for us, so collaborating makes perfect sense. The university’s areas of expertise toe in closely with those

22-23-24 APRIL 2016 TU/e CAMPUS

DJ’S - SCIENTIFIC SHOWS FUTURE MOBILITY - DRONE CAFÉ MUSIC Nielson, Jett Rebel and Chef’Special ALUMNI AVENUE - FOOD TRUCKS DREAM & DARE EXPOSITION COMMUNITY LUNCH And much more!

For more info:

TUe.nl/60years

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FRONTRUNNER/

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of ASML: mechatronics, systems integration, optics, laser technology. Coincidentally, the Rector of Delft University told me we should work together more often yesterday. But TU/e and ASML have become very close over the past twenty years.

Partly, that has to do with our proximity, of course.’

When he was asked to join the Supervisory Board at TU/e, it didn’t take long for him to decide. ‘I usually don’t accept additional positions, but this is of importance to ASML stakeholders. Working together on the level we do, it makes sense to start doing so on an executive and strategic level as well. Where does TU/e see itself in ten years? And what about ASML? It eases communication.’

Whatever the world may look like in ten years, microelectronics will be the main event, the CEO believes. ‘We are facing major societal challenges, the whole world is. Themes including safety, health, energy, raw material shortages, and an ever-growing population that has ever-growing needs accordingly.

How do we cope with that pressure? I think the university should focus on those big themes.

And the field of microelectronics is an invaluable pillar that will lie at the heart of many innovations.’

Wennink isn’t worried whether or not TU/e has the skills to tackle larger themes. He is, however, concerned about the means the university has to do so. He believes there will be a rift between the facilities of our universities of technology and those of corporations. ‘If universities want to keep up with us, they will need access to the right facilities.

Universities of technology deserve more financial aid from the government. If you think we should be creating value on these big social themes to maintain our wealth, then you should support the elements that contribute to that success.’

Since TU/e was founded sixty years ago, substantive cooperation with corporations has always been important. But government funding is becoming ever-more arbitrary, so more than ever the university will have to concentrate on valorization: enhancing the value of innovation with the help of businesses.

As an example, he mentions the PhD tracks ASML co-finances.

And hey, while we’re talking efficient financing anyway, we might as well get back to that merger. ‘Universities see obstacles everywhere, mostly financial and technical in nature. But obstacles can be overcome’, the CEO says, ‘and the government can facilitate that.’ For example, the authorities could give a greater reward to closer cooperation between universities.

‘The Dutch universities of technology want to improve their programs, go more in-depth. The government could support that financially on the condition of a reorganization, for example.’ It’s give and take. Or, as Wennink puts it cheerfully: ‘Tit for tat’.

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TEXT ANTOINETTE VAN DER VORST PHOTOS BART VAN OVERBEEKE

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TU/e families:

Chips off the old campus

You’ll find them in all walks of TU/e: families whose members (nearly) all studied or worked at TU/e, or still do today. Daughters following in their parents’ footsteps, a family of engineers, a father and son in the same lecture hall, family members who helped build the Bunker and saw it disappear again. What does TU/e mean to these families? What changes did they witness throughout generations, what memories will be cherished forever? Slash talked to four real TU/e families.

About achievements, looking outside from within, and about how the very first buildings slowly made way for a campus.

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ALUMNI/

The Mulders-Jansen Family

Successful careers and true love There’s an blackboard in the

draw works of art on it, but it

‘Emmie (30), Gunnar’s partner (also 30), has a double degree in psychology’, says mother Joke Jansen (69). ‘Quite useful, too, what with all these techies running around’, she laughs. It’s true: everyone else has a background in technology. Father Piet Mulders (73) and mother Joke both have a degree in Electrical Engineering. Son Hjalmar (36) and his wife Wendy (36) studied Applied Physics. Daughter Sigrid (33) and her husband Maarten (33) graduated from Built Environment, and Gunnar (30) studied Industrial Engineering.

used to be filled with technical

Only woman

calculations, jotted down by

When Joke started her academic career back in 1964, she was something special: she was the only woman at Electrical Engineering, and the first female student to graduate there. Joke: ‘It was me and two hundred men. It was fine, though. I felt completely safe and at home.’

After having graduated, Joke worked at TU/e for ten years. After that, when her children were born, she took on a position at Fontys University of Applied Sciences. First as a teacher/developer, and later as board member of Fontys ICT. From university to university of applied sciences, then. ‘That was quite the change. Back then, there was a serious class difference between TU/e and the world of applied sciences. I thought that was nonsense. I was one of the first to say: those organizations should join forces. Around 2006, TU/e and Fontys signed a covenant, which marked the start of a fruitful collaboration that is still going strong today.’

kitchen of the Mulders-Jansen household. These days, the grandchildren occasionally

the adults over dinner whenever they were discussing their courses. Technology is omnipresent in the family.

There is just one adult member who was not educated at TU/e: Emmie, partner of the youngest son.

Careers and love Not only does TU/e yield successful careers, but true love as well, witness this family. Joke and Piet, Hjalmar and Wendy and Sigrid and Maarten met at TU/e. Piet and Joke first locked eyes at a conference they both visited for work. ‘We had a collision first, because Piet didn’t want me marking exams for him.

When it turned out I did a good job, we were okay.’ That was the start of a long-lasting relationship, and 36 years ago, they had their first son Hjalmar. It soon became clear he’d follow in their footsteps.

Joke: ‘Hjalmar just belongs at TU/e. He’s philosophical, a true researcher. It was so blatantly obvious.’

Hjalmar, now lecturer/researcher at Applied Physics at TU/e, agrees: ‘I visited the open day and felt at home instantly. I still do. The atmosphere at Applied Physics is wonderful.’

After Hjalmar’s graduation, he was offered a PhD position at Plasma Physics, where he stayed after having defended his dissertation. ‘I teach a lot and really enjoy it. Starting in 2017, I’ll be responsible for the course Applied Natural Sciences, which will be taught to close to three thousand students.

Very cool.’

The same, but different Mother and father studied and worked at TU/e in the sixties and seventies of the twentieth century.

Their children did so many years later. Did the university change in their eyes? Piet: ‘Study programs have grown and the university has become more international and, well, much larger. And there are more ‘social studies’ today.’ Hjalmar adds: ‘But the TU/e culture has remained the same, I think.

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From left to right, standing: Maarten, Sigrid, Hjalmar. Seated: Eira, Joke with Bren, Piet, Wendy with Sverre. Gunnar and Emmie are not pictured, as they were skiing at the time of the interview.

You still see the same types of people.’

Maarten and Sigrid commend the shift in focus to include more peopleoriented programs. ‘You may have a technical background, but it’s important to be able to communicate with different groups of people as well. Being a building engineer, I can talk to both engineers and non-engineers easily. It’s a major advantage’, says Maarten.

Another important improvement, according to Joke, is TU/e’s connection to the outside world nowadays. ‘TU/e has many more visible business connections than it used to. In Eindhoven and the Netherlands, but

globally, too. The university now realizes they’re not just here for their own sake and to conduct research behind closed doors. They’re here for the advancement of The Netherlands, Incorporated and beyond.

I believe that’s a great change, fitting the times.’

What the future holds for TU/e and this family, only time will tell. Will little Sverre, Eira, Bren and the baby on the way go on to become TU/e students?

We will find out in due time. ‘It would be great’, Piet concludes.

‘Who knows.’

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Like mother, like daughters

The appeal of Industrial Engineering Family members studying at

the very same program is

This family’s TU/e history starts in the fifties. Monique’s father was foreman during the construction of the Hoofdgebouw. ‘So my father was an engineer, too. Initially, I studied mathematics: I had always wanted to solve an enigma. It turned out math was not for me after all. I longed for interaction with other students and a way to apply mathematics. So I swapped mathematics for Industrial Engineering in 1982, although I did graduate on Operational Research & Statistics, the most mathematical aspect of the study program.’

something else. Monique

The world is your oyster

Verdier (52) and her daughter

When Zoscha and Kinga had to choose wat they wanted to do, Industrial Engineering was one of a number of options. It wasn’t clear-cut. Kinga: ‘Of course we knew our parents ae IE graduates, and some of their friends studied the same. Everyone has ended up in completely different positions.

With Industrial Engineering, the world is your oyster, and that appealed to me.’

Sister Zoscha had her mind set on the Dance Academy, but when she was offered a behind-the-scenes look at major dance company, she felt it wouldn’t make her happy after all. Curious because of her parents’ academic background, she, too, ended up at Industrial Engineering. ‘Zoscha and I didn’t go to the same secondary school. Being referred to as the little sister took some getting used to’, Kinga smiles. ‘The daughter, even. But it’s okay, we’re very close.’

the same university are fairly common, but mother and her two daughters graduating from

Zoscha Droog (22) have graduated from Industrial Engineering by now, and daughter Kinga Droog (20) is now a third-year student. In fact, Kinga and Zoscha’s father, their uncle and cousin all studied IE

Leaving marks

as well. Three ambitious women

The Droog-Verdier Family has left their mark within university over the years. Father (currently working and living on Curaçao) started windsurfing club WETH As a student, Monique started the university’s very first sorority chapter: L’Attaque Attique. ‘In my days, there were these large associations like Demos, SSRE, and the Eindhoven Student Corporation. I wanted an independent sorority, so I figured I might as well start one myself. There weren’t that many female students in the eighties, let alone female engineers. The chapter was meant for women to have fun, but also to secure internships, for example.’ L’Attaque Attique still exists, and (obviously) Zoscha and Kinga joined.

on the appeal of Industrial Engineering.

Today, at approximately thirty percent, the percentage of women at Industrial Engineering is still smaller than that of men. Zoscha and Kinga don’t mind, really. Zoscha: ‘I had to get used to men discussing everything in your presence, because you’re one of the guys instantly. Still, I enjoy working with men. They cut right to the chase and say what they mean.’

The why of the why Monique reaps many benefits from her background in engineering, like in her current position as board member of the Groene Hart Hospital in Gouda. ‘As an engineer, you always look for the why

NR.14 APRIL 2016 / MAGAZINE OF THE

of the why. You try to get to the heart of a problem in order to come to a solution. It’s quite important in my job as well, as it involves processes that patients are a part of. These are people you want to help to the best of your ability. At TU/e I have learnt to think in processes and think quickly, and it helps me in my work with people today.’

Although Monique, Zoscha ad Kinga are originally from the West Netherlands - and both girls want to return upon graduating - they hold Eindhoven dear. Zoscha: ‘It’s a very cozy and friendly city, but the Randstad is bursting with energy. Things are more slow-paced over here, ideas take longer to blossom. TU/e is fun, though. I love its small scale. Delft, for example, has huge student clubs that include everything. TU/e has a sports center and all kinds of student and study associations, which prevents you from constantly bumping into the same people. Kinga and I are rooming in Eindhoven and have a social life here. TU/e is important to us and our family. After renovations, Industrial Engineering will move to the Hoofd­ gebouw, so then our family history will have come full circle.’

From left to right: Kinga, Monique and Zoscha.

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The entire family connected to TU/e

‘We belong together, TU/e and I’ A father, mother, two daughters and their partners. Six people, five of which studied at TU/e, and three work there today.

Mariëtte Heijman’s family is a true TU/e family. Where one remembers what went on forty years ago, and another is working on their future now.

An interview about typewriters, tête-à-têtes, and the Bunker.

They’ve gathered in Vertigo: Mariëtte Heijman (59) and her ex-partner Peter Plantinga (64), daughter Birgit Plantinga (29) and her partner René Besseling (31), and daughter Nienke Plantinga (31) and her partner Marnix van Rijn (38). Usually, the only time they’re all together is at birthdays, but they are happy to make an exception for TU/e’s anniversary.

This family’s TU/e story commences in 1968, the year Peter started at Mechanical Engineering.

He met Mariëtte, also a student at Technische Hogeschool Eindhoven, at student society SSRE in the seventies. Mariëtte is the one with the longest-running career at TU/e: she has been working there for 28 years, and now coordinates two master tracks within Built Environment. ‘I’ve earned my gold watch’, she says, laughing. ‘We belong together, TU/e and I.’

Landlady and cafeteria Peter and Mariëtte remember their student days well. Those were the days of taking your time graduating, living with a landlady, and eating your meals in the cafeteria, and no computers.

‘I wrote my thesis on a typewriter’, Mariëtte explains. ‘When my daughters saw my report, they said: Mom, you had the worst printer!’

Peter especially cherishes fond memories of his time at SSRE. ‘I had a beer there every night.

The atmosphere was great. We were there when the Bunker started and even helped decorate it.

Now it’s being dismantled. Everything evolves.’

‘So you enjoyed your beer as a student, then?’, Nienke concludes. ‘And here I am, slaving away!’

Nienke is the only family member who can’t join in on the TU/e conversation, as she chose a different career path and studied Medicine in Utrecht. She is currently working as a PhD candidate at Utrecht UMC. ‘I’ve visited TU/e when I was younger and even considered studying Built Environment. I always felt engineering was considered the very best, but now I enjoy having a different degree. The others have tête-à-têtes I might not understand from time to time, but I’m still part of the family.’

Matchmaker university Daughter Birgit did follow into her parents’ footsteps and studied Biomedical Engineering. She will be working on her PhD until late 2016, studying Parkinson’s disease. She will leave TU/e after that.

‘It’s time for a change after ten years. I’d like to venture into the world of business. My best TU/e memory? It’s where René and I met.’

René also studied Biomedical Engineering, graduated at Electrical Engineering, wrote his dissertation in Maastricht, taught at Biomedical Engineering at TU/e for two years, and will soon be coordinating a research program at Electrical Engineering. ‘I’ve been lucky to have been around within TU/e. I try to find a connection with as many other departments as possible. Students are given the opportunity to take courses at other departments more and more, but that doesn’t mean the virtual walls between departments have crumbled completely. Rivalry is not dead yet. We’re doing much better than we used to, but more transparency and collaboration would benefit our future.’

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Mother Mariëtte and father Peter (standing). Seated, from left to right: Marnix, Nienke, Birgit and René.

Things have changed TU/e has gone through quite a few changes while Mariëtte was there.

Things have become more pragmatic, for example. ‘Years ago, it didn’t matter how long it took you to graduate, but these days that has become much more regulated.’

Marnix can relate. He combined his Built Environment study with professional hockey. It took him ten years to graduate because of that.

‘I played hockey in the Dutch national team, so it might happen that I was gone for three months on end. I didn’t have a social life at TU/e either, really.

I attended lectures and enjoyed making models, but other than that hockey was my life. I’ve always thought it’s a great university, by the way. All depart­-

ments are located on the same campus, that’s a definite plus. And, being an architect, I’m attracted to the buildings and gangways.’

The Plantinga-Heijman Family: they all have fond memories of the university. Even Nienke, who never actually studied here. ‘My ultimate TU/e memory is the bouncy castle at one of the open days. I was five.’

That may be where Nienke’s TU/e experience ends, but the rest of the family easily makes up for that.

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ALUMNI/

Father and son Van Berkum

Two generations in a single lecture hall Math class by dad: if your father had a knack for engineering, he may have taught you a thing or two as a teenager. You and him at the kitchen table, working on formulas and statistics. Jelmer van Berkum (23) was taught by his father as well, albeit slightly more officially: Jelmer as a student of Industrial Engineering at TU/e.

Father Emiel van Berkum (61) has been affiliated with TU/e for more than forty years. He started out as a student of Mathematics, and now teaches that very subject.

Like father, like son. Well, more or less.

Even though Jelmer picked another study at TU/e, father Emiel is proud of his son. ‘I was excited he applied for Industrial Engineering at TU/, as it’s a rather mathematical study program. Our department teaches mathematics at a number of other departments, and so it happened that one day, I was teaching my own son.’

Jelmer thought it was fun to attend his father’s lectures. ‘It would have been tougher at secondary school. Classes are smaller. But this was fine. You don’t exactly stand out among one hundred other students. I did have to account for any lecture I missed, though. And whenever I scored well on an exam, my friends would joke my father must have had something to do with that.’

Before he started teaching Jelmer, Emiel checked with colleagues if it was okay. ‘I have always had someone else grade Jelmer’s exams, but other than that, it was fine. If anything, I had to get used to the idea: I had to make sure I didn’t stare at Jelmer all the time. It’s special after all, seeing your son in your lecture.’

Soccer versus courses Jelmer started at TU/e in 2010 and is now working on his graduate thesis at Operational Research & Statistics. Although his father and he both spend a lot of time at TU/e, they don’t discuss university that often. ‘My dad knows many people at Industrial Engineering, so it’s nice he knows what I’m talking about - not all parents do. But we don’t exactly discuss lectures over dinner or anything. We prefer talking about soccer: we both have a PSV season ticket.’

Having been around for over forty years now, Emiel has witnessed much of the university’s sixty-year history. What has changed? ‘Plenty. When I stared working here, I didn’t have a computer. These days, that’s hard to imagine. I’ve witnessed the rise of computer science and the start of the study program of the same name. In my capacity as a Study Program Manager, I was involved with the foundation of the Bachelor College as well. That was an important step forward by which TU/e has effectuated an important change.’

Student life: worlds apart It took the old-timer eight years to graduate from Mathematics, a luxury today’s students can’t afford anymore. ‘Another major change compared to the old days’, says Emiel. ‘The government puts a lot of pressure on students nowadays. Sometimes I fear these developments are detrimental to students’ extracurricular activities, like joining the board of a student association.’

Luckily, Jelmer did find the time to act as treasurer for student hockey club Don Quishoot. ‘That was fun. So, there’s still time, but it wasn’t easy. My father’s student life and mine are worlds apart.’

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Emiel and Jelmer.

Future What does the future hold for TU/e? Emiel: ‘We’re struggling with the ever-growing number of students. Should we build new lecture theaters?

Offer digital education? I don’t know what’s best. Flipped classrooms and ICT-enhanced lectures are the modern way to go, but I’d be disappointed if all human contact were canceled out. I do hope lectures won’t ever be discontinued.’

Jelmer’s career at TU/e is about to end. After graduating, he wants to enter the industry. What exactly, and where? ‘Not sure. I’ll have my future surprise me.’

Emiel is tentatively looking forward to his retirement. ‘Working at the same place for forty years is a long time. TU/e is a friendly, small-scale university. I will miss her.’

24 25

CELLFIE, YOUR OWN CELLS IN THE PICTURE TEXT LIEKE VAN GORP IMAGES LABORATORY FOR CELL & TISSUE ENGINEERING

Want to have a picture taken of your cells? You can at the Dream & Dare Festival (April 22-24 on TU/e campus) on Sunday.

Using a cheek swab and some pigment, you and several Biomedical Engineering staff members will create a preparation that will be captured with a digital microscope.

The result: your very own Cellfie!

By adding red Eosine pigment to the cheek swab, all acidic components become visible.

The purple-ish cells in the picture are clearly discernable with their cell walls and nuclei.

The cells are part of a matrix and produce enzymes and mucus,

among other things - the orange trails - and have their place within the immune system.

The enzymes and bacteria on the inside of the cheek are too small for this microscopic enhancement, however (10x magnification).

At the Laboratory for Cell & Tissue Engineering, researchers grow and study live cells, and examine everything that touches on the field of tissue engineering.

The study focuses primarily on cardio足 vascular issues and the orthopedic tissues bone, cartilage, and inter足 vertebral disks. www.tue.nl/60years

NR.14 APRIL 2016 / MAGAZINE OF THE

100 trillion cells make up the human body

3TU. School for Technological Design

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Resultaten boeken Achieve results withmet innovatieve oplossingen innovative solutions Is youruw organization facing a challengingmet technical or logistical issue that to be solved? dat Thenopgelost a Professional Wordt organisatie geconfronteerd een uitdagend technisch of needs logistiek vraagstuk moet DoctorateDan in Engineering (PDEng)Doctorate trainee or in a technological designertrainee from 3TU.School for Technological worden? is een Professional Engineering (PDEng) of technologisch ontwerperDesign, van Stan Ackermans Institute (3TU.SAI) an attractive option for you.

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De PDEng PDEng trainee trainee is wordt uiteraard begeleid universitaire van 3TU.SAI. business world. The thendaarbij naturally accompanied bydoor university expertsexperts from 3TU.SAI. Thanks Dankzij vooropleiding als and ingenieur en de aanvullende scholing zijn to their hun training as engineers the additional training they receivebinnen withinde theontwerpersopleidingen designer programs, our PDEng onze PDEng traineess uitstekend in staat een technologisch vraagstuk in goed overleg met u als opdrachttraineess are in an excellent position to independently resolve technological issues in consultation with the gever client.zelfstandig op te lossen.

Programma’s en tracks Programs and tracks Voor een compleet overzicht van de programma’s en tracks aangeboden door 3TU.SAI, For a complete list of programs and tracks offered by 3TU.SAI, see www.3tu.nl/programmes. zie www.3tu.nl/programmes.

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27

ALUMNI/

TEXT TINY POPPE PHOTO BART VAN OVERBEEKE

NR.14 APRIL 2016 / MAGAZINE OF THE

TU/e to honor its ‘stars’ on Alumni Avenue TU/e very much appreciates the connection with its alumni. To make that bond more visible and tangible, the university has decided to roll out the red carpet for its ‘stars’ in light of its sixtieth anniversary. During the three-day anniversary festival, all alumni are invited to engrave their names and graduation years on the windows of TU/e’s very own Walk of Fame: the gangway between MetaForum and Matrix, renamed Alumni Avenue.

Members of alumni society Mens Agitat Molem have already engraved their names on Alumni Avenue.

Let the Stars Guide You Excited to document your connection to your alma mater? You’re most welcome to visit Alumni Avenue (from 1-6 PM) during the Dream and Dare Festival from Friday, April 22 - Sunday, April 24. You can reach the gangway between Matrix and MetaForum (former W-hal) via the main entrance of Matrix, near the Dream Stage. Everyone who signs will receive a gift afterwards.

Temporarily Back in Time On TU/e’s birthday on Thursday, April 21, the university will be launching a new alumni event: The Class Of… Every year, alumni who started their careers at TU/e either 60, 50, 40 or 30 years ago will receive an invitation to reminisce together. Former professors (emeriti) are invited to join as well. Did you start at TU/e in 1956/57, 1966, 1976 or 1986, then check the program and register via www.tue.nl/theclass. Don’t forget to inform your fellow students!

28 29

BACKGROUND

‘Our primary goal is still to train good engineers’

F

Chairman of the Executive Board Jan Mengelers and Rector Frank Baaijens, both Mechanical Engineering alumni, are proud of their university’s performance. Sixty-year-old TU/e is doing quite well and is becoming a more and more important factor in the region and nationwide. ‘We used to look up to Delft, but today we operate on a level playing field - we’re equal partners, even though we may operate on a somewhat smaller scale.’

rank Baaijens (1958), inaugurated as rector last May, feels as if he grew up with TU/e. ‘In the past, my dad and I would pass by the grounds of the former THE and he would show me the Hoofdgebouw that had just been completed.’

He laughs and continues: ‘So I guess there was no way for me not to apply here’.

Over a sixty-year timespan, that once local technical university of applied sciences has become a high-quality university operating in an international context.

Two-year Board Chairman Jan Mengelers (1953) still remembers considering both Eindhoven and Delft in the nineteenseventies. ‘Delft was impressive, the very best in the Netherlands. Hailing from Limburg, I decided to go for Eindhoven after all, because although I moved to a student house it still felt like I was close to home. That giant reputational difference

has disappeared long since. We’re operating on the same level and should be considered equal partners, even though we are smaller and Delft offers more particular programs like Aerospace Engineering and Civil Engineering.’

with brainiacs and applications taken from applied physics. That’s why we’ve been working closely with the industry since the very beginning; it is in our DNA. It’s what we’re known for around the world.’

Baaijens believes that said evolution is in line with the development of the Brainport Region. ‘The university was founded specifically to train engineers in this region. If we fail to do a good job at that, there’s a good chance this region will lose its appeal.

Good alumni are essential, and so is conducting excellent research. The two should be inextricably linked and the basis for a teacher to be inspiring lies in their research.’

TU/e used to be called, and sometimes still is referred to as ‘Philips University’. Baaijens: ‘The university has always had strong ties with Philips, and still does today, but we are about much more than Philips now. Over the past years, we have started working with companies like ASML, NXP, FEI, Océ, DSM we now have a much wider scope.’ Mengelers adds: ‘We recently discovered we have more TU/e engineers working at ASML than we do at Philips’.

Educating good engineers is valorization in its purest form, according to Mengelers.

‘That’s what we were founded for back in 1956, to supply the industries in the south

Mengelers is sure the bond with the industry has led to TU/e being invited to join EuroTech Universities several years ago. ‘Apart from the Technical University of Denmark in

TEXT HAN KONINGS PHOTOS BART VAN OVERBEEKE

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Collegevoorzitter Jan Mengelers (rechts) en rector Frank Baaijens.

Copenhagen (DTU), the alliance includes two real high rollers: the Technical University of Munich (TUM), ad EFPL in Lausanne.

Both institutes are giants that can pull their weight easily, so for them to incorporate us as a partner is a big deal.’

‘The Netherlands run the risk of falling behind fast Baaijens isn’t worried about the strong link between the public and private sector. He doesn’t believe the industry will influence the way research is conducted or the results.

‘Definitely not. Companies rather appreciate our independent approach and opinions.

It is our task to uphold academic standards

and values. I do wonder if we still have sufficient means to conduct exploratory research, however. Government funding has been earmarking less and less for that.’

What is more, the university will be having a hard time to maintain a good enough basic infrastructure to conduct quality research in the future, says Baaijens. ‘Departments are starting to complain and I understand all too well, but we just don’t have the means.

NWO does have a fund that finances very specific equipment, but universities must pay for their basic facilities themselves.

Because we have seen a steep increase in first-year students, it’s all hands on deck to ensure that works out alright. That, too, results in a tighter budget, and funds are taken away from research especially.

Thankfully, the government is trying to find ways to make available more money for universities.’

Mengelers affirms Baaijens’ concerns.

‘From a wider national perspective, the Netherlands are running the risk of falling behind in Europe fast. In light of the Dutch research agenda, employers’ organization VNO-NCW is pushing for an extra billion euros to be invested in research: half to maintain and strengthen what we have, and half for innovation.’

Baaijens recalls an anecdote about a recent meeting with Jet Bussemaker and ASML management. ‘I claimed our facilities had to be of the same quality as those of the chip manufacturer. Well, ASML’s Vice President of Technology Jos Benshop was quick to correct me. He said our facilities should be much better than theirs, in fact. They want us to help them solve future challenges, and we need a little more than paper to make that happen.’

30

BACKGROUND

Solving major societal challenges has become TU/e’s core business. ‘We are not all working on a single large project, but together, our researchers all contribute’, Baaijens explains.

‘Some four hundred people are working on Strategic Area Energy, and Strategic Area Health involves three hundred. That means you can definitely make a difference in that domain.’

‘Technology comes first, without losing sight of humanity’ Mengelers stresses that everything TU/e does is driven by technology. ‘We never lose sight of humanity, but technology is our top priority. It has always been that way. Our researchers work in one of three fields: energy, health, or mobility. You could also group them by high-tech systems, high-tech materials, and data sciences. And all those groups are interconnected, too.’

‘Since government funding has been limited, it has become much harder for our researchers to venture into a completely new area of research’, says Baaijens, ‘like I was once able to focus all my attention on regenerative medicine, while I didn’t have the proper background. That is almost unheard of today, and it’s a shame.’ Mengelers believes the only way to do something similar now­adays is through a consortium of collaborating institutes. ‘The Gravitation Program by NWO is a good example.

If selected, you can submit a ten-year research proposal. Our photonics project was realized thanks to the Gravitation Program.’

Rector Baaijens does not want to end on a negative note. ‘The means we have at our disposal now and those of twenty years ago are incomparable. We’ve managed to work with much more indirect and private funding.

That is hard work, but it is rewarding. Still, competition on a European level is growing.’

The importance of the university for the Brainport Region cannot be underestimated, Mengelers stresses: ‘If you ask me, the level of social commitment in the region could be higher. If the universities of Maastricht, Delft or Groningen were to fail, those cities would be in immediate trouble. We don’t share that crucial position, because Eind­ hoven, like Rotterdam, has a strong industry to fall back on.’ The Netherlands and The Hague do not fully appreciate the importance of the Brainport region yet, but that’s mostly a historical issue, says the Chairman of the Board. ‘We shouldn’t complain; it will dawn on them gradually.’

‘Connection with alumni will become important’ Finally: what should TU/e do with its evergrowing clan of alumni after sixty years? ‘ It will be important to intensify our connection in the years to come’, says Mengelers.

‘We have really neglected that in past decades, but then again organizing it properly is hard work. We are picking things up again slowly and plan to progress. If we manage to welcome, say, one thousand alumni to our campus for our anniversary celebration in April, I’d very pleased.’

Dies Natalis www.tue.nl/dies

21 April, 15:15 hrs, St. Catharina church Eindhoven The Executive Board of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) warmly invites you to attend the celebration of its 60th Dies Natalis (Foundation Day) on Thursday 21 April 2016.

The theme of the Dies Natalis is ‘Dream & Dare’. During this celebration, honorary doctorates will be presented to professors Mark Kushner, Joanna Aizenberg and Gilbert Laporte.

Registration is not necessary.

We look forward to welcoming you at our celebrations.

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BACKGROUND

Three more TU/e honorary doctors

Great glory for honorary doctor and honorary promotor During the foundation day celebration in this lustrum year TU/e will be honoring three more top scientists by bestowing the title of ‘Doctor Honoris Causa’ upon them.

Nobody needs to think twice about such an offer; it is a great honor and the duties are far from unpleasant.

This year honorary doctorates will be conferred upon plasma physicist Mark Kushner, materials science engineer Joanna Aizenberg and logistics expert Gilbert Laporte.

Part of their glory is shining upon their honorary promotors as well.

Gerrit Kroesen (Applied Physics), Nico Sommerdijk (Chemical Engineering and Chemistry) and Tom van Woensel (Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences) have nothing but praise for ‘their’ honorary doctors and see the friendly ties with their peers become even stronger.

TEXT NORBINE SCHALIJ PHOTOS BART VAN OVERBEEKE AND PRIVATE ARCHIVES

NR.14 APRIL 2016 / MAGAZINE OF THE

Gerrit Kroesen:

‘Mark Kushner is a world leader in plasma modeling’ Keywords for honorary doctor Mark Kushner: prominent, moving fast, always accessible. And a man of great modesty.

Insert an -r- between the letters of his name and you get a phonetic contraction with the name of his honorary promotor Gerrit Kroesen. And this is how closely attached the TU/e dean at Applied Physics feels to him. ‘We are complementary.

He is - originally - the plasma modeler and I conduct the plasma experiments. For a lark we once submitted a paper under the name of Krushner.’

Ever since the start of his career Mark Kushner (63) was acknowledged as one of the most innovative plasma physicists in the world, says honorary promotor Gerrit Kroesen. When Kroesen was conducting his PhD research in Eindhoven three decades ago, he already knew Kushner’s name in the area of plasma modeling. They met up at conferences and congenial cooperation developed between them.

‘Whenever a subject matter challenge was identified in the international field, Mark would already be involved in it and had often come a long way already towards finding a solution.’

‘Kushner has now achieves a divine status’ He is someone who is always going full throttle. With his work, with making time for other people. ‘When he became dean, I asked him how he thought he was going to do that. He calmly replied: ‘Well, just think how much time goes to waste while we are sleeping.’ That is

Gerrit Kroesen

typical of Mark Kushner. He has time for everything. If you want to talk to him, even if it is during the weekend, he will come to his workroom for you.

‘Kushner has now achieved a divine status. He is at the absolute top. The quality of his work, combined with its breadth, is the reason. He is many miles ahead of the rest of the world in the field of the simulations of plasmas in interaction with fluids and with living tissue. The time is now ripe for an honorary doctorate.

I have noticed that this feeling is shared by peers far across the globe and nearer to us.’

From the honorary doctor Kushner, who is averse to outward show and holy-water sprinklers, mailed to Kroesen that he was totally flabbergasted by the request from Rector Frank Baaijens to become an honorary doctor at TU/e: ‘Receiving the Doctor Honoris Causa is a tremendous honor for me and provides a means to strengthen ties between TU/e and the University of Michigan. I look forward to maintaining the relationship for many years.’

Mark Kushner

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BACKGROUND

Nico Sommerdijk:

‘Joanna Aizenberg is a role model for me in her way of working’ In 2005 she came to visit Sommerdijk. This visit led to a surprise for Sommerdijk. He presumed that she was in charge of a large group of scientists, because she published a pioneering article in leading journals every year, but it gradually became clear to him during their talks that her whole group consisted of merely two or three postdocs. Meanwhile this group at Harvard has increased to fifty co-workers, all employed at the Aizenberg Biomineralization and Biomimetics Lab.

‘I owe a great deal to her’ Nico Sommerdijk ‘She has a young spirit (and appearance), enthusiasm, works very hard and efficiently and travels a lot’, says honorary promotor Nico Sommerdijk about materials science engineer Joanna Aizenberg (56). ‘When you talk to her, you don’t think for a moment that she is the head of a group of fifty researchers.’

At the first conference where Nico Sommerdijk personally made Joanna Aizenberg’s acquaintance, twelve years ago, she immediately made a profound impression on him. Through his research since the late 1990s into hard materials in nature, such as bones, teeth and shells, he had already got into contact earlier with her field of research, biomineralization and biologically inspired crystallization.

‘I began to be fascinated with the way she worked. I saw that she was focusing on things that really matter. That she does not write to add to the number of publications, but that she believes that quality is more important than quantity. It is a waste to devote time and energy to research that is not being noticed. That is something I have learned from her.’

Sommerdijk says that he owes a great deal to Aizenberg. It was she who invited him in 2006 to address the Gordon Conference on Biomineralization, the pre-eminent platform where speakers receive the ultimate accolade from peers. ‘That event constitutes an important point in my career. Since then we have always stayed in close contact.’ Consequently he feels greatly honored to be given the opportunity to offer her an honorary doctorate.

From the honorary doctor Aizenberg reacted to her appointment by mail: ‘When Frank (Baaijens, red.) called me, I could not believe it. I was paralyzed for some time, and then responded that I feel thrilled, privileged, ecstatic, happy to be considered for this high honor. I truly think that Dutch chemistry in general and TU/e in particular is THE top in the world.’

Joanna Aizenberg

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Tom Van Woensel:

‘Logistics researchers cannot imagine a route without Gilbert Laporte’ It goes without saying that the nominated honorary doctor is a top scientist. What is more, 65-year-old Gilbert Laporte has always remained accessible as a person and a researcher as well.

‘That is because he has this permanent curiosity for investigating fun things’, says honorary promotor Tom Van Woensel, Professor of Logistics at IE&IS. To the Canadian Professor of Operations Research at HEC Montreal, fun things comprise anything that is to do with transportation and logistics.

Gilbert Laporte is noted most for his research into vehicle routing.

He has researched this mathematical routing problem in every conceivable way. The expert in combinatory optimization in the area of transportation and logistics was the first one to include emissions in these models. ‘Laporte is an incredibly clever man with a strong drive.’

IE&IS students get to know Laporte during their Bachelor phase.

They work through the book ‘Introduction to Logistics Systems Management’ for a subject about transportation. And for PhD candidates there is one rule, according to Van Woensel: ‘The chance of writing a paper without referring to work conducted by Laporte is zero.’ He has a Hirsch index of 100, which means that he has published one hundred articles that have been cited at least one hundred times.

‘He is one of the few gods in our field of study’ On the first couple of occasions when Tom Van Woensel as a PhD student saw Laporte, fifteen years ago at conferences, he was a

Tom Van Woensel bit apprehensive of approaching him. ‘I was afraid to strike up a conversation with him. After all, he is one of the few gods in our field of study.’ As of 2003 in his capacity of Assistant Professor he contacted him by email for the business purpose of exchanging PhD students.

In 2006 he talked to Laporte for the first time at a symposium in Great Britain. ‘From the very first moment when you speak a few words to him, you notice how accessible and likeable he is.’

They developed good, friendly work relations. Van Woensel: ‘I feel privileged to be honorary promotor now. It confirms that the track I have decided on here is the right one. From 2003 to 2011 I have developed from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor to Professor. I have grown, also by learning from Gilbert.’

From the honorary doctor Gilbert Laporte: ‘I feel extremely pleased and honored to be awarded a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Eindhoven University of Technology, a world-class research institution in the field of engineering. I wish to maintain and enrich my research collaboration with TU/e in the coming years, namely in the areas of green transportation and city logistics.’

Gilbert Laporte

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5X1/

VIDEO GAME RECOGNIZES ADHD ADHD patients often have trouble perceiving time properly. Based on that observation, Thai PhD candidate Pongpanote Gongsook developed a video game for young children that measures time perception in the background. In the game, players help space-traveling robot Timo in his quest to find rocket fuel. Meanwhile, the game measures a different aspect of the player’s perception of time without the child noticing. It turns out the game correctly predicts whether or not a player has ADHD in almost nine out of ten cases, which makes it a better diagnostic tool than regular tests.

BUSINESS MODELS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY Government policy plays an important part in the switch to renewable energy.

Funding can accelerate the implementation of solar and wind energy, but existing measures are often disadvantageous to companies with new concepts. Boukje Huijben studied what business models work best if you want to introduce solar energy and how government policy can help - or do the opposite. She compared the Dutch policy with that of Flanders, for which she also looked at the Dutch netting arrangement, that permits people to deduct any redelivered energy from their energy bill.

5X1 minute

Slash dug through the stack of mostrecent theses in order to highlight five for you. In five minutes, you can soak up information that would otherwise take you hours to plow through.

TEXT TOM JELTES PHOTOS RIEN MEULMAN EN BART VAN OVERBEEKE

LAYERS FOR LIGHT Flexible solar cells made of plastic and/or thin layers of silicon are easyto-use and cheap in production, but their efficiency is not up to par with that of standard crystalline silicon solar cells yet.

However, solar cells that are made up of thin layers of various materials can use the entire light spectrum. PhD candidate Alice Furlan stuck thin silicon layers on a layer of semi­ conducting plastic, for example, and so created a cell that absorbs sunlight from infrared to ultraviolet. Efficiency: over thirteen percent - unparalleled for this type of cell.

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DESIGNS FOR DEMENTIA People in the early stages of dementia not only have trouble memorizing things, but can also experience disorientation in space and time.

The daily challenges that these people face due to these symptoms can be eased with the help of smart technology.

Rens Brankaert developed a compass that always points home and a smart planner that literally tells you when it’s time to take your medication. He also researched the benefits of a smartphone that, with a single click, contacts several caregivers at once.

Brankaert had these concepts tested by patients and their partners at their homes.

Eventually, the ideas should help people who suffer from dementia to live at home longer.

WOMEN AT THE TOP Men and women are still not equal in the workplace. Women face stereotyping and companies are often tailored to men’s careers rather than women’s especially when the latter are a minority.

Lonneke Dubbelt researched what factors actually help women in a male-dominated workplace. She found that women can compensate their disadvantageous position by proactively searching for work resources, and that by doing so, inspired women become even more productive than inspired men.

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THE SPARK/

Where does the love for technology come from for TU/e professors: The Spark

TEXT JOEP HUISKAMP PHOTOS BART VAN OVERBEEKE

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Captivated by the Science of the Wind

Bert Blocken (42) was told he would grow up to be an engineer when he was still a young boy.

It was no surprise, then, that he was the second in his hometown of Onze-Lieve-VrouweHoeselt to go to university. Years later he would become a professor of Building Physics at TU/e, and later still he took on the same position at his alma mater KU Leuven, but part-time.

He uses his passion for mathematics in his research on wind in urban areas, and aerodynamics in sports like road cycling - one of Blocken’s old loves.

‘People told me I would grow up to be an engineer when I was still a child.

At secondary school, I started developing a passion for mathematics, but I didn’t care too much for physics or chemistry.

I made up for that later, because physics is fundamental for what I do today.

In Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Hoeselt in Limburg (Belgium), I was the second person to go to university, ever. The first two years were mostly mathematics, a little bit physics and chemistry and not much else. I loved it.

After my second year, I went on to study Civil Engineering with Dynamic Structural Analysis as my major. You know, using finite element codes to detect bridge damage and the like.’

‘I wanted to fully exploit everything I had learnt’

My father was secretly hoping I would take over his business, he was a producer of insulation materials, but science appealed to me more. He was disillusioned when I started my PhD in Building Physics upon graduating. I considered all the math skills I had gathered an investment, and I wanted to fully exploit them in my specialization.

It is not so much the hardcore mathematics that I am interested in, but rather writing down, deriving and using differential equations. We have been working on ventilation issues in the Amsterdam ArenA. What I like to do is scrutinize the numbers and quantify numerical errors in that type of calculations.

You could say it’s a hobby of mine to really get into that.

In Leuven, I was the first PhD candidate to be supervised by Jan Carmeliet, who later became a part-time professor at TU/e as well. I was studying driving rain at the time, a subject that was being researched at TU/e as well back then. I was in Eindhoven for the first time in 1999. Jacob Wisse’s group had

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THE SPARK/

organized a two-day workshop with Ted Stathopoulos, who is now a distinguished professor with a TU/e honorary doctorate as well as our advisor for the wind tunnel we’re building.

Carmeliet tried to create a position for me at KU Leuven. It was a very time-consuming process and eventually Jan Carmeliet left to fill a position at ETH Zurich. In 2006, I was appointed as assistant professor at TU/e in Professor Jan Hensen’s unit. I initially thought it would be a good start for working my way back to Leuven, but I very much liked it here and settled in in no time.

Aerodynamics and Road Cycling My research focuses on wind in urban areas.

Approximately ten years ago, our activities came to include sports as well. During my time in Leuven I competed in local road bicycle races and was on top of my game, as they say. Peter Hespel was the scientific supervisor of the Flemish Quickstep cycling team, and he was in need of someone with expertise in aerodynamics for calculations for cyclists.

It was known that cyclists can benefit from riding right behind a SAG wagon, but we proved that riding in front of the car has a positive effect as well. The rules are not tailored to that. Professional road bicycle racing teams were also surprised that being in final position of a train during a team time trial is not in fact the best one, but that being in penultimate position is. Translating that kind of information into a strategy isn’t easy. Right now, we are investigating how

cyclists should best advance if they are behind.

Intuitively, cyclists tend to stay close next to the train because of supposed drafting.

It turns out to be the very worst position owing to the strong air flows going past the athletes in the train.

Our sports aerodynamics studies received a major boost when TU/e asked me to develop a MOOC (a massive open online course) about the subject. Therefore, we developed lots of new material: we’ve been filming at the King Boudewijn Stadium when Usain Bolt was running. The first series of the MOOC reached some 18,000 people, and that’s great if you consider the limited size of our discipline. It has become an actual course at TU/e only recently, and 38 students have registered.

Making a MOOC with lots of new material has its disadvantages, too: there’s a gaping one-year hole in my publication output and project acquisition - the year of the MOOC. Still, there have been numerous unexpected effects as well. MOOCs make the world a smaller place, and it is a way to claim a certain discipline. Thanks to the exposure, we now have more and more excellent PhD candidates from all over the world (Italy, Ireland, Cyprus, Brazil) coming to Eindhoven with their own funding.

I am currently working on the realization of a wind tunnel east of the TU/e campus, which should be completed by October.

In the sixties, they jokingly predicted that in the future, wind tunnels would only be used as storages facilities for printed results from computer calculations. But even the most

b.j.e.blocken@tue.nl

advanced calculations for the most powerful computers will include assumptions and uncertainties. Both in sports and the built environment, we are dealing with a wide range of time and space scales. You have to make assumptions, and those will lead to mistakes. Ongoing calibration and the continuous validation of models is vital.

If you plan on publishing in one of the journals that matter, you cannot do without a validation. An important building isn’t developed with computer simulation alone: it is also scaled and measured in a tunnel.

The atmosphere here is friendly, sincere, and honest’

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I am happy to be working at TU/e. It is a very good university and the same goes for the atmosphere within our department as well as university-wide. As far as I’m concerned it is friendly, sincere, and honest. People are willing to actually help each other out. It can be burdensome that everyone is so busy all the time. Young people often think little money is the number-one problem in life, but to me, having little time is a much more pressing issue. Applying for research funding in a context of extreme scarcity and sometimes dubious evaluation procedures proves to be a highly effective way to destroy time, and that frustrates me. Also, I’d like to have more time to go road cycling, for example.

I have been asked about my future plans before. Sometimes a foreign university inquires about my availability, but I’m pretty

geographically stable that way. Besides, I would feel bad leaving because a lot has been invested in my group, including that wind tunnel. It took a while to balance the group and get things up and running. And the departmental board of Built Environment has initiated an important change of strategy, now focusing strongly on excellent research.

Only now will we see return of investment.’

42 28 43

PLANNER/VENTURER

TEXT JUDITH VAN GAAL PHOTO ALEXANDER BABIC

Both completed their studies at TU/e. The planner chose the path most in line with his education. While the venturer went outside the boundaries of his.

PLANNER EMAR VEGT Age 31

Sound designer at BMW ‘Our colleagues at acoustics try to eliminate annoying sounds, make sure the car is silent, and work on mechanic optimization.

We, on the other hand, focus on what should sound different.

My specialties are information and warning sounds. A car has dozens of sounds to communicate with the driver: they tell you to wear your seatbelt, or that cruise control is not working.

The signal that warns you to fasten your seatbelt must be a friendly reminder: it can’t be irritating, but drivers shouldn’t be able to ignore it, either.’

Electric cars and the blind ‘In 2009, I wrote a project proposal on the sound of silent cars and took it to BMW. I was able to do my graduate research with them, and am still working on the subject today. More specifically, my focus is on the sound of electric cars heard by the outside world. We regularly receive letters from blind people who don’t hear electric cars. One solution could be to implement a speaker that produces sounds for pedestrians. It should be a clear warning that’s louder as the car drives faster, and you want it to say: this here is a BMW. We do field tests where we can, and ask blind people to help out as well.’

Designing sound ‘I work as any designer would: there is a problem that needs solving. In my case, it involves sound. Although sound designers are rather free in their design choices, we work with many people and deal with quite a few assessments. There are many safety requirements, too. And then there is a subjective side to it all: you want to convey a certain emotion with a luxury item.

Sounds differ per BMW Group brand, for example. We start out with an idea and fine-tune that. Designing warning sounds can be compared to composing three-second musical pieces. I use the same sound libraries that music producers use and write algorithms. It all starts in the sound studio, after that we test our sounds in the surroundings they will be used in - mostly cars.’

Career plan ‘I decided to concentrate on sound design during my master’s.

It was a career plan I came up with myself as it wasn’t an existing track. I believe we’re not using the full potential of sound and there are very few sound experts. I started playing the piano when I was six years old, and later took on drumming and composing. What I do now is a combination of everything I learned from music and design. In the future, I think it would be exciting to transfer car sounds to other media, like BMW sounds in racing games or commercials.’

Position • Sound designer at BMW Education • 2003 - 2009 Industrial Design at TU/e

TEXT JUDITH VAN GAAL PHOTO BART VAN OVERBEEKE

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VENTURER RICHARD HEREIJGERS Age 44 Positions •C areer counselor at Life Alignment Coaching •R &D at Océ Education • 2000 - 2002 Career counseling • 1989-1994 Mechanical Engineering, TU/e

Social Aspect ‘I was good at science and math at secondary school, and a summer job had sparked my interest in agricultural mechanization, so I ended up at Mechanical Engineering.

The program was fine and I especially enjoyed measurement and control, but it just didn’t inspire me. When a friend of mine died, I talked to a student psychologist and realized I should do what makes me happy. I found that I missed the social aspect at Mechanical Engineering Still, I finished it and did my graduation project at Océ, where I stayed for four years. I managed to find the social side to my job by bringing people together. It was a way for me to make it more fun.’

Career Counselor ‘I started taking courses on personal growth and in 2000, I embarked on a career counselor training. By now, it was clear that this was the direction I should be going - it was a very deliberate choice. In 2005, I started my own business where I coached people who were in the process of rejoining the workforce.

Other clients followed. I expected to be dealing with engineers mostly, but apparently I attract highly sensitive people. I try to rekindle their passion and reconnect them to their own emotions.’

Sound Experience ‘Music is a great way to get in touch with yourself. I’ve developed a method to relax people through music. My treatment table has built-in speakers. If we address the various chakras, or energy centers, the music makes the table vibrate. Music and lighting change with every new chakra, so my engineering background hasn’t gone to waste. Clients can get emotional, and this approach helps them to relax. Only from true relaxation can you access your inner wishes. As such, the Sound Experience is becoming a more and more vital part of my work as a career counselor.

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THE MISSION

Technology of the future

TEXT NICOLE TESTERINK PHOTOS BART VAN OVERBEEKE

How can technology help

create a better world?

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This spring, TU/e will be celebrating its sixtieth anniversary. A time to reminisce as well as to dream of what lies ahead. We wonder: what will be the greatest technological challenge of the future? Six alumni - all TU/e students from different decades - discuss sustainability, decision-making procedures, and information management in Kennispoort, overlooking TU/e.

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THE MISSION

‘WE ARE TRASHING ith a twinkle in his eye, Cas de Bruijn remembers the good old days. Being one of the first hundred students at TU/e, or TH at the time, he started at Chemical Engineering in 1957. ‘A glorious time. We had no readers, exams weren’t standardized yet, but it didn’t matter. Drinks at our club, a board year, playing volleyball at Hajraa.

Yes, it did take me a while to get through my first year.’ Today, with years and years of experience, he is one of the Mission participants who will be talking about the future, actually. Innovation is an important theme at the celebrating university for a reason.

What technological challenges are we still facing?

house.’ Huub van Helvoort: ‘The magical word is transport, if you ask me. The current level of data transport is huge, and it will continue to grow. Unfortunately, we are about to reach a physical limit. Optic fibers cannot transport any more data than they do now. We will have to find a new method for data transportation. We should also improve mutual communication in transport.

And I don’t mean that of data only, but other types of transport as well: energy, goods, and people for example. We can learn a lot from each other.’ Peggie Rombout is eager to see what lies ahead in information processing and artificial intelligence: to what extent should society be robotized, for example?

For Piet Tops, it is clear as day. ‘Sustainability.

Hands down. We only have one earth and we are well underway to trash it like a student

Discussion leader Lucas Asselbergs has everyone think about what they personally believe are the most important technological

Cas de Bruijn

Huub van Helvoort

THE EARTH LIKE A STUDENT HOUSE’

themes. ‘Write down what comes to mind and don’t be afraid to think outside the box’ is his advice. In no time, the Kennispoort restaurant windows have turned into a colorful notebook. Catchy suggestions include ‘designer babies’, ‘cyborgs’ and the ‘high-efficiency gut’. De Bruijn: ‘It would be great if we were able to design more efficient intestines. We could make do with so much less food. File that under sustainability.’

Piet Tops

Ir. Cas de Bruijn, class of 1965: Chemical Engineering. Past job experience includes Unilever. Has been working as a coach at ZakelijkSpreken (business presentations) since his retirement.

Ir. Huub van Helvoort, class of 1977: Electrical Engineering. Having worked at Philips and Huawei for years (among other companies), he now runs his own company, Hai Gaoming.

He’s also an independent senior networking consultant.

Ir. Piet Tops, MBA, class of 1987: Mechanical Engineering. Has been working in the commercial-technological sector since his graduation and runs his own web-based software company.

‘For more efficient decision-making, interaction within the regulator-technology-society triangle must improve’

‘Make data streams more accessible and understandable’

‘Sustainability! Twice underlined, exclamation point’

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And Tops seems to be right. When the pile of ideas is categorized, the list of sustainable issues - hanging next to data-related and medical/social items - is the longest. ‘And it should be’, says Tops. ‘If we don’t change our course now, we’ll be done soon. Although I do wonder if certain processes can be reversed at all. For example, many wars have their origins in global warming. Drought forces people to move to urban areas, resulting in high unemployment rates and high food prices. And climate change doesn’t wait.

Another example: seeds that are coated with pesticides are considered innovative, because we don’t have to spray the crop that often anymore. But those pesticide coatings spread throughout the crops we eat.

An interesting take on innovation.’

Elles Raaijmakers goes for sustainability as well. ‘How can we realize closed-loop material cycles? Can we design an ecosystem and sustain it?’ Good to know in case of a Mars colonization, Asselbergs says jokingly.

‘And how can we produce using less water?’

Van Helvoort joins in: ‘Many things revolve around water. If you talk about war, you’re talking about water, too. Because of increasing drought, water is reason for conflict today. Could there be a way to redistribute water fairly?’ Eline Katz mentions the well-known Maslow pyramid of needs.

‘The means necessary to establish a good life are very basic if you think of it. But should we really start by concerning ourselves with the fight over the scarcest of needs?

If we do, we will go up the pyramid only to be faced with another need we will start fighting over…’

Talking about technology and sustainability, we come up with the most wonderful ideas,

says De Bruijn, pointing carefully at the post-it notes. Ninety percent of the technology to realize these ideas has been invented already. The bottleneck, he believes, lies in

‘GROUP DEVELOPMENT LIMITS CRITICAL THINKING’

the decision-making process. ‘Decisionmaking has become much more complex over the past twenty years, because everyone can join in thanks to technological developments. It gives rise to networked tribes: tribes of people on the same network.

Post something on Twitter or Facebook and you’ll gather a group of people sharing your opinion easily. But how do people shape their opinion? Usually, they do so by listening to some loudmouth or other. Group development limits critical thinking. On top of that, in the past you had no idea if people weren’t thinking but merely following a religion or a goodlooking man or woman. Today, social media show you everything. I believe it’s important to maintain a level of diversity in order to be

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THE MISSION

able to make the right decisions. And what better place to diversify than a university?

Think critically, branch out, and look at things unbiased.’ Rombout: ‘Technology can help with that. A computer is great at unbiased thinking.’ De Bruijn agrees, but: ‘We need to have access to the right data.

People can go mad about not having any data, when in fact they need to find the right information from a labyrinth of data.’ Tops: ‘And what about data interpretation? Based on a single set of data, John may conclude A is the answer, while Pete is certain it’s B. Data are not everything, the way you look at them is just as important.’

So, decision-making is very important in this discussion, Asselbergs summarizes.

But how can technology help the decisionmaking process and what does that have to do with data handling specifically? Is it about data becoming more publicly available, as Van Helvoort suggests? No, says Rombout.

‘It is widely available as is, but it’s just too much. People are unable to distill useful information from the haystack, but a computer isn’t.’ Katz: ‘The information available should be presented in a way that people can use it as a proper basis to form their opinion.’ Continuing the discussion on decision-making, Asselbergs wants to know how technology might improve democracy.

De Bruijn: ‘Democracy has transformed quite drastically. Statistics show that seventy percent of the world’s population will be living in large cities in the near future. So things are happening in urban areas rather than in the country.

And since people tend to group quickly through social media these days, you could say we’re dealing with a new, faster form of democracy. We could define democratic goals and link those to numbers. The quality of living could then be analyzed based on

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those collected data.’ ‘And that’s another reason we should really start working on the processing, analysis and presentation of big data’, Van Helvoort concludes.

Time for the final round. What if, having the experience you have, you find a suitcase containing a billion euros. How will you use your technological expertise for a better world, Asselbergs wants to know.

Tops would go for sustainability - no surprise there. He would tax polluting wherever he can to promote innovation in the industry.

‘Polluting can no longer be free.’ Rombout would invest in a personal interpreter that

Peggie Rombout

‘POLLUTING CAN NO LONGER BE FREE’

listens to your question, scans all available data around you, and then tailors the formation to your needs - almost like an oracle, as Rombout puts it. Raaijmakers would put

Eline Katz

her money on water reduction, investing in a company that cultivates plants using a minimum of water and then buy plots in the desert to start a new ecosystem. Van Helvoort looks beyond just water and wants to take stock of all important raw materials. Based on those numbers, he wants a fair redistribution. To conclude, De Bruijn would spend it on the global recruitment and education of new critical thinkers and managers with a background in engineering. A new university, perhaps? ‘We’ll need a little more than a billion for that, he laughs.

Elles Raaijmakers

Ir. Peggie Rombout, class of 2006: Computer Science (part-time). Independent professional, works in project management and discussion training.

Eline Katz, MSc, class of 2009: HumanTechnology Interaction. Founder of SuYo, an enterprise focusing on technology education and coaching.

Elles Raaijmakers, MSc, class of 2015: Electrical Engineering. After a stint at ErasmusMC, she now works as a PhD at Electrical Engineering again.

‘Computers can do many things, but do we want them to?’

‘We have to keep working on the bridge between technology and its users.

Engineers tend to forget there is an actual person on the other side of the device.’

‘Invest in a fair distribution of goods’

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT/

‘The best scientific research stems from curiosity’.

Proposition from Thijs Laarhoven’s dissertation ‘Search Problems in Cryptography’.

‘A PhD candidate in a ‘dark woman’s suit’ is like the waitress at her own reception’.

‘Only while doing research one discovers that it is not possible to plan research’.

Proposition from Marleen Kooiman’s dissertation ‘Collective Dynamics of Dislocations’.

Proposition from Thijs Vromen’s dissertation ‘Control of stick-slip vibrations in drilling systems’.

‘Greed and ambition have led to many crises and wars, yet without these human traits technology wouldn’t be where it is today.’

Proposition from Frank Gielens’ dissertation ‘Flex Characterization and Application of H2-selective thin Pd membranes.

‘The stale Dutch idiom ‘Just act normal, that’s weird enough’ has no place in a country that wants to be known for its trailblazing innovation, like the Netherlands.’

‘The majority of education and research focusses on theoretical problems while there is a high demand for practical solutions on an academic level.’

Proposition from Rick van der Maas’ dissertation ‘Advanced Geometric Calibration and Control for Medical X-ray Systems’.

Proposition from Ferdi van de Wetering’s dissertation ‘Formation and Dynamics of Nanoparticles in Plasmas’.

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Jan Meuldijk (1950) is a professor of Polymer Reaction Engineering at Chemical Engineering, and scientific director of the Process and Product Design program. Leaves May 19, 2016.

j.meuldijk@tue.nl

TEXT HAN KONINGS PHOTO BART VAN OVERBEEKE

BROAD INTERESTS

‘In 1979, I completed my PhD on anorganic and theoretical chemistry at VU Amsterdam. We were in the middle of a financial crisis and jobs were hard to find. Four years prior, I had graduated from Physical Chemistry at Utrecht University. Eventually, I found a job working as a postdoc at Groningen University, starting out at Solid-State Physics at the sub-department of Physics, to start on Chemical Technology at the department of Engineering Chemistry two years later. In 1985, I joined the Industrial Catalysis Group at TU/e, supervised by Professor Kees van der Wiele. Things were surprisingly well-organized within the department. Every step I had taken before coming to TU/e worked out wonderfully here, as I was able to join substantial committee discussions right away.’

CROSSING BORDERS

‘I have always looked past my own expertise, within as well as outside my department. Thanks to the technical course Process-Oriented Production that was included in our program, we struck up a good relationship with Industrial Engineering. Logistic aspects could now easily be implemented in process design. It may take time, but it’s just such a rewarding experience. Young scientists today have limited opportunities in that area. They are forced to focus on a single subject to publish as often as possible, and to bring in research funding.’

On page 2 forward/ with Niels Deen

EDUCATOR

‘I am an educator at heart. I especially love teaching the basic undergrad courses. You learn most about your expertise by teaching it. I still use chalk on blackboard, which is something my students very much appreciate. They can manage the pace that way. Smallscale education and direct contact are the key to successful teaching. And it’s great to see that every generation comes with smart guys and gals who will ask questions you don’t know the answers to right away. Consulting others, makes me learn new things, too. It feels good to know most of them end up in a good place after graduation.’

WORKMANSHIP

‘Our department definitely meets society’s need for good engineers, but the Netherlands tend to lack the appreciation for workmanship that is still present in Germany, for example.

People want things to go faster, too.

But the processes we are working with are based on understanding and background, and that takes time.

We will have a good product or device in the end, however, as spin-offs like Flowid and Emultech have proven.’

TU/e 60 YEARS

‘I hope TU/e will always put quality over quantity. It’s the only way for the university to uphold or even improve its excellent global reputation when it comes to education and research.’

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60 years ago

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TEXT TOM JELTES ILLUSTRATION CAMIEL LINTSEN/KADE 05

Sixty years ago, TH Eindhoven - TU/e’s predecessor - was founded.

And it isn’t just TU/e that has been around for sixty years this year, of course.

A lot more happened in 1956, both in the world of science and technology and beyond.

Hungarian Uprising In October 1956, the Hungarian people revolt against the communist regime, which started as a peaceful student demonstration by students of the Technical University of Budapest. The government is deposed, but Soviet troops invaded the country two weeks later and reinstated the communist hegemony.

Neutrinos In 1956, Clyde Cowan and Frederick Reines confirm the existence of neutrinos with an experiment. A neutrino is an elementary particle that’s extremely hard to perceive, even though they shoot through every square inch of the earth’s surface by the billions every second.

Reines receives a Nobel Prize for his findings in 1995.

Cowan had already passed away by that time.

Eurovision Song Contest The first edition of the annual song competition was held on May 24, 1956 in the Swiss city of Lugano.

Competing countries back then were the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Italy, West Germany, and Switzerland.

Switzerland won.

Elvis Presley A 21-year old gentleman from Memphis, Tennessee, who would later be remembered as the King of Rock and Roll, gains international fame with the single Heartbreak Hotel. The song was released on January 27, 1956.

Hard Disk Drive IBM launches the very first hard drive for data storage on September 13, 1956. The device has the size of a respectable wardrobe and consists of no less than fifty magnetic disks. Total capacity: a meagre 3.75 megabytes.

Nobel Prize John Bardeen The only person to have won a Nobel Prize for physics twice. In 1956, he receives one for inventing the transistor.

In 1972, he is awarded his second Nobel Prize for a theory that describes superconductivity, which he co-wrote with Leon Cooper. The latter, coincidentally, published his Nobel Prize winning articles in 1956.

60 Eindhoven Central Station The current Eindhoven central train station building dates from 1956 and was designed by architect Koen van der Gaast. In 2007, the building was added to the list of national monuments.

Eindhoven has had a train station for quite a while longer, since 1866. The former station was located a little further south from its current spot.

Greenhouse Effect Canadian Gilbert Norman Plass predicts the effect of the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to the combustion of fossil fuels on our climate.

His calculations and predictions are surprisingly close to IPPC climate reports drawn up half a century later.

Transatlantic Phone Calls On September 25, 1956, the first transatlantic phone cable is inaugurated.

The cable carried 36 phone channels and ran from Oban in Scotland to the Canadian town of Clarenville.