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Call for Proposals 2023

The TU Delft Open Science programme puts a strong emphasis on developing Open Education as one of its main project pillars. Open education brings together educational innovations such as the increasing role of digital technologies in education, blended learning, and the increasing of students’ autonomy in educational processes, and couples these with values of diversity and inclusion. Identical to last year, all TU Delft teaching staff are encouraged to submit a proposal for Open Education projects for a funding of up to EUR 20,000 , with a project term of a maximum of 1 year. Open from 13 September - 24 November 2023 For all teaching staff working at faculties of TUDelft Project budget max EUR 20,000 Goals TU Delft aims to increase the prevalence of Open Education throughout the university’s bachelor and master programs. To this end, the Open Science Programme is looking for staff who are interested in starting up innovative projects that focus on creating Open Educational Resources (OER), and on developing and adopting teaching practices that increase the students’ involvement via the use of OER. The following type of activities fall under the scope of this Call: Publishing innovative self-made teaching materials, such as interactive open textbooks or open educational resources; Educating teaching staff about (the benefits of) finding, selecting and using already existing open educational resources; The development and implementation of innovative open educational practices that involve students in the development of OER and other materials that can be made available publicly (e.g. podcasts, blogposts, articles); Documentation, publication, dissemination and/or upscaling of already existing innovative open educational practices. Proposals for other types of open education related projects are also accepted, however, applicants are encouraged to inquire whether their envisioned project is something that could fall under the scope of this Call for Proposals. We strongly encourage the submission of proposals from project teams that represent multiple faculties of TU Delft. For inquiries, please contact Michiel de Jong , the Open Education coordinator. Who can apply All teaching staff of the eight faculties of TU Delft can submit a Proposal. In order to be eligible, applicants are required to have an active working relationship with TU Delft at the time of application and for the whole duration of the proposed project. In addition, all applicants need explicit approval from their head(s) of department for the project and the proposed time investment required by the applicants. This is done by adding a support letter from the department heads of all involved project members to the proposal. A template for the support letter from the department head is found here . One of the goals of this call is to increase the number of practitioners of Open Education within TU Delft. For that reason, project leaders of projects that were awarded last year’s fund are not eligible to apply as project leader again this year . They can be involved as project members. Budget and additional support The Open Science Programme offers a budget of up to EUR 20,000 per accepted project proposal. If the project budget extends beyond this limit, the department(s) of the applicant(s) can offer to supplement the budget with funding from other sources. Such agreements need to be made prior to the submission of the Proposal, and a support letter from the faculty needs to be attached to the Application Form that specifically mentions this. In addition to the budget, project members are encouraged to make use of the Library’s Open Education related services, which includes support with copyright matters and open licenses, similarity check of materials to be published, and finding suitable platforms and repositories for hosting and showcasing Open Educational Resources. Requirements Project members will be required to publish all materials produced in the project with a CC BY 4.0 license, unless valid reasons apply to use another licensing type. In case a CC BY license cannot be used, the project members need to consult the Open Education coordinator , in order to make agreements about which license is used. Project members will also be required to disseminate information both about the project process and about the results of the project at TU Delft’s Education Day and at the Open Education Week. Additionally, the project members will be asked to publish an article about their project in The Educator, the Teaching Academy’s monthly newsletter, with the help of the library communications team. Application process Project proposals should be written using the Application Form. The Call is open for application until 24 November 2023, 24:00. The applicants will be notified of the reviewers’ decision before 12 January 2024. Projects should start no later than February 2024. The application form includes a template for writing work packages. A proposal should include work packages on project management and sustainability, as well as 1-3 project specific work packages. In addition to the Application Form, applicants are required to submit a Support Letter from their Head(s) of Department. For this purpose, the template provided should be used. After submission, your proposal will be shared with the Review Board of the Stimulation Fund for review and with the faculty blended and online learning coordinators, for their information. Applicants can send their grant application form to openscience@tudelft.nl Any questions about the application process can be addressed to Michiel de Jong , the Open Education coordinator. Evaluation criteria Proposals will be evaluated by a review board with representatives of all eight faculties of TU Delft, based on the following five criteria, using a 0-3 point scale for each criterion: Relevance (Does the project address an existing problem?) Originality (Does project propose a new way of dealing with the defined problem?) Feasibility (Are the goals of the project achievable within the financial and time limitations of the Call?) Impact (How many teachers and/or students are served by the project? Does the project also serve people outside the faculty and/or TU Delft?) Collaboration (Is there collaboration between faculties? Or between students and teachers?) Project proposals will be evaluated after the submission deadline. Those proposals which reach a minimum of 9 points out of 15 will be considered for a grant. Please consult the evaluation rubric for more information on the evaluation criteria. Appendix A: Rubric for evaluation criteria Contact and walk-in consultation hours Applicants can send their grant application form to openscience@tudelft.nl . If you have questions, please feel free to drop in during one of the walk-in consultation hours in the TU Delft Teaching Lab! 25 September 12:30 – 13:30 hrs 31 October from 16:00 – 17:00 hrs Or contact Michiel de Jong , the Open Education coordinator, TU Delft Library. Application form - Open Education Stimulation Fund 2023 Template Support Letter - Open Education Stimulation Fund 2023

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NWO grants funding for innovative research on physical experimental environments

How to move from experiment to mainstream? A consortium led by professor Tamara Metze, has been awarded a prestigious grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). In search for pathways toward more sustainable futures, Metze and her team will explore how various innovations in field labs such as The Green Village, in urban living labs such as Engy Lab South-East in Amsterdam, and in all sorts of citizens’ initiatives, can be mainstreamed and make more impact on sustainability transitions. Pilot paradox The project ‘From EXperiment to sustainable change: TRAnsformative methodologies for Innovation and learning’ (EXTRA) seeks to overcome a persistent “pilot paradox”. In this paradox, much experimentation takes place but long-term systemic impact remains difficult. Researchers together with all sorts of change makers will synthesise existing knowledge on how to mainstream, upscale, spread, broaden and deepen developed innovations. Tamara Metze: ‘I am excited to unravel what are effective ways of cocreation that lead to mainstreaming the positive changes made in experimental environments. We will figure out how learning and innovation can lead to lasting changes in regulations, policies, and financial systems and the biophysical environment.’ Tamara Metze Read the NWO press release Actionable tools The project is crucial for accelerating sustainability transitions. By refining methodologies for mission-driven experimentation and develop hands on tools for all sorts of change-makers, it will be easier to mainstream the sustainable lessons and innovations. ‘These tools will not only aid grassroots innovators but also influence institutional and organisational structures, ensuring that lessons learned from experiments are better anchored in policies, regulations, and organisations’, explains Metze. The project will employ a transdisciplinary action research approach, bringing together knowledge from various disciplines and policy domains. By co-creating solutions with public and private partners, the research will have an immediate impact. In the long term, the project aims to build a more efficient innovation ecosystem, contributing to more impactful and sustainable outcomes for both society and the environment. Projectpartners TU Delft, VU Amsterdam, Wageningen University & Research, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Hogeschool Rotterdam, The Green Village, AMS Institute; PBL Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, WoonFriesland, Dijkstra Draisma, Provincie Noord-Holland, Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken, PRICE / Almere, BouwLab, Alliantie Samen Nieuw-West, Innovation Quarter.

Unusual waves grow way beyond known limits

Waves that come from multiple directions are extremer than extreme. These remarkable deep-sea waves can be four times steeper than what was previously imagined, as is shown in research by TU Delft and other universities that was published in Nature today. A long time ago, stories were told of mysterious rogue waves that materialised out of nowhere and could topple even the largest ships. These waves lost their mythical character when the first rogue wave was recorded at the Draupner platform in the North Sea. In 2018, Ton van den Bremer and his colleagues at the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford managed to recreate the Draupner wave in the lab for the first time ever, and this opportunity to study freak waves closely produced unexpected insights. Multiple waves push up water New research by the research consortium now shows that these remarkable waves do not break when traditional theories hold they should, the secret behind which lies in how they arise. Ton van den Bremer, expert on fluid mechanics at TU Delft and led the study, explains: “When most people think of waves, they think of the rolling waves you’d find on a beach. The type of wave we studied occurs in open water and arises when waves coming from multiple directions come together. When these waves with a high directional spread converge, the water is pushed upwards, forming a partially standing wave. An example of this is known as a crossing wave. How crossing waves arise Under certain conditions at sea, waves from multiple directions occur. This can happen in a place where two seas meet, or where winds suddenly change direction, as in a hurricane. When waves from two directions meet, a cross wave occurs, provided their directions are far enough apart. The study also shows that the further apart the directions are, the higher the resulting cross-wave. Travelling waves break when they reach a certain limit, this is when they reach their maximum steepness. The study shows that waves with a multidirectional spreading can get as much as 80% steeper than this limit before they start breaking, which means they can get almost twice as high as ‘normal waves’ before they start to break. Travelling wave (l) and a wave with high directional spreading (r) Breaking waves that grow Next, the researchers found another highly unusual phenomenon that defies existing theories, a phenomenon that is unprecedented according to Van den Bremer: “Once a conventional wave breaks, it forms a white cap, and there is no way back. But when a wave with a high directional spreading breaks, it can keep growing.” The study shows that these enormous waves can grow to twice their original steepness while breaking, which is already twice bigger than the conventional limit. Together, the waves can grow four times steeper than previously thought possible. Damage to offshore structures The knowledge that multidirectional waves can become as much as four times larger than was deemed possible can help design safer marine structures. "The three-dimensionality of waves is often overlooked in the design of offshore wind turbines and other structures in general; our findings suggest this leads to designs that are less reliable", says Mark McAllister of the University of Oxford, who led the experiments and is now a senior scientist at Wood Thilsted. Innovative vertical sensors made it possible to take accurate 3D measurements of waves. Innovative 3D measurement method A 3D measurement method developed in the FloWave lab paved the way for these new insights. “Conventional 2D wave measurement methods weren’t up to the task”, Van den Bremer explains, which is why the research group designed a new way to create 3D wave measurements. Ross Calvert of the University of Edinburgh: “This is the first time we've been able to measure wave heights at such high spatial resolution over such a big area, giving us a much more detailed understanding of complex wave breaking behaviour." FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility in Edinburgh. The circular basin has a diameter of 25 metres and can be used to generate waves from multiple directions. Header image by: Fabien Duboc

Ensuring safe and quick food bike-delivery services in cities

Cyclists rushing to deliver food on time to hungry customers is an increasing problem in cities with the growing demand for fast home delivery services. This surge has resulted in more traffic in bike lanes, contributing to accidents and raising concerns about rider safety. In the framework of SINERGI project researchers like Yousef Maknoon are looking into solutions that will help boost logistic operations that are both efficient and safe. ‘Bike delivery services are a great way to transport goods from A to B in a green manner, replacing delivery cars or vans. These micro-delivery systems can really help make city logistics more sustainable,’ says logistics and modelling expert Yousef Maknoon, who is involved in developing real-time decision models for the SINERGI project. Besides looking into sustainability, the project aims to empower delivery providers to offer cost-efficient services, while prioritising the well-being of riders. ‘We want to help bring down the number of accidents,’ stresses Maknoon. Private and public stakeholders have joined to conduct pilot initiatives in the cities of Amsterdam, Shanghai, Singapore and Copenhagen. Yousef Maknoon Safe routing ‘To improve rider safety, the app automatically provides recommended routes when food delivery riders receive their task, helping them avoid dangerous intersections and busy streets. In Amsterdam, the goal is to develop a map that will show the safety of cycling infrastructure. The map is planned to be enriched with real-time information such weather conditions, busy days, and times of the week to not only improve delivery time prediction but also assess route safety in real time,’ explains Maknoon. ‘But everything depends on the cyclist's willingness to take the safer route. When a rider is paid per delivery, they might not be willing to take a longer route. Especially when they know the area well, it can be tempting to take a shorter route that may not always be the safest option.’ A survey held amongst 300 delivery riders found that they can be nudged to follow the recommended routes when they are compensated financially. Profit versus safety Maknoon: ‘What we also found is that paying an hourly fee, instead of paying per on-time delivery, promotes safer riding behaviour, like Just Eat Take​away does in the pilot in Amsterdam. However, other issues arise because riders might not be so motivated to deliver on time. Then you need other incentives to motivate efficiency among riders. Otherwise, customers might switch to other service providers. This puts the business model which is based on hourly payment and prioritize safety, under pressure.’ It seems now that delivery services need to make a trade-off between profit and safety. ‘With the SINERGI project we want to empower delivery providers to offer cost-efficient services while prioritising the well-being of riders.’ Government regulation Public authorities can, for example, improve road safety by enhancing infrastructure, such as building separate bicycle lanes.’ Delivery providers can introduce incentives for riders that compensate the extra time a longer, but safer, route might take. But this puts pressure on profitability and could cause micro-delivery logistics platforms to struggle or even go out of business. It is likely that government regulation will need to play a role in profit-driven societies, as safety risks being overshadowed. Fair delivery system This is also the case for ensuring a fair delivery system where all customers are serviced, whether they live in the busy city centre or the less densely populated countryside. Otherwise, customers who live farther away may not be serviced, as longer cycling times mean less money for riders when they are paid by commission. Riders can simply reject these orders and choose to deliver only to places where they think they can earn more. Human factor In this digitally connected world, we need to consider the human factor in real-time decision-making. The wellbeing of riders, their working conditions, and their quality of life are also important when we talk about making operational decisions. It is interesting to compare the four cities and how they manage the tension between cost-efficiency and safety, and to see what they can learn from each other. About SINERGI SINERGI is a three-year project that runs from 2023 to 2026. It involves thirteen research institutions, governmental authorities, and companies collaborating on a comprehensive framework to improve sustainable city logistics. The project aims to enable real-time management and strategic planning of efficient, safe and user-friendly delivery services. Besides Yousef Maknoon other researchers from TU-Delft involved are: Shadi Sharif Azadeh (project leader), Gonçalo Correia, Kuldeep Kavta and Dongyang Xia. Read more about the SINERGI project.