According to Prof. Dr. Tsjalling Swierstra we have reached a point where there is no disagreeing anymore. He says that it is the mission of any university to help create a better society by doing scientific and technological research. So we have to ask ourselves the question: “What will we do about...
When she first laid eyes on the AGA cooker during the viewing five years ago, she knew the house was meant to be hers. To Alexx Allen-de Rijk, who grew up in the United States and England, this iconic stove brand is the epitome of home comfort. Her best friend Pip’s parents had one. “When we came...
Our daily bread is increasingly considered problematic. Gluten sensitivity is a complex phenomenon and while there’s nothing wrong with avoiding gluten, it is a serious restriction and not always necessary. Daisy Jonkers and Marlijne de Graaf researched the effect of expecting to consume gluten –...
Nozizwe Dube’s life reads like a novel. The 27-year-old was born in Zimbabwe and, at the age of 14, was reunited with her refugee mother in Belgium. Determined to fight injustice, she became the chair of the Flemish Youth Council within just a few years. She is now a PhD candidate at the Faculty of...
A stop to migration? Setting aside the nitrogen regulations? Radically countering internationalisation in higher education? Politicians regularly make great pronouncements. To what extent are these promises realistic? Dr Karin van Leeuwen, lecturer of European Political History at the Faculty of...
After over 23 years of ‘Prof. Nanne de Vries at UM’, our university community gathered at the beginning of November for his farewell lecture. During the lecture, what we already knew was confirmed yet again: with De Vries’ departure, we are saying farewell to an exceptionally intelligent...
Daisy Jonkers, scientific director of the NUTRIM research institute and professor of Intestinal Health, is calling for more inclusivity and diversity in scientific research. Why is this important, and how can we make research more diverse? “It’s no longer just about the number of publications or...
For Klasien Horstman, professor of Philosophy of Public Health, science is the “realm of freedom.” Unfortunately, reality is more intractable. She is irritated by the patronising lifestyle interventions imposed top-down on groups that have been epidemiologically classified as high risk. “The ‘you...
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent because of climate change. Not only does that cause a lot of forced migration, it also puts millions of refugees at risk. UNU-MERIT senior research fellow Sonja Fransen combines two major societal issues.
Inspired by his childhood dream of becoming a professional cyclist, UM alum Dajo Sanders decided to study Human Movement Sciences. His other dream did come true: he ended up working in pro cycling. He is now a trainer/coach for one of the world’s best teams, INEOS Grenadiers. “The magic of cycling...
