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How storm surge barriers can keep the Netherlands safe and liveable

A safe and liveable delta, who doesn't go for that? Storm surge barriers play a crucial role in this. Yet there are many choices to be made in the short term to keep the storm surge barriers in a good condition, to eventually cope with rising sea levels in the longer term. A new project receives funding from NWO for five years to explore the best routes to a liveable delta. Storm surge barriers, like the Maeslantkering and the Oosterscheldekering are essential for protecting the Netherlands from high water coming in from the sea. How long will these imposing structures remain effective bearing in mind sea level rise, decay of the structures and an altering surrounding area. In the short term, decisions will have to be taken on maintenance, while in the longer term, adaptation or replacement should be considered. Linking storm surge barriers with the delta Within the SSB-Δ (storm surge barrier delta) project, a diverse consortium will investigate under what circumstances storm surge barriers can keep the Netherlands safe and liveable. The consortium consists of the universities of Delft, Utrecht, and Rotterdam; the universities of applied sciences of Rotterdam and Zeeland; knowledge institutes Deltares and TNO, as well as Rijkswaterstaat, water boards and companies. Bram van Prooijen, associate professor at TU Delft, will lead the research: “Decisions on flood defences are important for the entire delta. The link between the hinterland and the flood defences needs to be made properly. During this project, we will have the opportunity to bring different areas of expertise together and strengthen each other.” Long term perspective Therefore, the research is not only about the technical lifespan of the barriers. It will also clarify how the delta is going to change and how society thinks about it, resulting in a guideline to on how and when decisions need to be taken in the short term, with a long term perspective. Van Prooijen cites an example of car maintenance: “Think of replacing the engine block. This is very expensive maintenance, but sometimes necessary to keep the car running safely. But is it worth the investment if you plan to buy a new car next year? Or if you prefer to travel by train? Important choices will have to be made for storm surge barriers. We want to provide a strong basis for that.” Informed decisions The project will reveal the possible pathways to a liveable delta, and how storm surge barriers fit into that. Van Prooijen: “That offers clarity, to make quick and better-informed decisions. Many trials run for a long time, with the outcome of this research we can decide which trials specifically are the best option to proceed with.” Future experts One of the storm surge barriers involved in the research is the Maeslantkering. This barrier is expected to last another fifty years or so. That may seem far away, Van Prooijen reasons, “but we need to train the experts who will decide on this now. Those are probably the PhD students on this project.”

Urbanism

During the first year of the Urbanism track programme you acquire advanced knowledge and skills in urban design and planning in the broader sense with a focus on city, neighbourhood and regional scale. You start the second year with an interdisciplinary course. After this you work for three quarters on an individual graduation project on a topic that reflects the research portfolio of the Urbanism department. Freshly started in September 2024? Did you start freshly this Master track programme in september 2024? Please see your track programme here. First semester (MSc1) The first quarter (Q1) is titled ‘Analysis and Design of Urban Form’ and takes the perspective from urban design and landscape in understanding and designing relations between urban form and carrying spatial structures. ‘Designing Urban Environments’ is the title of Q2 that takes the outlook from environmental design and technology into the processes of how to make and organise sustainable urban space and communities. Second semester (MSc2) In Q3 ‘Spatial Strategies for the Global Metropolis’ space is perceived on the level of spatial planning and strategy and is about the design and evaluation of spatial strategies that address the (re-)organisation of networks, programmes and urban patterns at the regional scale. All explicitly address societal and scientific approaches to issues relating to urbanisation and associated debates. In Q4 you join one of the intradisciplinary courses in which you are challenged to work together with students from other tracks within the Master Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences on overarching themes. Check the Study Guide for a full overview of the intradisciplinary electives available to Urbanism track students. To see how the different tracks within the Master AUBS work together, check the list of (intra)disciplinary Q4 electives of all tracks here . Started in academic year 2023-2024 or earlier? Master harmonisation 2024-2026 The MSc programme Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences (AUBS) is being harmonised in the academic years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. The harmonisation in the current academic year focuses only on MSc2 and will start in February 2025. The renewal of the second year (MSc3 & MSc4) will follow from September 2025 onwards. Haven’t you completed all MSc2 courses in the previous academic year 2023-2024? If so, you can continue to do so this academic year: enrol for MSc2 courses in the next enrolment period (25 November until 6 December). Check the new or replacement courses in the new MSc2 structure in the Study Guide and Transitional measures 2024-2025 on the Student Portal. Both the AUBS and Geomatics MSc programmes have elective space of 15 EC in Q4. A list of permitted electives for each programme/track is available in the Study guide. Are you planning to interrupt your studies for the rest of this academic year? If so, it is best to do this after completing the entire first year. You will then continue your studies from September 2025 onwards, when the new structure of the second year is also in place, with interdisciplinary Q5 electives (15 EC) and a graduation phase covering three quarters (be aware that February 2025 is the last possibility to start graduation in the old structure; more information on the renewed graduation will be available in April/May 2025). For information on temporarily interrupting your studies check the student portal . Track programme Urbanism 2023-2025 Attention! This information is only meant for students who started the Track programme Urbanism in September 2023 or earlier! First year Compulsory courses Q1, Q2 and Q3 In the first three quarters of the first-year students join the compulsory courses of the track. Within the courses of the first three quarters students may choose location, theme, or subgroup. Q1: AR1U090 & AR1U121 Q2: AR1U100 & AR1U131 Q3: AR2U086 & AR2U088 Visit the study guide for more information about the courses of year 1. Electives Q4 In the fourth quarter of the first -year students enrol for an elective course or set of courses up to 15 EC. During an elective market, which is scheduled in the second quarter just prior to the enrolment period for the Spring semester, students are informed about the possibilities. Via Brightspace students are informed about the electives market and the electives on offer. Students are free to choose electives offered by Urbanism or one of the other Master AUBS tracks, or by another university master's programme, as long as the 15 EC of electives are obtained while enrolled as a master track Urbanism student at TU Delft. See the study guide for an overview of electives offered by the Urbanism track (from academic year 2024-2025 these are called (intra)disciplinary electives). Enrolment For international students, enrolment for the first two quarters is automatically arranged by the Faculty's Education and Student Affairs. All other students need to enrol for courses offered in Q1 to Q4 themselves. They are informed by email and through Brightspace by the faculty's enrolment team about the enrolment procedure prior to the start of the enrolment periods in each Spring and Autumn. Information Students are informed via the Brightspace pages of the courses and via the quarter guides per quarter. Students receive an academic calendar for the MSc1 and 2 of Urbanism indicating the important dates. The calendar is also available via the Brightspace pages of the quarter one, two and three courses. Second year Courses Q5 The second years starts with the graduation orientation course to set up the individual graduation project accompanied by the graduation exploration course . The graduation orientation course supports students in setting up a draft graduation project, choosing the graduation studio fit for their graduation project and selecting workshops (part of the graduation exploration course) supportive for their project. At a later stage the graduation orientation course supports students in selecting a second mentor. In the graduation exploration course students attend workshops which provides them skills and knowledge supportive to execute their graduation project. The studios provide a structured setting in which guidance and tutoring takes place. Within the studio students find their first mentor. More information about the studios can be found here . Instead of the graduation exploration course, students can also choose to join one of the Joint Interdisciplinary Projects (JIP) . Students who join a JIP obtain 18 EC in total in the 3rd semester. Enrolment During the fourth quarter of the first year, students enrol for the MSc3 quarter 5 and 6 courses for the autumn (or spring when starting the MSc3 in February) semester of the second year. Students are informed by an email of student affairs about the enrolment period and procedure. Enrolment for the MSc4 courses is automatically arranged by student affairs after a successful P2 presentation of the graduation project at the end of the MSc3 semester. Information Students are informed via the Brightspace pages of the courses and via the year guide. Students receive an academic calendar for the MSc3 and 4 Urbanism indicating the important dates. The calendar is also available via the Brightspace pages of MSc3. In the Graduation Manual Master of Science Architecture, Urbanism & Building Sciences important information about the setup of the graduation process and the official regulations that apply to the graduation phase is provided.

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Tracing ancient settlements in Colombia with remote sensing

A team of the LDE alliance (Leiden University, TU Delft, and Erasmus University Rotterdam) asked whether it might be possible to search for signs of ancient settlements in the jungle with affordable remote sensing techniques. For an expedition in a Colombian dense forest, the team, including remote sensing expert Felix Dahle of TU Delft, joined forces with archaeologists and drone experts from Colombia. In mountainous forests, drones provide affordable access to areas that would otherwise be unreachable from the ground. A LiDAR laser scanner already proved its value in coastal observation . The big question was whether LiDAR could bypass the many treetops. Trees reflect the laser, so it was crucial to fly close so it found its way through the foliage. The team mounted a highly portable LiDAR laser scanner to a drone and went on expedition nearby ancient terraces of the Tairona culture in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta. “We had to find the sweet spot. Close to the archaeological sites and still secure above the canopy”, says Felix Dahle. And it passed the test. The LiDAR laser scanner create a point cloud and a detailed 3D model of the landscape. “We were able to detect ancient terraces in the jungle. We discovered that we can scan through the forest when it is not too dense, but some areas remained unfathomable. We could also distinguish several types of vegetation, which might be of great use too to find undiscovered archaeological sites.”

What trees teach us about sustainable production of materials

Trees are excellent teachers when it comes to making materials for load-bearing structures with as little resources and energy as possible. One of their secrets? When a tree grows, the direction of the wood grain adapts itself to fit the load that part of the tree is going to bear.

Exhale Sluitingsweek: A week of free events to say goodbye to Exhale and cosy up for Winter

De allerlaatste Exhale Week vindt plaats van 25 november tot 1 december en staat volledig in het teken van afscheid nemen van Exhale en het omarmen van de winter.

TIL student Laura Drechsel wins Q-Park thesis award

TIL student Laura Drechsel wins the 2024 Q-Park Student Award with her thesis called: Stories of Aging and Access - Exploring capabilities and challenges of accessibility for urban elderly through microstories. Her award-winning thesis can be found here .

TU Delft jointly wins in XPRIZE Rainforest competition in Brazil

TU Delft jointly wins in the XPRIZE Rainforest competition in the Amazon, Brazil Imagine using rapid and autonomous robot technology for research into the green and humid lungs of our planet; our global rainforests. Drones that autonomously deploy eDNA samplers and canopy rafts uncover the rich biodiversity of these complex ecosystems while revealing the effects of human activity on nature and climate change. On November 15, 2024, after five years of intensive research and competition, the ETHBiodivX team, which included TU Delft Aerospace researchers Salua Hamaza and Georg Strunck, achieved an outstanding milestone: winning the XPRIZE Rainforest Bonus Prize for outstanding effort in co-developing inclusive technology for nature conservation. The goal: create automated technology and methods to gain near real-time insights about biodiversity – providing necessary data that can inform conservation action and policy, support sustainable bioeconomies, and empower Indigenous Peoples and local communities who are the primary protectors and knowledge holders of the planet’s tropical rainforests. The ETHBiodivX team, made of experts in Robotics, eDNA, and Data Insights, is tackling the massive challenge of automating and streamlining the way we monitor ecosystems. Leading the Robotics division, a collaboration between TU Delft’s Prof. Salua Hamaza, ETH Zurich’s Prof. Stefano Mintchev and Aarhus University’s Profs. Claus Melvad and Toke Thomas Høye, is developing cutting-edge robotic solutions to gather ecology and biology data autonomously. “We faced the immense challenge of deploying robots in the wild -- and not just any outdoor environment but one of the most demanding and uncharted: the wet rainforests. This required extraordinary efforts to ensure robustness and reliability, pushing the boundaries of what the hardware could achieve for autonomous data collection of images, sounds, and eDNA, in the Amazon” says prof. Hamaza. “Ultimately, this technology will be available to Indigenous communities as a tool to better understand the forest's ongoing changes in biodiversity, which provide essential resources as food and shelter to the locals.” . . . .

Moving the Closet

You simply cannot miss it, it is big and magenta: the Pink Closet . On 12 November 2024 the Pink Closet will head to the Main Hall of the TU Delft Library for the first time! The Pink Closet will take its place at the Nook, where it will feature as part of the Studium Generale programme on loneliness. More information on events that coincide with and incorporate the Pink Closet at TU Delft Library will soon be available on the website of Studium Generale .

Green ammonia remains a challenge, but researchers make significant progress

The production of ammonia, essential for fertiliser production, is responsible for almost 1.5% of global carbon emissions. This needs to be greener, which is why researchers have been looking for sustainable alternatives for years.

"Measuring brain activity through the skull with ultrasound opens new doors"

PhD Candidate Rick Waasdorp is looking for ways to correct the distortion caused by the skull when using Ultrasound technology. ‘’My goal is to develop an adaptive method for skull corrections that automatically measures the skull of new patients.’’

NWO funding for flexible power demand in electrically driven industry

NWO is funding two projects to explore ways to make the power demand of industry more flexible, allowing it to better align with future energy supplies. One of these projects, “DEFLAME,” is led by Machteld van den Broek from TU Delft.

Students Amos Yusuf, Mick Dam & Bas Brouwer winners of Mekel Prize 2024

Master students Amos Yusuf, from the ME faculty (Mick Dam, from the EEMCS faculty and graduate Bas Brouwer have won the Mekel Prize 2024 for the best extra scientific activity at TU Delft: the development of an initiative that brings master students into the classroom teaching sciences to the younger generations. The prize was ceremonially awarded by prof Tim van den Hagen on 13 November after the Van Hasselt Lecture at the Prinsenhof, Delft. They received a statue of Professor Jan Mekel and 1.500,- to spend on their project. Insights into climate change are being openly doubted. Funding for important educational efforts and research are being withdrawn. Short clips – so called “reels” – on Youtube and TikTok threaten to simplify complex political and social problems. AI fakes befuddle what is true and what is not. The voices of science that contribute to those discussion with modesty, careful argument and scepticism, are drowned in noise. This poses a threat for universities like TU Delft, who strive to increase student numbers, who benefit from diverse student populations and aim to pass on their knowledge and scientific virtues to the next generation. It is, therefore, alarming that student enrolments to Bachelor and Master Programs at TU Delft have declined in the past year. Students in front of the class The project is aimed to make the sciences more appealing to the next generation. They have identified the problem that students tend miss out on the opportunity of entering a higher education trajectory in the Beta sciences – because they have a wrong picture of such education. In their mind, they depict it as boring and dry. In his pilot lecture at the Stanislas VMBO in Delft, Amos Yusuf has successfully challenged this image. He shared his enthusiasm for the field of robotics and presented himself as a positive role model to the pupils. And in return the excitement of the high school students is palpable in the videos and pictures from the day. The spark of science fills their eyes. Bas Brouwer Mick Dam are the founders of NUVO – the platform that facilitates the engagement of Master Students in high school education in Delft Their efforts offer TU Delft Master Students a valuable learning moment: By sharing insights from their fields with pupils at high school in an educational setting, our students can find identify their own misunderstandings of their subject, learn to speak in front of non-scientific audiences and peak into education as a work field they themselves might not have considered. An extraordinary commitment According to the Mekel jury, the project scored well on all the criteria (risk mitigation, inclusiveness, transparency and societal relevance). However, it was the extraordinary commitment of Amos who was fully immersed during his Master Project and the efforts of Brouwer and Dam that brought together teaching and research which is integral to academic culture that made the project stand out. About the Mekel Prize The Mekel Prize will be awarded to the most socially responsible research project or extra-scientific activity (e.g. founding of an NGO or organization, an initiative or realization of an event or other impactful project) by an employee or group of employees of TU Delft – projects that showcase in an outstanding fashion that they have been committed from the beginning to relevant moral and societal values and have been aware of and tried to mitigate as much as possible in innovative ways the risks involved in their research. The award recognizes such efforts and wants to encourage the responsible development of science and technology at TU Delft in the future. For furthermore information About the project: https://www.de-nuvo.nl/video-robotica-pilot/ About the Mekel Prize: https://www.tudelft.nl/en/tpm/our-faculty/departments/values-technology-and-innovation/sections/ethics-philosophy-of-technology/mekel-prize

The ENHANCE Diversity Seed Fund

Are you a student at TU Delft or another ENHANCE university with a passion for promoting diversity and inclusion? The ENHANCE Diversity Seed Fund is your chance to turn that passion into action. ENHANCE provides funding to support innovative, student-led projects that address key challenges related to inclusion and diversity within our academic communities. Key Details: Funding Available: Up to 1500 Euros per project in the 1st round! Eligibility: Students from ENHANCE member universities. Staff can also join student-led initiatives. Application Deadline: 8 January 2025. More information: Join the online Information Event on the 26 November 2024 16:00-17:00 CET on Zoom . More information: enhanceuniversity.eu/diversity/diversityseedfund/

New catheter technology promises safer and more efficient treatment of blood vessels

Each year, more than 200 million catheters are used worldwide to treat vascular diseases, including heart disease and artery stenosis. When navigating into blood vessels, friction between the catheter and the vessel wall can cause major complications. With a new innovative catheter technology, Mostafa Atalla and colleagues can change the friction from having grip to completely slippery with the flick of a switch. Their design improves the safety and efficiency of endovascular procedures. The findings have been published in IEEE. Catheter with variable friction The prototype of the new catheter features advanced friction control modules to precisely control the friction between the catheter and the vessel wall. The friction is modulated via ultrasonic vibrations, which overpressure the thin fluid layer. This innovative variable friction technology makes it possible to switch between low friction for smooth navigation through the vessel and high friction for optimal stability during the procedure. In a proof-of-concept, Atalla and his team show that the prototype significantly reduces friction, averaging 60% on rigid surfaces and 11% on soft surfaces. Experiments on animal aortic tissue confirm the promising results of this technology and its potential for medical applications. Fully assembled catheters The researchers tested the prototype during friction experiments on different tissue types. They are also investigating how the technology can be applied to other procedures, such as bowel interventions. More information Publicatie DOI : 10.1109/TMRB.2024.3464672 Toward Variable-Friction Catheters Using Ultrasonic Lubrication | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore Mostafa Atalla: m.a.a.atalla@tudelft.nl Aimee Sakes: a.sakes@tudelft.nl Michaël Wiertlewski: m.wiertlewski@tudelft.nl Would you like to know more and/or attend a demonstration of the prototype please contact me: Fien Bosman, press officer Health TU Delft: f.j.bosman@tudelft.nl/ 0624953733

Design and imagination as essential tools during the climate crisis

In Nature Partner Journals, ten researchers advocate the use of imagination in tackling the climate crisis. They focus specifically on urbanising river deltas, which are of great social and economic importance and highly vulnerable to climate change. "We scientists should not merely outline doomsday scenarios," says Professor Chris Zevenbergen. "Create a vision for people to believe in and work towards.”

How comfortable are cargo bikes actually for children?

It’s impossible to imagine the Dutch street scene without the cargo bike. It’s ideal for transporting goods and especially popular for shuttling children from A to B. Surprisingly, however, no real research has been done on the comfort of children during cargo bike rides. Mechanical engineering students Jelmer, Renate, Dirk-Jan, Santo and Alexander set out to change this. The final project for their bachelor’s degree is the first step in this unexplored area of research.

Inaugural address: machine optimisation key to more efficient logistics system

The processing and transport of materials can be made much more efficient, says TU Delft professor Dingena Schott in her inaugural address, ‘Advancing Transport and Processing: from Model to Impact’. She will deliver her address on 15 November. Her research focuses on the interaction between machines and materials, with a special emphasis on granular materials.

FAST University Fund invites all TU Delft students

FAST University Fund invites all TU Delft students to apply for the Ambitious Project Grant or the Event Grant of up to €15.000!

Education demonstration in Utrecht cancelled

Safety cannot be guaranteed In our post of 22 October , we announced that students and staff of TU Delft will have the opportunity to take part in protests against the cabinet's plans to cut higher education. Today it has been announced that the demonstration against the cuts to higher education and science on 14 November in Utrecht has been cancelled because the safety of the demonstrators cannot be guaranteed. Read the reaction of Universiteiten van Nederland to the cancellation of the education demonstration in Utrecht (Dutch only).

Young Investigator Award for Gabrielle Laloy-Borgna

Gabrielle has won the technical Young Investigator Award at Euroson 2024 (congress of the European Federation of Ultrasound Societies in Medicine and Biology) with her presentation entitled: “Ultrasound imaging in bones: tissue characterization, anatomical images
and blood flow measurements”.

Ilaria Orsi joined ImPhys as PhD student

Ilaria started her PhD program in the Renaud group about ultrasound imaging inside bones, contributing to the advancement of such non-invasive technique to characterize tissue composition and to quantify blood flow.

First prize for ZhenZhen Wu at the 2024 NWO Biophysics poster awards

ZhenZhen Wu's poster, “Absolute Voltage Imaging in Developing Zebrafish,” won first prize in the 2024 NWO Biophysics poster awards, competing against over 150 posters. The BioPM Poster Prizes are awarded to the best posters presented at the NWO Biophysics Conference, and the winners are selected by a jury. ZhenZhen Wu z.wu-3@tudelft.nl