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13 December 2024
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Bryce Benda

8 June 2023

Spinoza Prize winner Toby Kiers: ‘I was in a bit of shock’

Even though she is the youngest scientist ever to win the Spinoza Prize, Toby Kiers remains humble: ‘It is a recognition of the incredible collaborators I work with.’   What did you do when you first heard the news?  “I…
31 May 2023

‘Every programme needs a climate course’

Jorim Tielbeek, lecturer in neuroscience, believes that all higher education programmes should offer climate education. To promote his cause, he teamed up with Scientist Rebellion to stage an eye-catching event in the New University Building in early May.  Why should…
3 May 2023

Help! I have a smelly colleague

We spend more time with our coworkers than with our families, so what to do when one of them smells bad? ‘Addressing someone in the wrong way can lead to difficult situations.’
26 April 2023

‘For 10 minutes, I thought I was in the council’

Due to an error made by the election committee, Berfin Baran mistakenly thought she was elected to the university student council. “We’re all humans, everyone makes mistakes.” How did you react when you heard you weren’t elected after all? “It…
24 April 2023

Election results: four new parties in University Student Council

With five seats, the SRVU remains the biggest party, but als ChangeVU, De Vrijmoedige Studentenpartij, BAAD and the Liberal Student Party were elected. The turnout was a bit higher this year, maybe thanks to all the free grilled cheeses handed…
23 March 2023

How whale poo and artificial clouds might reverse climate change

In a master class at VU Amsterdam, climate expert Sir David King proposed two innovative solutions for climate repair: artificial whale poo and cloud machines. “Because he is such an amazing speaker, we decided to make this master class open…
17 March 2023

Will the fungus from The Last of Us turn us into zombies?

In the thrilling plot of the hit series The Last of Us, a fungus infects humans and turns them into zombies. Mycologist Vasilis Kokkoris sheds light on how realistic this scenario is.
3 March 2023

How our immune system plays an unexpectedly big role in Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease takes place both in the brain and in the blood, with immune cells playing a vital role. That is what Lynn van Olst discovered during her PhD research, earning her a cum laude degree.
16 February 2023

Students nominate journalistic platform for Nobel Peace Prize

Professor Wolfgang Wagner and his students have nominated the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) for the Nobel Peace Prize. “Their investigative works are often overlooked as a contribution to peace.” Wagner specialises in conflict and peace studies, which…
30 January 2023

Psychological safety helps to enhance workplace performance

Management teams with high psychological safety perform better than teams where psychological safety is low, according to new research by VU Amsterdam external PhD student Elmira Nijhuis. While it has long been known that psychological safety and good work performance…
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