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Mariska de Jager

Mariska de Jager "To me, making music is like telling a story." Just as everyone else,... ...I had to work from home since halfway March. I wish I could say I finally found inner peace or that I could lock myself up and finish my paper straight away, but no. Instead I’ve struggled with being online all day, worried about my 90-year-old grandfather in an elderly home, missed the lively chats with my fellow PhD-colleagues, my sports team and music lessons. Living around the corner from X, I faced the empty campus and sports fields every day, confronting me with the changed circumstances. At least I could still practice trumpet at home, which I very much enjoy, and I wanted to share a nice, cheerful song with you. ⁠ To me,... ...making music is like telling a story. If there’s eventually no one to play with or to listen to the music, what’s worth the effort? So during one of the online lessons, Ellister (my teacher) and I came up with the idea for an online presentation and I am happy to present the song Emily Bop. It is one of my favourites as this is what I (newbie in jazz and trumpet) imagine for a great improvisation. Listening to or playing this song really picks me up! During recording I found out that it is even more difficult than a usual presentation night! There, you have only one go, and a bit of nerves and excitement help you to pull it off. At home, and with thousands of tries, it becomes much harder to get the perfect performance! Nevertheless, I happy with the result. Perhaps you would also like to join in and share your favourite song or the one you've been practicing! When regulations become more lenient, I hope to meet many friends and family (in particular grandpa) again, and to be able to play together and listen to music live! Listening to or playing this song really picks me up! Mariska de Jager PhD Student in the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Department More stories

Myrthe den Boestert

Myrthe den Boestert "Every time I see people (from a safe distance), I am reminded that my friends and the people around me really make my days." I am doing relatively fine!... ...I did a lot of things before Corona that all stopped, and of course I miss them, but I understand from the beginning that it’s for the best. Studying has become harder, since I have a bit of a hard time studying at home. However, I am not giving up and every day is another day to try and do better again.⁠ Before Corona... ...I came to X for the Krashna rehearsals, but also to learn Argentine Tango and I joined Blue Suede Shoes. Now I make use of the online offer of X and joined the pilot with the personal trainers, because I also saw this as an opportunity to get in shape a bit more. I really like it! ⁠ During Corona times,... ...I try to do more things I normally don't have time for. I’ve picked up photography, tried to write more again, and paint and draw. It also gave me more time to spend playing piano.⁠ The thing I miss the most... ...is the social part. I have had the tendency to isolate a little bit before Corona because I am already so busy, and times like these can be dangerous because you don't notice as much when you're not being as social. But every time I see people (from a safe distance), I am reminded that my friends and the people around me really make my days. When life... ...is getting back to normal I would like to go to the bar with my friends again. I am also looking forward to work again. I have always liked tutoring and I also work(ed) at a really nice restaurant. I hope that the weather will be nice and in my ideal world there would also be festivals, but we will have to see when they are allowed again.⁠ And when X reopens I will start dancing again and will enjoy the courses in general. Doing it in real life is so much nicer than online. I am not giving up and every day is another day to try and do better again.⁠ Myrthe den Boestert Bachelor student Nanobiology and Philosophy⁠ More stories

Vichron Sabat

Vichron Sabat "I grew up with my mother, a very strong woman." My family... ...is from Curacao. When I was only six years old my father moved to the Netherlands. By then my parents had already split up. So I grew up with my mother, a very strong woman. A father figure I never had so my mum always spoiled me by giving me everything. So after a while I figured out it’s time to find a place for my own. The conversation with my mom was hard because she didn’t want to let me go. I burst into tears, leaving my mom, my sister, my best friends behind. On the plane I said to myself: “What the f*ck are you doing? Why are you leaving for the Netherlands?” I arrived at X as a student about eight/nine years ago. I didn’t know anything and thought the people were strange. I finished my first year and then started working at another company. I remember that I thought: “What the f*ck is this?”. I was only allowed to cut cucumber and onions. After one month I asked my old chief at X if I could come back. I appreciated the freedom I had at TU Delft. And recently I became Chef BBQ at X. I didn’t... ...finish high school. In Curacao I had to choose between different disciplines. And I couldn’t really choose one. In the end, I had chosen ‘care’. I’ve only done that for one year and I didn’t think this was gonna work for me. Then I switched to technique. After that, I only stayed at that school for two months, and then I dropped out. My family is from Curacao. When I was only six years old my father moved to the Netherlands. Vichron Sabat Chef BBQ at Cafe X More stories

Graduation of Aaron de Bruin

Graduation of Aaron de Bruin 05 July 2023 12:45 till 14:45 - Location: CEG - Lecture Hall F | Add to my calendar Simulating Dune Growth at a Mega-Nourishment Professor of graduation: Dr. ir. M.A. de Schipper, Dr .ing. M.Z. Voorendt Supervisors: Dr. Ir. A. P. Luijendijk (TUD/Deltares), Msc. T.T. Kettler (TUD), Ir. B van Westen (TUD/Deltares) Currently, almost a quarter of the sandy coasts around the globe are eroding and this number is likely to grow due to sea level rise. To counter this coastal erosion and the inherent hazards, nourishments are carried out. Since sea level rise rates are increasing, nourishment volumes should increase as well. This led to the pilot Mega-Nourishment project the Sand Motor. However, measurements showed significantly lower dune growth rates than predicted. To use Mega-Nourishments as flood protection in the future, a better understanding of the aeolian sediment transport processes is necessary. This study focussed on identifying and implementing of these processes into a process-based aeolian transport model, after which the model was validated. For this study the model AeoLis was chosen. First, the AeoLis software was tested and improvedbased on the identified processes. After verification, a case study was chosen and implemented in the program. Then a model evaluation was carried out to assess AeoLis’ performance. This evaluation was based on detailed measurements of the Delfland coast taken during the first ten years of the Sand Motor. Due to the large variation in coastal profile at the Sand Motor, not only integrated dune growth volumes are evaluated but alongshore variation in dune growth as well. After the model evaluation, the impact of different water levels and coastal profiles was assessed. On integrated scale, the outcome of this study showed that during the first years, the dune growth computed by AeoLis is almost identical to the measured dune growth, both at the regular Delfland beach and in the proximity of the Sand Motor. However, later on in the simulation the deviations between computed and measured growth increase due to the absence of marine processes in the model and the subsequent differences in morphology between model and reality. The alongshore variation in dune growth showed promising results as well. However, in reality, disturbances in the alongshore dune growth are partly due to presence of walkways and beach clubs. In the model there are no walkways and beach clubs present. The disturbances in the modelled alongshore dune growth are due to shadow effects, caused by the dune foot definition. Despite those differences, the underlying alongshore dune growth trend is captured well. The study leads to the conclusion that process-based aeolian transport modelling is capable of accurately simulating alongshore dune growth at Mega-Nourishments. However, due to lack of marine processes in the model and the subsequent bathymetry differences between model and reality, the accuracy decreases over simulated time. Therefore, a coupled hydrodynamic-aeolian model would be the next step in improving the long-term predictability of dune growth at Mega-Nourishments.

Coastal Morphology

Coastlines around the globe have proven to be highly dynamic and constantly adapt to the oceanic climate and nearshore hydrodynamics. As a great portion of the world’s population live and work in close proximity to coastlines, the behaviour of these coastlines can have large natural, social, and economic consequences. On a short term, sudden storm surges can lead to damage of the shoreline, with floods as a potential consequence. On a longer term, processes such as sea level rise can lead to gradual retreat of the shoreline and higher water levels, possibly endangering people living in coastal areas. Understanding the behaviour of coastlines on different timescales is therefore of great importance, and has proven to be a challenge for coastal engineers. Through laboratory work, field experiments, and modelling studies, coastal scientists hope to further improve knowledge on underlying processes to further develop the coastal zone and protect the hinterland. The coastal morphology group within the section of Coastal Engineering at TU Delft is mainly working on (1) coastal hydrodynamics, such as waves, tides, storm surges, and nearshore currents, (2) coastal sediment transport and (3) coastal morphology and the associated morphodynamics. Examples of research topics are large scale nourishments and optimal nourishment strategies, dune development for resilient coasts, and the building with nature concept, where researchers use natural processes and structures to come with innovative coastal protection strategies. Photograph of the EURECCA Field experiment conducted at the Prins Hendrikzanddijk, Texel, the Netherlands (Photo courtesy of Mischa Keijser © ) Photograph of the RealDune and REFLEX field experiments conducted at the Sand Engine, Kijkduin, the Netherlands (Photo courtesy of Mischa Keijser © )

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TU Delft jointly wins XPRIZE Rainforest drone 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.” . . . .

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

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