Impressions - Universiteit Leiden

Impressions
2015
The year in images
440-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Anton Corbijn was one of the star attractions at the Night of Arts & Science. This exciting
scientific and cultural festival went the extra mile this year to mark the 440-year anniversary
of the foundation of the University. This was the festival’s third year, and it attracted a record
number of 5,000 visitors.
Two thousand students and staff celebrated the University’s anniversary in the Pieterskerk, with rap band De Jeugd
van Tegenwoordig. It was a memorable evening: Leiden University was founded 440 years ago in this very church.
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EXHIBITIONS
‘These artworks would not be out of place in biennales. The main location was the dazzlingly dilapidated Meelfabriek.’ – NRC Handelsblad
Glowing reviews for the anniversary exhibition on Global Imaginations, an initiative of De Lakenhal Museum. The University collaborates
with many museums, both in Leiden and further afield.
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An 18th-century PhD diploma, fragments from a bell that was destroyed in the Second World War, a print depicting the
foundation of the University and a costume from the student masquerade: students of the master’s in Arts & Culture
put together the Celebrating Curiousity exhibition.
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FILMS & APPS
EINSTEIN’S LIGHT
IMAGINARY FILMS PRESENTS
A FILM BY NICKOLAS BARRIS
Illuminating How Imagination And Innovation Advance The World
WRIT TEN, DIRECTED,
AND PRODUCED BY
NICKOLAS
BARRIS
FEATURING
JOSHUA BELL, VIOLIN
(COURTESY OF SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT)
MARIJA STROKE, PIANO
ORIGINAL MUSIC
COMPOSED BY
BRUCE
ADOLPHE
Films have now been made of memorable events from the University’s history. The documentary ‘Einstein’s Light’ celebrates the friendship
between the physicists Einstein and Lorentz who worked together in Leiden. In the films ‘Four Centuries of Freedom’, Professor Willem Otterspeer
takes the viewer on a tour through four centuries of University history.
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Did you know that the seeds of radio astronomy were sown in the Leiden Observatory? With the 27 new information boards placed throughout
Leiden and the ‘Leiden Discoveries’ app, visitors can learn about the history of science in Leiden.
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PRIZE WINNERS
Statistician Aad van der Vaart was awarded the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific distinction in the Netherlands. One of his areas of
research is designing models that analyse which genes play a role in the development of cancer.
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Leiden exoplanet researcher Frans Snik was awarded an ERC Starting Grant to develop a method for studying the atmospheres and surfaces
of Earth-like exoplanets. Andrea Evers, Martine Robbeets, Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg, Elisabeth de Boer and Andrew Webb also received
major ERC grants. Congratulations to all of them!
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DISCOVERIES
Bronze Age bling. During excavations
in North Holland, archaeologists found
fifteen bronze artefacts, all around 2,800
years old. From China to the Netherlands:
hardly a year goes by without Leiden
archaeologists making a major discovery.
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Curator Mart van Duijn from the Leiden University Libraries
discovered a notebook belonging to Jacob Cats that sheds new
light on this famous statesman and poet. More discoveries are
sure to follow in the Library’s Special Collections, a vast treasure
trove of old manuscripts, prints, photos, drawings and maps from
all corners of the world.
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MORE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
May we start a herb garden? That was the request made by scientists at the end of the 16th century. The town elders agreed. And in 2015 the
oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands, the Leiden Hortus Botanicus, celebrated its 425-year anniversary. Children were invited to plant new
bulbs in the garden.
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From helping fine-tune Einstein’s theory of relativity to making liquid helium. The Faculty of Science is 200 years old
and can look back on a proud history. The key formula in Einstein’s theory, which has pride of place on the façade of
the Boerhaave Museum, was unveiled by Robbert Dijkgraaf. More formulae will follow.
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CELEBRATIONS IN THE HAGUE
Leiden University College The Hague is five years old. The College offers intensive research and teaching programmes
to 600 students from many different countries. The presence of the University underpins The Hague’s role as
international city of peace, security and justice.
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Finally it’s time to throw those caps! The first 143 pioneers of International Studies are ready to take on the world. This
English-taught programme has been running for three years and attracts students from all parts of the world. Every
year the University awards diplomas to 3,500 bachelor’s students and an almost equal number of master’s students.
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REFUGEES
Students help to prepare the University Sports Centre for the emergency reception of 123 refugees. All went smoothly with the temporary
accommodation in the USC thanks to the overwhelming efforts of staff and students.
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The refugee crisis can sometimes cause tempers to flare. Leiden researchers are able to give different perspectives on the debate.
Migration historian Leo Lucassen gave fifth-year high school students from the Stedelijk Gymnasium in Leiden background information on
the migrant situation.
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THE WORLD IN LEIDEN
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima benefited from Leiden’s expertise on China. To prepare for their state visit to China, the
royal couple met in Leiden with researchers and experts from the business and diplomatic sectors. Leiden is the only Dutch university
to offer a sinology programme.
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Ukrainian President Poroshenko called for a strong European Union. He was invited to deliver the Europe lecture by the Europe
Institute at Leiden Law School.
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ALUMNI
Leiden revisited: offline or online. Many alumni return to their alma mater for a masterclass, a mentor programme or an online
course. Young alumni can also visit the Coach Café to brainstorm with professional coaches about their career.
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‘From now on, the focus will be on the patient.’ Afghan medical students gain new insights in Leiden thanks to the lustrum project
‘Give students a chance’. This was not the only successful crowdfunding activity: the Leiden Observatory gained a solar telescope
and the Leiden Law School a Moot Court room.
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FREEDOM
University and city together commemorate their war dead in the Pieterskerk. Rector Carel Stolker honoured those
who stood up for others. Looking to the future, he commented: ‘The University aims to train young people who will
be able to make the right decisions later in their lives.’
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In the footsteps of the Soldier of Orange. The cast of the musical Soldaat van Oranje – the most successful production
in Dutch theatre history – visited the house on the Rapenburg where resistance fighter Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema lived
when he was a student at Leiden University.
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IMPORTANT GUESTS
‘Young people are increasingly distant from nature, but we can change that with botanical gardens.’ Nature conservationist Jane
Goodall made this comment in the Leiden Hortus botanicus. She was presented with a photo of the orchid named after her.
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Grand Mufti Shawki Allam, a specialist on Islamic law, examines an ancient Arabic manuscript shown by Leiden Arabic
specialist Petra Sijpesteijn. After the attack on Charlie Hebdo, the Grand Mufti travelled throughout Europe to show the
moderate face of Islam.
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PHD RESEARCH
Did you know that mothers are quicker to correct their children than fathers? And that children learn more from digital
picture books than from traditional books? Leiden research at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences provides
new insights into children’s upbringing and learning.
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Queen Juliana was not an unwilling victim of faith healer Greet Hofmans. In the mission
to Uruzgan, politicians did not set specific goals, but simply jumped on the bandwagon.
In their publications, researchers reconstruct political history and show trends.
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INNOVATION IN TEACHING
The Leiden Teachers’ Academy, an initiative of Vice-Rector Simone Buitendijk, now has 17 fellows. They are the drivers
of innovative teaching methods at Leiden University.
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The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science approved the application for a master’s programme in Pharmacy. The
Leiden programme aims to differentiate itself by training patient-focused pharmacists. The University and the LUMC
are hoping for accreditation in the short term so they can offer this new master’s from the 2016-2017 academic year.
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ONLINE LEARNING
The whole world can follow free MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) offered by Leiden University: International
Law in Action given by Larissa van den Herik (video still), Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Miracles of Human
Language and Clinical Kidney Transplantation. Which will you choose? Every year, the range of MOOCs increases.
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What made denim jeans such a success? Timo de Rijk and other Leiden professors gave lectures on this and other
fascinating subjects at the Universiteit van Nederland, a platform for free online lectures.
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DISTINGUISHED ACADEMICS
It’s people that make the University what it is. Notable appointments in 2015: former ‘maths girl’ Ionica Smeets was
appointed Professor of Science Communication; Piet Hein Donner, Vice-President of the Council of State, was this
year’s Cleveringa Professor; North Korean dissident Jang Jin-sung became a guest professor; and Professor of
Astrophysics Ewine Dishoeck is to become the new president of the International Astronomical Union.
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In their inaugural lecture, new Leiden professors elaborate on their specialist field: Aske Plaat discussed how data science
helped in the fight against Ebola. Job Cohen discussed how the distance between citizens and government can be reduced.
Miranda van Eck is developing an innovative method for delivering medicines to clean blood vessels.
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CEREMONIES
Three honorary doctorates were awarded on the University’s 440th anniversary:
Thanks to harpsichordist, conductor and musicologist
William Christie, French baroque music has enjoyed
renewed and widespread appreciation.
Economist Peter Katzenstein is regarded as the most
influential scientist in the area of comparative political
economy and international relations.
Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You was honoured for her dedication to human rights and in particular to women’s rights.
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‘Universities are merely the guardians of an intellectual inheritance that they themselves did
not create,’ commented Stefan Collini, Cambridge professor and guest speaker at the opening
of the Academic Year. He expressed his doubts about marketisation and the preoccupation with
efficiency at universities.
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HEALTH
Developing stem cell therapy for children with serious immune disorders. Faster diagnosis and better treatment of
pancreatic cancer. Investigating the role of thyroid hormones in dementia. Designing medication that matches the
patient’s DNA. The European Horizon 2020 funding programme facilitates a lot of important research at the LUMC.
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Major Horizon 2020 funding: the team headed by Professor of Toxicology, Bob de Water, received 30 million euros for
research on animal-free testing methods to determine the toxicity of different substances.
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RESEARCH
Around 5 December the discussion about the famous Dutch character ‘Zwarte Piet’ (Black Pete) always flares up in the Netherlands.
Judi Mesman, Professor of Diversity in Parenting and Development, is researching how young children see Zwarte Piet. She has
discovered that children associate the character more with clowns than with people of colour. Rikki Holtmaat, Professor of
International Non-discrimination Law, addressed the legal aspects of the Zwarte Piet issue in a debate at Leiden University.
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Leiden research confirmed that the Dutch military used structural and excessive violence in Indonesia. In Soldier in
Indonesia, historian Gert Oostindie described the war of decolonisation through the eyes of soldiers. Together with
his students, he examined ego documents such as diaries and letters.
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STUDENTS
More than ten per cent of Leiden students take part in an Honours track. In the ‘Change Makers’ Honours Class,
students think up projects to improve the living environment in Leiden. They presented their ideas at a meeting in
Leiden’s City Hall: more green roofs, an improved shopping street and a facelift for De Kopermolen shopping centre.
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A very clever performance. Hedda de Roo, who is almost deaf-blind, graduated with distinction. Her research focused
on mood disorders in the visually impaired. De Roo has set up a foundation to raise funds for further research on Usher
Syndrome.
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IMPACT
Who has a robotic work station? The Open Access Research Infrastructure portal of the Faculty of Science makes it
easy to see what equipment is available, thus saving a lot of time and money. The University actively encourages open
access initiatives.
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The Leiden Bio Science Park will become a real campus in the coming years, with more accommodation, shops,
restaurants and attractive meeting places for scientists, students and business people.
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YOUNG TALENT
Neuropsychologist Marcia Goddard, who won the Dutch final of the Famelab science competition, obtained her doctorate
based on her research on autism. Every year some 400 people are awarded a PhD doctorate at Leiden University.
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Student entrepreneurs made a micro-3D image of King Willem-Alexander, the size of a grain of salt. The micro-3D printing
technique devised by student company Idris Solutions also has many medical applications. On King’s Day, Mayor of Leiden
Henri Lenferink was presented with the printed image by Willem te Beest, Vice-President of Leiden University.
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THEORY AND PRACTICE
Theory and practice go hand in hand. Students in Leiden attended lectures by journalist Sander van Hoorn and Diederik
Samsom, leader of the Dutch labour party. Public officials in Leiden discussed democracy at local level with Job Cohen,
Thorbecke Professor by Special Appointment.
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The year in images
A lot happens in a year at Leiden University. Our researchers make
discoveries; our students follow lectures; we transfer our knowledge to
society. We have an impact in the media and through our partnerships
with companies, hospitals and other universities in the Netherlands and
internationally. We receive guests who inspire us, and we celebrate
special occasions and awards. We strive to create a good environment
in which to work and study. This brochure gives an impression of 2015,
the year that we celebrated the 440th anniversary of our University.
Want to know more?
Read about the stories behind the photos in 2015
at: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/impressions2015
Follow Leiden University in 2016:
www.leiden.edu
www.universiteitleiden.nl/newsletter
Twitter.com/UniLeidenNews
Facebook.com/UniversiteitLeiden
Youtube.com/UniversiteitLeiden
Impressions of 2015 was produced by:
Photography: Monique Shaw 2, 3, 18, 24, 32 (above
right), 34, Marc de Haan 4, 5, 7, 10, 17, 21, 25, 27, 28,
36, 44, Hielco Kuipers 13, 22, 23, 35, 46 (above), 47,
Centre for Innovation 6, 30, Nickolas Barris 6 (inset),
JUST 7 (inset), Ivar Pel 8, ESO.org 9, Leiden University
Libraries 11, 39, Wouter Koppen 12, Martijn van Dam
14, Chris Gorzeman 15, Petra Sonius 16, Jeroen
Hiemstra 19, Stefan van Ruijven 20, Elena Vagengeim
26, Barbra Verbij 29, Universiteit van Nederland 31,
Ype Driessen 32 (above left), Henrik Sandsjö 32
(below right), John Moore 33, Bob van de Water 37,
Evert Elzinga 38, André van Haasteren 40, Marlies
Wessels 41, Pim Rusch 42, Studio Hartzema 43,
Eelkje Colmjon 45, Taco van der Eb 46 (below).
Editorial: Strategic Communications and Marketing
Directorate, Leiden University
Design: Noinoloi
February 2016