Filter results

47672 results

Wiel Evers

Dr. Wiel H. Evers w.h.evers@tudelft.nl Building 58 Van der Maasweg 9 NL-2629 HZ Delft

How to manage technology responsibly

While new technologies come with great opportunities to improve the quality of life, they also come with negative consequences. As such, it is crucial to create awareness about these consequences so that they can be countered, for instance by improving the design of the technology or by setting up the appropriate policy measures. The creation of awareness calls for instructing engineers, engineering students and other relevant stakeholders about possible consequences of new technology, and for providing the tools and methods to manage the process of technology development in a responsible manner. The EPT section has been at the forefront of the development of these tools and methods for the responsible management of technology. ― Udo Pesch A core question in our research is how to manage technology responsibly; nowadays this is often expressed in terms of ‘responsible innovation’. Responsible innovation requires reaching out to a wide range of stakeholders, form societal (interest) groups, to companies and governmental actors, which do not always speak the academic language of responsible innovation. It also require thinking about how to distribute responsibilities among the many parties involved, and to think about the institutions and incentive structures needed to make responsible innovation effective in the real world. ― Ibo van de Poel

Service to society and public outreach

Advisory roles The members of the Ethics/Philosophy Section are involved as advisors and/or members in several policy committees at national, EU, and UN levels, such as: COGEM (‘commissie genetische modificatie’, subcommittee ethical and social aspects), a committee that advises the Dutch government about genetic modification (Sabine Roeser, 2009-2017) The FutureSocietyNL , a newly established think tank, bringing together Dutch leaders in technology development and critical reflection on these developments (Sabine Roeser, 2018-present) The working group ‘ethics and digitization’ of ECP, ‘Platform voor de informatiesamenleving’, a Dutch platform bringing together private and public stakeholders concerning the ‘information society’ (Sabine Roeser, 2018-present) The advisory board of the COVRA/OPERA (Dutch research institute for nuclear waste disposal) (Sabine Roeser, 2011-2018) The advisory group on new risks for the Dutch ministry of infrastructure and environment (IenM) (Sabine Roeser, 2011-2012) The IST Advisory Group to EU Commissioner Reding for ICT and New Media (Jeroen van den Hoven) Advisor to the Dutch Government in various roles (Jeroen van den Hoven) The Research network of the Home Office on E-Government (Jeroen van den Hoven) The European Group on Ethics (EGE) to the European Commission (Jeroen van den Hoven, permanent member) The Dutch Research Council on Responsible Innovation (Jeroen van den Hoven) The Institute for Accountability in a Digital Age (Aimee van Wynsberghe) The European Commission's High-Level Expert Group on AI (Aimee van Wynsberghe) The Netherlands AI Alliance (Aimee van Wynsberghe) The Young Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Behnam Taebi, 2016-2021) Our members are also active in the media, attempting to raise public awareness about the ethical and philosophical implications of technology. Some of their public appearances and conferences are available online. You can see a selection of these videos down below. Sabine Roeser - Emotions should play an important role in debates on risky technology - TEDxDelft Jeroen van den Hoven - Responsible Innnovation and the Built Environment Behnam Taebi - Justice And Climate Change

Judging Criteria

Addressing societal problems To what degree does the innovative idea/project contribute to solving a societal challenge? Societal values Does the innovative idea/project take societal values into account (such as safety, health, sustainability, human welfare, justice, and privacy) and have they been taken into account during the development or design process? Risks Have possible risks or other negative effects of your innovative ideas/project been anticipated? Which actions have been taken to mitigate and reduce these risks and effects? Have you anticipated the social use or implementation of your innovative idea/project and have you incorporated these insights during the development of your innovative idea/project? Inclusiveness Did you have an inclusive development process? Did you engage relevant stakeholders during the development of your innovative idea? Transparency Did you have a transparent development process? Can you account for the choices made during the development process to society? Innovative & Creativeness How is your project unique in its aim/goal/approach? To what extend is your approach innovative? Did you come with new, creative solutions? 4TU.Ethics Department of Philosophy TU Delft

Links to RRI Resources

What is RRI? Horizon 2020: The EU Framework for Research and Innovation Responsible Innovation Programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Responsible Innovation Minor TU Delft 4TU Centre for Ethics and Technology - Responsible Innovation Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research (CESAER) Prisma - Responsible Research Innovation Project RRI Tools 4TU.Ethics Department of Philosophy TU Delft

Pouyan Boukany

Dr. Pouyan Boukany Associate Professor +31 (0)15 27 89981 P.E.Boukany@tudelft.nl Building 58, F2.450 Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands Management Assistant Leslie van Leeuwen +31 (0)15 27 86678 L.vanLeeuwen@tudelft.nl linkedin twitter Dr. Boukany’s research at TU Delft is focused on fundamental and applied topics at the interface of microfluidics, soft matter, and biology, with a major emphasis on controlling and understanding the dynamics and transport of biological systems at micro/nanoscale. A central theme is the use of biophysical tools to control and investigate the non-equilibrium dynamics of DNA and cytoskeletal elements, tumor microenvironment and cell membranes for biomedical applications, from physical gene delivery to cancer cell migration, with a special focus on using cutting-edge microfluidics for cell manipulation and biological characterization. We will employ both experimental and theoretical approaches to understand fundamental issues in a wide variety of applications ranging from bio-microfluidics, (bio)polymer physics, tumor-microenvironment, molecular rheology to cancer treatment. Research group Academic background Dr. Boukany is an Associate Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department of the TU Delft, where he heads an independent group called “living soft matter group”. In the past years, Dr. Boukany has been internationally recognized by his unique multidisciplinary approach to biomedical problem in the area of biomicrofluidcs, cell isolation and manipulation on a chip. He completed his master degree at Isfahan University of Technology and his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Akron (Ohio, USA). His doctoral work explored nonlinear flow response of entangled DNA solutions. He joined as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Center for Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymeric Biomedical Devices at the Ohio State University (USA) in 2009. In December 2011, he established his research group in the Chemical Engineering Department. Dr. Boukany has been recognized by several prestigious fellowships and personal grants, including a Marie Curie fellowship (2012), an ERC Starting Grant (2013), a van Gogh grant (2014), and an ERC Consolidator Grant (2018) to start and consolidate his research group in Europe. +31 (0)15 27 89981 P.E.Boukany@tudelft.nl Building 58, F2.450 Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands Management Assistant Leslie van Leeuwen +31 (0)15 27 86678 L.vanLeeuwen@tudelft.nl linkedin twitter Keywords Living Soft-Matter Biomicrofluidics Tumour-on-a-Chip Research Google Scholar Orcid Research Awards and Grants Delft Health Technology Grant (TUD/LUMC; June 2021-2025) ERC Consolidator Grant (April 2020-2025) Delft Global Project, Getting HOT (collaboration with E. Mendes, and U. Staufer), (2017-2021) Van Gogh Scholarship to visit French Scientist, (March 2015-2017) ERC starting Grant (Oct 2013-2018) Marie Curie Fellowship for Carrier Integration, (Oct 2012) American Institute of Chemists Outstanding Postdoctoral Award, (Spring 2011) Best paper award for postdoctoral research competition in Society of Rheology, (Fall 2009) Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Science Foundation (NSF) Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymeric Biomedical Devices, The Ohio State University (2009-2011) Finalist for the Frank J. Padden Award for Excellence in Polymer Physics Research, (APS, 2008) Travel Award for Society of Rheology, (Fall 2007) Graduate Scholarship, The University of Akron, Polymer Science Department (2004-2008) Educational Activities Molecular Transport Phenomena (MSc CE, CH3162) Soft Matter for Chemical Products (MSc CE CH3372A) Thermodynamics and Transport (BSc NB NB2011)

Research

Structured catalysts and reactors Regular arrangement of catalysts in reactors decouples the scale dependent and independent phenomena, such as intrinsic kinetics, thermodynamics, mass and heat transport and hydrodynamics. This allows their independent optimization so that all rate processes in a reactor are in balance and the catalyst is used in the way it was designed for. Structuring ranges from the molecular to the reactor scale in a hierarchical way. Microscopically zeolites, MOFs and well defined clusters are used. Macroscopically one should think of monoliths, foams, corrugated packing etc. Combined with multifunctional operation this approach can give a large boost to process intensification. Radial heat transport in reactor packings is a big challenge and subject of study. Multifunctional catalysis and reactors Catalytic conversions are frequently performed in isolation. Often tedious and/or energy intensive separations are needed to purify products before further processing. Smart combination of catalytic reactions or reaction and separation may eliminate this need, allowing higher single pass conversions, reducing separation effort and energy consumption and increasing process efficiency. Examples of single reactor operations and reactive separations: Coupling endo- and exothermal reactions (dehydrogenation and oxidation) Selective removal of a product through a membrane in equilibrium limited reactions (water gas shift, dehydrogenation, esterification) Selective feeding of reactants Membrane reactors where combinations of the above occurs Dynamic kinetic resolution This can be done on different scales, on the active site level, on the catalyst particle level and on a reactor level. Major challenge is to synthesize those combinations that result in overlapping of the operational regimes of the catalytic reactions and/or the separation processes. New membranes or catalysts are often needed. Zeolite and metal-organic framework based membranes Porous crystalline materials like zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) posses uniform pores or windows of molecular size. Thin continuous layers on a support material offer a unique separation potential, namely based on molecular size or shape. We were among the first to develop silicalite-1 membranes. Their permeation and separation properties have been studied and modeled extensively. Challenges are to synthesize membranes of other zeotypes and MOFs to be used in process intensification for energy reduction and multifunctional reactors, combining catalysis and separation. Clear examples are hydrogen and CO2 separation from various sources and the separation of propane from propene. In a EU funded project (M4CO2) MOFs embedded in a polymeric matrix are developed as membranes for the separation of CO2 from stack gases and for the production of hydrogen. These MOF based Mixed Matrix Membranes are promising alternatives for the pure MOF or zeolite membranes. Rate and transport processes The overall performance of catalysts or sorbents in a process is the result of all contributing phenomena. With thermodynamics determining the driving forces for chemical conversion and transport phenomena, the kinetics of these processes determine the productivity and yields. Transient and steady state techniques are applied to determine catalytic reaction kinetics. Parallel reactors (‘six-flow’) were already applied long before commercial activities in this field developed. Sorption of single components and mixtures are essential for correct description of diffusion in zeolites and membranes and to determine the correct reactant concentrations at the active site of catalysts. Advanced techniques are used for the determination of the transport parameters, like TAP, TEOM, ZLC and breakthrough analysis.

Research

Dr. Makkee’s research can be characterised as giving solutions to some of the challenges in current society. Depending on the challenge, attention will be paid to either catalyst development (new or improved ) or reactor development. The activities can be best described as “Industrial Catalysis for Society”. Examples are: Hydrogenation in the sugar/carbohydrate chemistry. Enzymatic conversions in the sugar/carbohydrate chemistry Depolymerisation of starch - cellulose. Conversion of CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) into useful and valuable products Diesel soot abatement technologies for which diesel engine will have mandatory closed filters in 2009 (euro 5) were partially developed in Delft with leading parties and appliers in the field of automotive catalysts and car manufactures (fuel additives and catalytic oxidation filters). Optimal performances of FCC-operations for gasoline and or olefines production in the oil refinery Optimal performances of Hydrotreating units in the oil refinery Introduction of new NOx Aftertreatment systems in greenhouses (NSR) Tail gas methane oxidation for (natural) gas engines. NOx abatement for automotive applications (SCR, NSR, Di-Air). New smart processes in biomass conversions Oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrocarbon/aromatics Dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons Development of medium temperature Water Gas Shift Catalyst. Syngas chemistry: Fischer-Tropsch, Methanol, Ethanol, Hydroformylation. Current major research topics Upgrading catalytic pyrolysis oil by hydrogen treatment Syn Gas (CO & H 2 ) chemistry production of ethanol Eco-friendly biorefinery fine chemicals/syngas from CO 2 (photo-) electro-catalysis (EU projects ECO2CO2 and Celbicon) NOx abatement high fast oscillating HC injection in greenhouses (Di-Air) Water gas shift catalysis for CO 2 -capturing for Power plant Catalytic depolymerisation of municipal waste (hydrogen upgrading) (Catalytic) gasification of municipal waste (bottom upgrading)

(Retired) Michiel Makkee

Makkee Group Dr.ir. Michiel Makkee graduated in Chemical Engineering with a specialisation in Organic Chemistry (1980) and received his PhD in Organic Chemistry, Biotechnology and Catalysis (1984) both at the TU Delft in the Faculty of Chemical Engineering. He is the inventor of the process intensification by the combination of enzymatic conversion and heterogeneous hydrogenation in a one pot approach. He joined Exxon Chemicals (1984) and was active in zeolite catalysis, reforming, alkylation, selective hydrogenation, crystallisation, zeolitic membranes for separation, process evaluation, and laboratory and pilot plant safety, including Industrial Hygiene. In 1990 he was nominated as associate professor in the group of Industrial Catalysis (headed by Prof.Dr. Jacob A. Moulijn/ Prof.Dr. Freek Kapteijn/Prof.Dr. Atsushi Urakawa) and a parttime professor Sustainable Process Development (Politechnico di Torino, Italy). (Co)author of > 260 peer reviewed articles (around 11.500 citations, H-factor of ~ 60). (Co)inventor of > 25 patents and patent applications. (Co)promotor of > 25 PhD candidates. Book: Chemical Process Technology by J.A. Moulijn, M. Makkee and A.E. van Diepen (1st and 2nd edition > 10.000 copies) ISNB 978-1-444-32025-1. Michiel Makkee retired on June 20, 2020 Education Research Publications Michiel Makkee Associate professor in catalysis engineering M.Makkee@tudelft.nl Retired on June 20, 2020

Half Height Horizontal

First-ever imaging of pathogens on lettuce leaves in real-time

Met een groeiende wereldbevolking van meer dan 8 miljard mensen is voldoende voedsel produceren een uitdaging. Nederland is ‘s werelds tweede exporteur van voedsel en verbouwt enorm efficiënt allerlei gewassen. Plantenziektes zoals valse meeldauw zijn echter een veelvoorkomend probleem dat de oogst van de boer flink kan bederven. Delftse wetenschappers hebben voor het eerst een manier ontwikkeld om de infectie in planten real-time te volgen, zonder de plant te hoeven doden. De hiermee opgedane kennis helpt om nieuwe resistente gewassen te kweken met een hogere opbrengst en minder gebruik van pesticiden. Het onderzoek staat nu in Nature Communications.

New LDE trainee in D&I office

Keehan Akbari has started since the beginning of September as a new LDE trainee in the Diversity and Inclusion office. What motivated him to work for the D&I office, what does he expect to achieve during this traineeship? Read the short interview below! What motivated you to pursue your LDE traineeship in Diversity and Inclusion office of the TU Delft? I completed both bachelor's and master's degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University. Within these studies, my main area of interest was in themes of inclusion and diversity. After being hired as a trainee for the LDE traineeship, and discovering that one of the possible assignments belonged to the Diversity and Inclusion office, my choice was quickly made. I saw this as an excellent opportunity to put the theories I learned during my studies into practice. What specific skills or experiences do you bring to the D&I office that will help promote inclusivity on campus? I am someone who likes to connect rather than polarize, taking into account the importance of different perspectives and stakeholders. I believe that this is how one can achieve the most in fostering diversity and inclusion. You need to get multiple parties on board to get the best results. What are your main goals as you begin your role here, and how do you hope to make an impact? An important goal for me this year is to get students more involved in diversity and inclusion at the university. One way I will try to accomplish this is by contributing to the creation of D&I student teams. By establishing a D&I student team for faculties, it will be possible to deal with diversity- and inclusion-related issues that apply and relate to the specific department. How do you plan to engage with different (student) communities within the university? Since I am new to TU Delft, the first thing I need to do is expand my network here. Therefore, I am currently busy exploring the university and getting to know various stakeholders. Moreover, I intend to be in close contact with various student and study organizations to explore together how to strengthen cooperation on diversity and inclusion. Welcome to the team Keehan and we wish you lots of success with your traineeship!

Researchers from TU Delft and Cambridge University collaborate on innovative methods to combat Climate Change

For over a year and a half, researchers from TU Delft and the Cambridge University Centre for Climate Repair have worked together on groundbreaking techniques to increase the reflectivity of clouds in the fight against global warming. During a two-day meeting, the teams are discussing their progress. Researchers at Cambridge are focusing on the technical development of a system that can spray seawater, releasing tiny salt crystals into the atmosphere to brighten the clouds. The team from TU Delft, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Herman Russchenberg, scientific director of the TU Delft Climate Action Program and professor of Atmospheric Remote Sensing, is studying the physical effects of this technique. Prof. Russchenberg emphasizes the importance of this research: "We have now taken the first steps towards developing emergency measures against climate change. If it proves necessary, we must be prepared to implement these techniques. Ideally, we wouldn't need to use them, but it's important to investigate how they work now." Prof. Dr. Ir. Stefan Aarninkhof, dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, expresses pride in the team as the first results of this unique collaboration are becoming visible. If the researchers in Delft and Cambridge can demonstrate the potential of the concept, the first small-scale experiments will responsibly begin within a year. This research has been made possible thanks to the long-term support from the Refreeze the Arctic Foundation, founded by family of TU Delft alumnus Marc Salzer Levi . Such generous contributions enable innovative and high-impact research that addresses urgent global challenges like climate change. Large donations like these enable the pursuit of innovative, high-impact research that may not otherwise be feasible, demonstrating how our collective effort and investment in science can lead to real, transformative solutions for global challenges like climate change. Climate-Action Programme

IDE Publication Highlights (Week 39 2024)

Click here to view recent publication highlights from our staff and students.

National and International Phishing Attackers revealed

Phishing attacks, which trick users into sharing private data, have been a major online security threat for years. According to a 2023 FBI report, it is the top digital crime type. Researchers from the Intelligent Systems department have collaborated with three European country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) to characterize phishing attacks, focusing on the Netherlands’ .nl, Belgium’s .be, and Ireland’s .ie. By understanding these patterns, the research aims to enhance security measures and protect internet users from phishing threats.

11,000 young researchers have obtained a PhD from TU Delft

It was a very memorable day for PhD Amey Vasulkar last Thursday, the 19th of September. Not only did he successfully defend his promotion on Arctic Sea Ice in Tide Models, but he was also the 11,000th student to obtain a PhD from TU Delft. We are incredibly proud of and thankful for every single one of these 11,000 PhDs who started their scientific journey with us and continuously strive to change the world through their scientific innovations.

How system safety can make Machine Learning systems safer in the public sector

Machine Learning (ML), a form of AI where patterns are discovered in large amounts of data, can be very useful. It is increasingly used, for example, in chatbot Chat GPT, facial recognition, or speech software. However, there are also concerns about the use of ML systems in the public sector. How do you prevent the system from, for example, discriminating or making large-scale mistakes with negative effects on citizens? Scientists at TU Delft, including Jeroen Delfos, investigated how lessons from system safety can contribute to making ML systems safer in the public sector. “Policymakers are busy devising measures to counter the negative effects of ML. Our research shows that they can rely much more on existing concepts and theories that have already proven their value in other sectors,” says Jeroen Delfos. Jeroen Delfos Learning from other sectors In their research, the scientists used concepts from system safety and systems theory to describe the challenges of using ML systems in the public sector. Delfos: “Concepts and tools from the system safety literature are already widely used to support safety in sectors such as aviation, for example by analysing accidents with system safety methods. However, this is not yet common practice in the field of AI and ML. By applying a system-theoretical perspective, we view safety not only as a result of how the technology works, but as the result of a complex set of technical, social, and organisational factors.” The researchers interviewed professionals from the public sector to see which factors are recognized and which are still underexposed. Bias There is room for improvement to make ML systems in the public sector safer. For example, bias in data is still often seen as a technical problem, while the origin of that bias may lie far outside the technical system. Delfos: “Consider, for instance, the registration of crime. In neighbourhoods where the police patrol more frequently, logically, more crime is recorded, which leads to these areas being overrepresented in crime statistics. An ML system trained to discover patterns in these statistics will replicate or even reinforce this bias. However, the problem lies in the method of recording, not in the ML system itself.” Reducing risks According to the researchers, policymakers and civil servants involved in the development of ML systems would do well to incorporate system safety concepts. For example, it is advisable to identify in advance what kinds of accidents one wants to prevent when designing an ML system. Another lesson from system safety, for instance in aviation, is that systems tend to become more risky over time in practice, because safety becomes subordinate to efficiency as long as no accidents occur. “It is therefore important that safety remains a recurring topic in evaluations and that safety requirements are enforced,” says Delfos. Read the research paper .

Kaitai Liang receives Distinguished Reviewer Award by ESORICS 2024

I am pleased to share that Kaitai Liang, a tenured faculty member of the Cybersecurity group, has been honored with the Distinguished Reviewer Award by ESORICS 2024.

Compliant DNA nanopores capable of size-selective molecule transport across cell membrane

Scientists at TU Delft and the Max Planck Institute have made a new class of structurally adaptable ‘mechanical’ pores made from DNA that can transport molecules through cell membranes. These innovative nanopores can open and close on demand and, for the first time, adjust their diameter.

New Delft Lectures in Design

This autumn marks the introduction of IDE’s three renewed Masters programmes. One of the unifying features is a stronger link with the world-leading research carried out in IDE. “Delft Lectures in Design - Where IDE moves the Horizons of Design Research” is a case in point. This new cross-programme course serves as a rigorous and inspiring introduction to the broad variety of IDE’s research.

Safety and Security Week 2024

Join us on 7, 8 and 10 October! From October 7 to 12, 2024, the national Safety & Security Week will take place. The free program organised by TU Delft takes place on October 7, 8 and 10. It will be an educational and interactive week— make sure you're there! The full program can be found on the website , including: Two interesting masterclasses ‘ Aggression and violence on campus: Navigating between reality and myths’ and ‘ Predict and Prevent: Masterclass in Safety, Crowd and Crisis Management’ Security & Privacy symposium Safety Square: increase your knowledge about safety and prepare yourself for emergencies For more information: Safety & Security Week (tudelft.nl) . Please note: some activities require registration through the website.

Flight Case 2024: A Journey to Japan

From 22 July – 3 August, 20 IDE master students, 8 committee members from the ID Study Association, assistant professor Rebecca Price, and professor Gerd Kortuem travelled to Japan for a unique learning experience. The group worked on cases for three global companies, Sony, NHK Spring, and Sekisui, each of which provided its own distinct challenges and insights.

Boosting sustainable building education

On 17 September, TU Delft launched a new initiative to implement sustainable building practices across the Dutch educational landscape by bringing together educators from Dutch vocational institutions (MBO) and TU Delft lecturers.

Do something that matters

We komen in Nederland in het basis- en voorgezet onderwijs samen 13.500 leraren tekort. Het leraarschap heeft niet altijd de reputatie die het verdient. En dat terwijl het alles in zich heeft. Daarom startte Universiteiten van Nederland (UNL) vorig week de campagne ‘Doe iets wat ertoe doet’. Het doel is om mensen met een nieuwe blik naar het leraarschap te laten kijken.

Marina Bos-de Vos wins EURAM best paper award

At the end of June, IDE Assistant Professor of Strategic Design for Ecosystem Innovation, Marina Bos-de Vos, won two awards as a first author at the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Conference for her research paper "Projecting for accelerating sustainability transitions: practices of joint value creation in circular economy programs".

Three Students Nominated for the ECHO award

Three TU Delft students have been nominated for the ECHO Award 2024. The ECHO award is awarded to students with a non-western background who are actively engaged in society. Sibel, TJ and Pravesha talk about their background their nomination. The finalists will be selected on September 27th. Sibel Gökbekir How has your background influenced your academic journey? As a woman with Turkish roots, my academic journey has been about more than just pursuing degrees in engineering and law; it’s been about consistently advocating for the diverse needs of women and multicultural groups, ensuring their voices are heard in important decisions. This is why I actively contributed to different board positions at TU Delft, working to promote inclusivity and equality. My background inspired me to explore how engineering, law, and social justice intersect, particularly in empowering marginalised communities. I chose to study energy transitions and human rights to contribute to a fairer, more inclusive World. How have you turned this into contributions to society? I’ve dedicated my academic and personal life to promoting diversity and inclusion. As a youth ambassador for Stop Street Harassment, I aimed to create safer spaces for women and minorities because I believe everyone has the right to feel free and safe in society. Through the Turkish Golden Tulip Foundation, I advocated for vulnerable communities in earthquake relief. Additionally, I founded an initiative for migrant students in Rotterdam-South and I have been committed to improving educational opportunities for secondary school students with a migration background. Next, I gave guest lectures across the Netherlands to educate the younger generation about climate change and equitable energy transitions, emphasising the importance of a fair transition for all communities. What does it mean for you to nominated to the ECHO award? I feel very honoured to have been nominated on behalf of TU Delft. My commitment to community engagement is part of who I am, and therefore the ECHO Award is more than just a recognition; It offers me an opportunity to further expand my contributions to a more inclusive society. As an ECHO Ambassador, I plan to expand my efforts in promoting equality and sustainability, while inspiring others to take action for a more equitable World. TJ Rivera How has your background influenced your academic journey? My background as a Filipino in a Dutch-speaking bachelor’s programme made my academic journey both challenging and enriching. Being gay in a male-dominated field like Architecture, where most role models were heteronormative men, added another layer of difficulty. It was intimidating to not see people like me represented. However, this experience fuelled my belief that systems can and should be challenged, changed, and updated. I aimed to bring a fresh perspective, advocating for greater diversity and inclusivity in the field. How have you turned this into contributions to society? I translated my personal challenges into tangible contributions by advocating for inclusivity within architecture. Together with like-minded individuals, I began exploring the intersection of identity, sexuality, and architecture, and collaborated with my faculty’s diversity team to raise awareness. As I became known for my work with the queer community, I saw an opportunity to create lasting change. I co-revived ARGUS, the once-inactive study association for the Master of Architecture, which now serves as a platform to discuss and address issues of diversity within the field. This initiative continues to foster a more inclusive academic environment. What does it mean for you to be nominated to the Echo award? Being nominated for the ECHO Award is a significant milestone in my journey to expand my mission beyond the confines of my faculty. This national platform provides the opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for social justice on a larger scale. I believe students are key to driving change, and my focus is on amplifying the voices of the queer community, which is often overlooked. The ECHO Award will enable me to form partnerships with organizations and universities, further promoting diversity, inclusivity, and equality. It’s a chance to create broader, tangible change, addressing the needs of those who often go unheard. Pravesha Ramsundersingh How has your background influenced your academic journey? As a woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), my background has been a powerful motivator to challenge gender disparities within Computer Science. Experiencing firsthand the underrepresentation of women in this field, I have been driven to not only excel academically but also become an advocate for diversity. Through leadership roles in the Faculty and Central Student Councils, I’ve focused on creating an inclusive environment that supports women and minority students, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed. How have you turned this into contributions to society? I’ve translated my experiences into actionable contributions by actively advocating for DEI at TU Delft. I ensured sexual education and consent training for 3,000 freshmen students, and I led initiatives like the Social Safety Initiatives Conference alongside the Dutch National Coordinator against Racism and Discrimination. In my student governance roles, I pushed for policies that address gender discrimination and social safety concerns, creating a more supportive environment for students of all backgrounds to thrive in both academic and social spaces. What does it mean for you to nominated to the ECHO award? Being nominated for the ECHO Award is an incredible honour that highlights the importance of the work I have done to promote DEI. It inspires me to continue advocating for systemic change in the tech industry and academia. This nomination reaffirms my commitment to driving equity in STEM, ensuring that future generations have more inclusive opportunities. It also motivates me to keep pushing boundaries and empower others to take action for a more just and equal society. The ECHO Award Every year ECHO, Center for Diversity Policy, invites colleges and universities to nominate socially active students who make a difference in the field of Diversity & Inclusion for the ECHO Award 2024. The ECHO Award calls attention to the specific experiences that students with a non-Western background* carry with them and the way they manage to turn these experiences into a constructive contribution to society. Winners are selected by an independent jury and may attend a full-service Summercourse at UCLA in the United States in 2025. Read more: ECHO Award - ECHO (echo-net.nl)

Boosting Research Skills through Digital Data Workshops

Data Carpentry Workshop for Social Sciences and Humanities at TU Delft. In a Data Carpentry workshop on 30 September and 1 October 2024, researchers will learn best practices and explore tools to make their data reusable and open, while enhancing the efficiency and reproducibility of their research workflows. Organised by colleagues from the Leiden University Libraries' Centre for Digital Scholarship , the TU Delft Library , Erasmus University Rotterdam Data Stewards , and VU Amsterdam data stewards , these workshops are designed for researchers in the social sciences and humanities who are novices in digital skills. Participants will engage with best practices, new tools, and the basics of the programming language R in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. The workshops are highly interactive, featuring live coding sessions and exercises. A dedicated group of helpers will be available throughout to assist participants, ensuring a smooth learning experience even when technical challenges arise. This supportive approach aims to minimise the initial frustrations that can come with learning new technologies. The curriculum is openly available and has been created, curated, and maintained by a global community of volunteers under the coordination of The Carpentries , a worldwide non-profit organisation. Authors: Peter Verhaar, Paula Martinez Lavanchy, Kristina Hettne, Daphne Barrow Picture by: Robèrt Kroonen Other news 30 January 2024 Interactive Environments Minor students bring the Library's Collection Wall back to life Several projects being led by or involving IDE researchers have secured kick-starter grants from the Convergence’s Resilient Delta Initiative. 23 February 2023 Call: Would you like to contribute with your XR experiences in education and research? Closing date is Friday the 17th of March. 01 February 2023 Short Scientific work at TU Delft From 1 February 2023, the TU Delft Short Scientific Work Scheme will come into force as part of TU Delft's Open Access policy. 23 February 2023 Call: Would you like to contribute with your XR experiences in education and research? Closing date is Friday the 17th of March. 01 February 2023 Short Scientific work at TU Delft From 1 February 2023, the TU Delft Short Scientific Work Scheme will come into force as part of TU Delft's Open Access policy. 11 May 2023 Increase in Open Access publications by 2022 For the 9th time, the open access monitor was carried out for TU Delft by the Research Support team. The report is based on the current definitions of the national OA monitoring framework. More than in all previous years, the share of open access within TU Delft has grown.

All renewed BK bachelor courses relate to Sustainable Development Goals

All 24 courses in BK’s renewed bachelor’s programme are now connected to at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The most prevalent SDG in this new programme is SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), followed by SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). In total, 14 of the 17 SDGs are linked to at least one course: a starting point for better integrating sustainability in the courses’ contents, assignments and teaching materials.

2nd round of the 2024 SPRINT funding call with São Paulo, Brazil

The second round of the 2024 SPRINT call has opened . This SPRINT (São Paulo Researchers in International Collaboration) fund supports exchange visits and/or joint workshops undertaken by TU Delft staff and researchers from the State of São Paulo, Brazil. SPRINT funds the initial phase of joint international research collaborations with clear expectations that the researchers will submit a follow-up research proposals that continues the research started under SPRINT and consolidates the research partnership. The deadline for the 2024.2 edition is October 28, 2024.The total duration of a project can be 1 year, and the budget envelope is up to 7,500 Euro from TU Delft and up to 10,000 USD from FAPESP. FAPESP and TU Delft will fund a maximum of 4 approved proposals under this call. Please note that the Brazilian partners must have a current project funded by FAPESP to be eligible. Applicants need to send an application to both FAPESP and TU Delft. See full details in the call conditions. More information from FAPESP on past and present SPRINT calls can be found here. Questions on the call can be directed to Daphne van de Sande at D.vandeSande@tudelft.nl or Marie Kummerlowe at a.m.kummerlowe@tudelft.nl . SPRINT 2024.2 – Guidelines Delft University of Technology

Cutting-Edge Multi-Camera System for Multi-Modal Data Capture

Researchers from the Intelligent Systems department have built an advanced multi-camera capture system designed for high-quality data collection from objects and people. By incorporating existing audio devices, this system enables the recording of multi-modal data from human social interactions including both video and audio, offering invaluable resources for understanding human behavior, modeling physical objects, and analyzing human-object interactions.