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Meet & Eat | Local Community Engagement in Design Education – Can Cats and Dogs Live Under One Roof? with Reinout Kleinhans | 12 April

Meet & Eat | Local Community Engagement in Design Education – Can Cats and Dogs Live Under One Roof? with Reinout Kleinhans | 12 April 12 April 2022 12:30 till 13:30 - Location: Teaching Lab - By: Teaching Academy About this event | Click here to sign up directly Many lecturers at TU Delft seek to connect their teaching to current societal and global challenges in the ‘real’ world. This can require various forms of interaction with target groups, communities of ‘users’ or other stakeholders of design products. This is also known as community engagement. Think for example about the redesign of a neighbourhood park, a square or a public transport facility. However, community engagement (CE) is notoriously difficult in the context of time-bounded courses at TU Delft. While CE can have major benefits, real people and their interests can be harmed if students and their instructors mess up. Mutual Trust and reciprocity are delicate issues. So how to start if you want to incorporate CE in your teaching? In this Meat &Eat session, Reinout Kleinhans (Education Fellow 2020) will discuss the balancing act of engaging local (residential) communities and other stakeholders in student research in university courses. Underlying the short presentation is a conceptual framework that identifies six key challenges and practical solutions for CE in existing or new courses. This Meat &Eat session is particularly relevant for university lecturers and other staff who seek more intensive collaboration with non-university partners in the context of challenge-based university education, exemplified by Joint Interdisciplinary Projects (JIPs), the City Deal ‘Kennis Maken’ and many other examples. About Reinout Kleinhans Reinout Kleinhans is Associate Professor of Urban Regeneration and Neighbourhood Change at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. His research and teaching interests and expertise include urban regeneration, citizens’ self-organisation, community entrepreneurship, challenge-based learning and community engagement. Please note We are happy to inform you that this Meet & Eat will be organised in the Teaching Lab. A vegetarian lunch will be provided. Please let us know if you have any dietary wishes. In case you are not able to join the event (last minute), please let us know by sending an email to teachingacademy@tudelft.nl . Click here to sign up

ABP Pension Information Meeting April

ABP Pension Information Meeting April 05 April 2022 10:00 till 14:30 - Location: Online Your ABP Multi optional Pension! Our society is constantly changing and your pension is changing with it. Changes in State pension ages, pension accrual and choices when you retire often make retirement a difficult subject. For many people, retirement seems a long way off, for others it is getting closer and closer. Either way, it is important to delve into your pension. And to get answers to questions like: Can I retire sooner, or later? What is conditional pension, and what should I look out for? How much pension and State pension do I accrue? How much pension can I have paid out if I retire? What happens to my pension if I work less? What is surviving dependents pension and what can I do with it? I want to make calculations myself: how does MIJNABP work? Do you have these or similar questions? Retirement is important As an employer, we think it is important that you know what the possibilities are with your ABP pension. That is why, in cooperation with ABP, we have organized an online presentation. During this meeting you will receive answers to the above questions.You can follow the presentation at home, or in the workplace, through Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams also offers the opportunity to ask questions to the ABP pension officer during the presentation, which can be done both verbally and through chat functionality.. However, the presentation is not intended to elaborate on personal case studies. Who? International employees and their partners at TU Delft who are interested in learning more about the Pension System in the Netherlands. When? 5 April 2022 - 10.00 to 11.30 for employees < 55 years. Sign up for this online presentation? CLICK HERE Participants are asked to sign in to Microsoft Teams 10 minutes before the presentation starts so that the presentation can start on time.

Look back DEWIS Virtual Coffee February

Thanks to all the participants of the last DEWIS (online) Coffee Meeting in February! We had a great discussion and reflection about challenges and benefits of remote working during the Pandemic. It was nice to see that in the end, despite being a hard time for everyone we all were able to go through the challenge and grow stronger than before. We are all strong resilient women of science!! During the talk common and similar experiences and stories have been shared by the participants and here below (Figure 01) we captured some of the insights and personal stories shared. Figure 01. Personal Stories & Experiences shared by the participants during the last coffee meeting After that, we discussed and brainstormed together: ‘How can we foster a ‘Culture of Care’ within universities?’ Figure 02. Insights captured during the discussion of the last coffee meeting. In conclusion we all agreed that we need to create a network of support and being supporters for each other , always asking your peers and colleagues how they feel and offer your help. Don’t be afraid of reaching out if you need help yourself or simply need to chat with someone for some company! We are all on the same boat, we all go through difficult moments and we all need human contact to thrive and feel alive. In Figure 2 we captured some of the thoughts of the discussion. Hopefully, this has been the last Online Meeting and from next ones we can meet again in a physical space. Our first upcoming networking event will be our Spring Networking Diner! It was also the last meeting facilitated by Chiara Marradi , who unfortunately moved on in her career (now she lives and works in Belgium). However, she was grateful to be part of this network of inspiring women!

Webinar Remote Teaching | Getting a BOLD Edge: Student Readiness for Learning in a Digital World | 13 April

Webinar Remote Teaching | Getting a BOLD Edge: Student Readiness for Learning in a Digital World | 13 April 13 April 2022 10:00 till 11:00 - Location: Online - By: Teaching Academy This webinar reports why learning how to learn online is now a crucial life skill and cannot be left to chance. It outlines what we know from the research on student readiness for successfully engaging in new forms of blended, on-line and digital (BOLD) learning and shares an innovative effort to help give learners a digital edge for their study. The basic thesis woven throughout the talk is that we can learn a lot on how to design our courses and what it really means to be a BOLD learner by taking more time and creating opportunities to listen to the “voice” of learners. Student Readiness is a focus in the DigitTeL Pro project in collaboration with the 3 courses: ' Synchronous Hybrid ', ' Blended ' and ' Online Distance '. If you are interested in DigiTeL Pro or the courses, the presentation slides of the launch session in November 2021 are available, including the full launch recording : Introduction CPD and DigiTeL Pro by George Ubachs (EADTU – European Association for Distance and Teaching Universities) Student Readiness for Digital Education by Mark Brown (DCU – Dublin City University) Synchronous Hybrid Education by Marieke Pieters (KU Leuven – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) Blended Education by Naomi Wahls (TU Delft – Delft University of Technology) Online Distance Education by Albert Sangrà (UOC – Universitat Oberta de Catalunya). Future webinars will be announced once the titles and descriptions are finalized. If you have a topic that you would like us to cover, please email Naomi directly: n.l.wahls@tudelft.nl . Join the weekly webinars via MS Teams group

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A key solution to grid congestion

On behalf of the TU Delft PowerWeb Institute, researchers Kenneth Brunninx and Simon Tindemans are handing over a Position Paper to the Dutch Parliament on 14 November 2024, with a possible solution to the major grid capacity problems that are increasingly cropping up in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is unlikely to meet the 2030 climate targets, and one of the reasons for this is that large industry cannot switch to electricity fast enough, partly because of increasingly frequent problems around grid capacity and grid congestion. In all likelihood, those problems will actually increase this decade before they can decrease, the researchers argue. The solution offered by the TU Delft PowerWeb Institute researchers is the ‘flexible backstop’. With a flexible backstop, the current capacity of the power grid can be used more efficiently without sacrificing safety or reliability. A flexible backstop is a safety mechanism that automatically and quickly reduces the amount of electricity that an electric unit can draw from the grid (an electric charging station or a heat pump) or deliver (a PV installation). It is a small device connected or built into an electrical unit, such as a charging station or heat pump, that ‘communicates’ with the distribution network operator. In case of extreme stress on the network, the network operator sends a signal to the device to limit the amount of power. Germany recently introduced a similar system with electric charging stations. The backstop would be activated only in periods of acute congestion problems and could help prevent the last resort measure, which is cutting off electricity to users. ‘Upgrading the electricity network remains essential, but in practice it will take years. So there is a need for short-term solutions that can be integrated into long-term planning. We, the members of the TU Delft PowerWeb Institute, call on the government, network operators and regulator to explore the flexible backstop as an additional grid security measure,’ they said. The entire Paper can be read here . Kenneth Brunninx Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Governance and Management, where he uses quantitative models to evaluate energy policy and market design with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions. Simon Tindemans is Associate Professor in the Intelligent Electrical Power Grids group at Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. His research interests include uncertainty and risk management for power grids. TU Delft PowerWeb Institute is a community of researchers who are investigating how to make renewable energy systems reliable, future proof and accessible to everyone.

25 year celebration of formal collaboration between Delft University of Technology and the University of Campinas

On 25 October 2024 we celebrated 25 years of formal collaboration between Delft University of Technology and the University of Campinas. What began as a project to exchange some students in chemical engineering has now grown to a multifaceted and broad academic collaboration which accumulated into 24 joint research projects (>20 M Euro); 16 advanced courses and 15 Doctors with a Dual Degree PhD. Patricia Osseweijer, TU Delft Ambassador Brazil explained, “We are proud to show and reflect on this special day the added value we created resulting from our joint activities. The lessons we learned demonstrate that especially continuity of funds and availability for exchanges has contributed to joint motivation and building trust which created strong relations. This is the foundation for academic creativity and high-level achievements.” The program presented showcases of Dual Degree projects; research activities and education. It discussed the future objectives and new fields of attention and agree on the next steps to maintain and strengthen the foundation of strong relations. Telma Franco, Professor UNICAMP shared that “joint education and research has substantially benefitted the students, we see that back in the jobs they landed in,” while UNICAMP’s Professor Gustavo Paim Valenca confirmed that “we are keen to extend our collaboration to more engineering disciplines to contribute jointly to global challenges” Luuk van der Wielen highlighted that “UNICAMP and TU Delft provide valuable complementary expertise as well as infrastructures to accelerate research and innovation. Especially our joint efforts in public private partnerships brings great assets” To ensure our future activities both University Boards have launched a unique joint program for international academic leadership. This unique 7-month program will accommodate 12 young professors, 6 from each university. The programme began on 4 November 2024 in Delft, The Netherlands.

Christmas lunch

Take part in a festive lunch with MoTiv, TU Delft Studentenraad en TU Delft ESA This holiday season, MoTiv, TU Delft, and the local Delft churches are bringing together homes and students for a special, heartwarming experience, and we would love for you to be part of it! After three successful years, we’re excited to continue this festive tradition, bridging cultures and creating connections. Are you interested in joining a holiday lunch as a guest , along with other international students, in a welcoming Delft-area home? Or perhaps you’d like to open your home as a host , sharing a warm, cultural celebration with students from around the world? This special event will take place from December 23rd to December 31st, between 12:00 and 15:00 . For Guests : If you’d like to participate as a guest, we’ll match you with a local host eager to share their holiday traditions. You’ll enjoy delicious dishes, laughter, and meaningful conversations, creating memories that feel like home, even far from family. Once matched, we’ll connect you with your host so you can coordinate details and meal plans together. Sign up as a guest in this google forms.(https://forms.gle/yLAqE83DcqWGwcKB8) For Hosts : If you’re interested in hosting, this is a wonderful opportunity to welcome students into your home for a memorable meal. By sharing food, stories, and perhaps even a few games, you’ll help make the season brighter for students eager to experience Dutch hospitality and holiday traditions. Sign up as a host in this google forms.( https://forms.gle/bJB5svxJZ1iTSF1c6 ) For any questions, feel free to reach out to us at motiv.connects@gmail.com. For more information, please visit our website at www.motiv.tudelft.nl/christmas-lunch-delft/ . Thank you for making this holiday season unforgettable. We look forward to celebrating with you! Warm regards, MoTiv, TU Delft Student Council, TU Delft ESA - Student Community Team

An interview with Aukje Hassoldt: “You can't solve what you don't discuss”.

DEWIS interviews staff members in different positions about gender diversity and inclusion. For this edition, we talked to Professor Aukje Hassoldt, dean at the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management (TBM), about the influx and advancement of women into academic positions, parenthood and social safety. Aukje Hassoldt was appointed the dean of TBM on 1 October 2019 and will step down on 1 December 2024 to become dean of the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Talk about the unwritten rules. You can’t solve what you don’t discuss. We have to start the conversation in a respectful way and learn to understand each other’s points of view. Professor Aukje Hassoldt Left Aukje Hassoldt during the DE&I Week 2023 Even today, parents and teachers sometimes discourage girls and other minority groups from studying physics based on the well-meaning but misguided notion that they should be protected. You studied physics at Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam. Did this narrative not affect you? Aukje: “It definitely did. I believed the narrative that physics would be difficult. That’s why it wasn’t my first choice, even though I had my heart set on studying physics. While studying econometrics, I discovered that I could handle the maths. When I went on to study physics, I learned that it wasn’t a difficult programme for me.” What can we do now to change the narrative? Aukje: “Last year, Birgit van Driel wrote a riveting column about her studies in the Delta, in which she went over everything she found difficult - and it wasn’t the coursework! Degree programmes are either right for you or not, but secondary school teachers should be vigilant not to inadvertently single out particular subjects as ‘difficult’. That’s what we should try to change. Some people find maths difficult, while others struggle with other subjects. We have to get rid of the idea that some subjects are inherently ‘hard’, for example by paying attention to this in our outreach activities.” You later held various positions at Rijkswaterstaat (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Did you ever feel excluded? And how did you deal with that? Aukje: “I always felt perfectly at home at Rijkswaterstaat and TNO. I was often the youngest, the only woman and the project leader or supervisor, but that’s exactly what interested me. I never felt uncomfortable. Anything but, organisations welcomed me with open arms. The same is true for RIVM and TU Delft.” You served as dean of the faculty of TBM from 1 October 2019 to 1 December 2024, during which time the percentage of female professors at the faculty has stagnated at about 30%. Is that enough? Aukje: “There has been growth, albeit not at as much as I’d hoped. At the TBM faculty, we’ve appointed five new female professors in recent years, but some have also retired, which means the overall percentage has stayed at around 30%. Our percentage of female associate professors (UHD), however, did go from 15% to 32% and our percentage of female assistant professors (UD) from 36% to 50%. The pipeline is fuller than it was before, but we’re not there yet. In the end, we want there to be 50/50 split in all positions.” What can the university/faculty do to help female researchers build a promising academic career? Aukje: “It’s important to take a critical look at issues such as advancement and differences in perception. Our approach consists of our so-called ‘fleet review’, in which a small committee discusses how our staff is developing and who is ready for a next step. We explicitly look at whether everyone is gaining enough leadership experience and honing their leadership skills. We ask each other critical questions, watch out for possible bias and do everything we can to keep the advancement process fair. At the same time, we will still need training courses to become and remain aware of our unconscious biases. We already have diversity training courses for all staff and a course for members of appointment advisory committees, all of which also have a trained bias observer. On top of that, managers are required to attend management skills training courses and we offer feedback training for everyone.” If you had the chance to implement one measure to improve the advancement of women to senior and decision-making positions at the university/faculty level, what would it be? Aukje: “I would love to organise another talk for young women researchers and senior scientists to share experiences about building your career and making conscious choices. I reckon that would be a good way to support them. In my previous jobs, I also found that a good course on conversation skills can be a big help, and I think TU Delft could do more in this regard.” In 2020, you said that your ideal university is one that is friendly, welcoming, challenging and inspiring. Does TU Delft live up to this ideal, or do we still have a way to go? Aukje: “We could be kinder to each other at times. I’d also add ‘safe’ to my criteria, by which I mean social safety: feeling comfortable to speak your mind, provided you do that in a respectful way. People deserve to feel heard and be taken seriously, and a respectful tone is non-negotiable. Of course, that doesn't mean you always get your way, but it's important that we can provide that safety.” What concrete measures has the faculty taken to promote social safety in the workplace? Aukje: “We organise staff lunches where we engage in small-group discussions that have proven to be very informative and valuable, as they help us stay in touch and listen to each other. Having a well-functioning Personnel Committee (faculty sub-committee of the Works Council) is also very important. I’ve found that staff members with a Dutch background are more likely to dare to bring up issues, but the Personnel Committee has now helped give a voice to international staff. Furthermore, contact with the PhD Council (PhD candidates) is very important, as they’re a vulnerable group. Some may feel uncomfortable speaking up about difficult situations, for instance, and may not even reach out to a confidential adviser. For these people, a peer group can be a valuable source of support. Social safety is about how we treat each other on a daily basis, which makes it a joint responsibility of us all. Managers have a special role because they can do a lot to foster an open atmosphere, but it’s still a duty we all share. We have to be respectful, while ensuring that everyone feels comfortable speaking their mind and is taken seriously. The faculty’s 10-point draft plan for social safety also proposes a code of conduct of sorts.” What can department chairs do to create an environment in which women and people from minority groups can grow and develop personally and professionally? Aukje: “The difference between good and not so good management is often in the details. What makes management so difficult is that it requires great precision and subtlety. When you feel a jokey atmosphere evolve, for instance, you have to be able to intervene in a respectful way. Another example is ensuring that everyone gets the opportunity to weigh in, including more introverted people. These are just examples, but there are many ways managers can contribute to a safe and open atmosphere.” Dr. Isabel Torres, co-founder and CEO of Mothers in Science, gave a talk to the DEWIS community in February, in which she highlighted the barriers and prejudices that mothers in STEM face in their careers. How can managers support parents and people with caring responsibilities? What do we need to do? Aukje: “The maternity wall is a real problem. Fatherhood and motherhood are equally important, and young parents need good support. I should add that informal care-givers (i.e. for older parents) also deserve support: these are phases of life that we all have to deal with.” Is the university responsible for changing the notion that you can’t have a family and a career? Aukje: “Absolutely. Universities should treat men and women as equals when it comes to caring responsibilities, nor should we implicitly expect new fathers to continue working as if nothing has changed, like we did in the old days.” What advice would you give women to help them navigate academia and its culture of unwritten rules? Aukje: “Talk about the unwritten rules. You can’t solve what you don’t discuss. We have to start the conversation in a respectful way and learn to understand each other’s points of view.”