The first edition of New Scientist Science Talent is a fact. The winner, Maaike Kroon, showed her research on sustainable separation methods 53 young science talents behind.
Last night, the first edition of New Scientist Science Talent Warehouse took place in the Silent, Amsterdam. What began a few months ago as an enthusiastic initiative to the editor table from New Scientist, became a great success. All eighteen universities in Belgium and the Netherlands nominated three young scientists from their universities for the price, which resulted in a list of 54 science talents with a wide range of scientific studies.
After selection of a jury and a ballot of the audience remained five finalists: Teun Bousema of Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Ann Bessemans of Hasselt University, Maaike Kroon TU Eindhoven, Cedric Ryngaert of Utrecht University and Sara Bals from the University of Antwerp. Each finalist received on the night itself the opportunity to present the essence and importance of their research in a short pitch. After that they got another question from the National Research Agenda.
Magic Trick
The evening kicked off with a presentation by Leo Kouwenhoven, professor of physics at the Delft University of Technology and an expert in the field of quatumfysica and quantum computers. With a simple magic trick Kouwenhoven quantum entanglement accessible tried to explain. He “entangled” two dice and then gave it one in a cup to someone in the audience. Shaking could, but obviously do not watch, because it would void the quantum position. Kouwenhoven he counted to three and both look at their dice. “Unfortunately, quantum entanglement of these ‘big’ objects is not possible, but if they were really entwined, then one outcome had been dependent on the other,” she Kouwenhoven.
After Kouwenhoven was time for the pitches of the Belgian ladies. On the basis of a shed nanoparticle Sara Bals explained how the atomic structure of a nano-material has an effect on the properties of the material. With this information it is working on the development of, among other transparent solar cells on your tablet. Ann Bessemans doing typographic research into the effects of fonts on poor readers. They gave the public new insights into the so-called rhythmic aspect of fonts and how a design can lead to fewer reading problems.
Steve Jobs moment
Then entered Maurice Aalders, professor of forensic biophysics of the University of Amsterdam, the stage. Enthusiastically he elaborated on the science behind blood stains and bruises. The world’s first Aalders developed a camera that forensic teams to determine the age of blood spatter. “This is my Steve Jobs-moment ‘, says Aalders.
After the break were still three pitches on the program. Teun Bousema aims to eliminate malaria completely from the world. For this, he is doing research into improved anti-malarial drugs not only inhibit the infection of mosquito to humans, but the infection from man to mosquito. For this, he set up his own laboratory and training institute in Tanzania. Lawyer Cedric Ryngaert an old-fashioned globe used to indicate the blurring of borders. The world is changing much by developing technology and increasing migration. Borders, as we now know, in which issues were not always well defined. He put the audience to think about questions such as: Where are the boundaries of the virtual world? Who has jurisdiction over what happens in the cloud?
Lingo balls
Maaike Kroon, divorce expert and New Scientist Science Talent in 2015, also opened some eyes during her pitch about separation methods in the c
hemische industry. “You may not realize this, but 80% of all costs in a factory go to separation processes. It consumes a lot of energy, “said Crown. On the basis of an example with Lingo balls she explained how it could be otherwise. “There is always one green ball into a tub of blue. You can imagine that it takes less energy to pull that one off the green bin then all blue. “And this principle applies to Crown in her separation methods. “By focusing on the minority component, can separate up to 95% less energy costs.
The New Scientist Science Talent in 2015 was awarded by jury president Alexander Rinnooy Kan, professor of economics and business administration at the University of Amsterdam. “Maaike Kroon combines an impressive scientific talent with a passion for sustainability,” said Rinnooy Kan. “A researcher to cherish!”
With a successful night behind us, we can safely say that a new tradition was born. So scientists get ready for 2016!
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