Stories of Science

Our researchers work every day on clever solutions for worldwide challenges to change the world and make an impact. Meet our heroes.

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reading time: 5 min

Joerie Kluijtmans: Hands-On with the Energy Transition after TU Delft
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reading time: 4 min

Artificial intelligence with a moral compass

The rapid development of artificial intelligence brings its own set of new ethical challenges. In her PhD research, Andreia Martinho is trying to bring the ultra-theoretical world of ethics and the practice of artificial intelligence closer together.
Levens redden met een eerlijk systeem voor rampencommunicatie

reading time: 4 min

Saving lives with a fair emergency communication system

We are all familiar with that uneasy feeling when your phone battery is low, the feeling of nearly being cut-off from communication possibilities. But what if your phone is nearly dead when disaster strikes and the battery of your phone literally can mean the difference between life and death? TU Delft researcher Indushree Banerjee has designed a novel fair emergency communication system that can save lives, by extending the battery life of smartphones.
'De lijntjes werden plots een stuk korter door corona'

reading time: 3 min

'The lines of contact were suddenly a lot shorter because of coronavirus'

TPM student Zara-Vé van Tetterode was chair of the Delft Student Council when coronavirus arrived. She is very positive about the cooperation with the Executive Board during the crisis, but she also sees how coronavirus threatens the mental health of students.
Slimme chatbots als goede raadgever voor angst

Reading time: 4 min

Intelligent chatbots as anxiety counsellors

Chatbots, on eHealth apps, have the potential to support people suffering from anxiety and other mental disorders. However, today’s chatbots still need to be sufficiently developed. For her Master’s thesis, Maria Chiara Mazza investigated how recognising students' linguistic patterns and personality could help improve the workings of personalized-chatbots. Her thesis secured her election as the Best Graduate in the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.
Zondebokcultuur staat veiligheid chemiesector in de weg

reading time: 3 min

Blame culture an obstacle to safety in the chemical sector

Everyone knows small mistakes can have large consequences. Yet when things go wrong in the chemical industry the results can be disastrous, as the recent incident in Beirut shows. Genserik Reniers, Professor of Safety of Hazardous Materials at TU Delft, wants to put safety on the map better than today, in order for human suffering and economic losses to be minimised as much as possible: ‘There's a lot we can achieve relatively easy.’
Gewoontes doorbreken voor een groene wereld

reading time: 4 min

Breaking habits for a green world

We separate our waste, take shorter showers and there has been an increase in roof-mounted solar panels. Climate psychologist at TU Delft Gerdien de Vries, sees that in the Netherlands we are trying to put our greenest foot forward.
Zo beïnvloeden digitale stemassistenten jouw leven

reading time: 5 min

This is how digital voice assistants influence your life

Voice assistants, like Alexa or Google Home are taking over households, in the USA anyway, where one in four households owns at least one device. These assistants that promise to make your life so much easier seem harmless, but are they really? TU Delft researcher Olya Kudina is not so sure: ‘They do impact our lives and not only in a good way.’
Een betere werksfeer door inzet van simulatiespellen

reading time: 3 min

Using persuasive games to improve work atmosphere

Cultural diversity and a mixture of people with different specialisations in a workplace can boost creativity and effectiveness. It can also lead to misunderstandings, stereotyping and misconception. TU Delft researcher Rens Kortmann studies what persuasive games can do to change that.
Cybercriminaliteit ontrafelen met de wetenschap

Reading time: 3 min

Using science to unlock the secrets of cybercrime

With everyone spending so much time online during the coronavirus crisis, cybercrime has also been on the rise. Criminals are attempting to take advantage of these unsettled times. But not if scientist Rolf van Wegberg and Master's student Jochem van de Laarschot have their way. They are working with the FIOD (Fiscal Information and Investigation Service) to help combat cybercrime.
Maakt wandelen en fietsen je gelukkig en gezond?

Reading time: 4 min

Can walking and cycling make us healthy and happy?

Do walking and cycling make people healthier, or are healthier people more inclined to travel actively? And how does the coronavirus affect our travel behaviour? These are the kinds of questions that scientist Maarten Kroesen is investigating. In his view, situations are often not as simple as they might seem at first glance. He is nevertheless convinced of one thing: we should be walking and cycling more.
Burgers betrekken bij duivelse beleidsdilemma’s

Reading time: 7 min

Involving the public in policy quandaries

The Dutch lockdown is provisionally set to last until 20 May. So how will life continue after that date? Niek Mouter is researching the public’s preferences with regard to various exit scenarios. It’s a subject that has sparked a lot of interest, with as many as 18,000 people taking part in this Participatory Value Evaluation in the first two days alone.
De stem van Solotvyno

Watching time: 7 min

The voice of Solotvyno

Former salt empire Solotvyno is located in western Ukraine. Today, the area suffers from the effects of salt extraction: an unstable subsurface resulting in massive sinkholes that threaten the life of the community. Two researchers from Delft University of Technology participated in a consortium to develop a disaster risk reduction plan together with the community. With the aim of giving the population a voice and building on a safer future. This short documentary provides insight into the process.