News in Brief

Prometheus personnel union is hosting the Sinterklaas party at the Aula, starting at 14:00. All TU Delft personnel and their children are warmly invited to attend the event, where parents and children can enjoy special games and of course meet Sinterklaas and his helper Pete. Entry tickets cost 7 euro per person and includes drink, candy and presents for the kids.

,Ten million

TU Delft’s faculties had a collective budget deficit last year of 10.5 million euro, and their reserves funds weren’t always sufficient. For the coming year, TU Delft expects a budget deficit of 14 million euro. This amount consists of the 15 million euro of university-wide deficit, less the positive revenue of 1.3 million euro generated from various associations, foundations and companies TU Delft has stakes in. The university believes it is still owed 15 million euro from the Dutch central government for implementing the Bachelor-Master system.

,Quality

Students have graded the overall quality of TU Delft’s facilities, communication channels and educational organization as a 6.7 this year, or 0.1 points higher than in 2007, according to a logistics quality survey conducted this year for the fifth successive year. All 15,395 TU students received the survey with questions about issues like study areas, copy machines, exam scheduling and course registration. Only 37.7 percent of students completed the survey.

,Skinny facade

The Delft Hogeschool INHolland on the Rotterdamseweg now has the thinnest facade in the world. The four-storey high facade is just 45 millimeters thick. This stunning feat was achieved by using a combination of extremely strong cables to mount the 13-meter high facade and reinforced glass panels. TU Delft Professor Mick Eekhout (Architecture) is involved in developing this project. He explained that the cables run through a cavity in the double glass. The facade will be unveiled in mid 2009.

,Tragedy

A 21-year-old TU Delft architecture student, her sister and another passenger died in a car crash on the night of November 16, when the car they were traveling in hit a highway guardrail and then slammed into a concrete bridge support. The TU Delft student – Annemarie Waaijer – was driving the car. She was returning from a techno party in Gent with her sister Fleur (17) and her friend Demy Wuestenenk (17). The accident happened on the E19 in the direction of Breda. It is thought that Waaijer fell asleep at the wheel. Police report that no alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash. The three victims, who were all wearing seatbelts, died at the scene. Waaijer was a member of Laga, the student rowing club, and also a member of the Delftsch Student Corps.

,Urine machine

Astronauts aboard the international space station are trying to fix their urine machine, a vital piece of equipment that converts urine and sweat into drinkable water and would allow the space station to have six crew members onboard. Flight controllers asked station commander Michael Fincke to change the way a centrifuge is mounted in the $154 million water recycling system. Fincke was asked to remove the centrifuge’s mounts. “Fantastic! That’s something we can do,” Fincke told Mission Control. If the astronauts can fix the system, samples will be generated for testing back on Earth. The urine processor however only functions for two hours before shutting down. The water recycling system is essential for allowing more astronauts to live on the space station next year. Lead flight director Ginger Kerrick said engineers hope to fix the problem, but they’re also studying whether six crew members could still live at the space station even if the urine processor only works for two hours at a time. The international space station plans to expand from three to six residents next year.

,Feedback

If you’d like to comment on anything appearing on the English Page or on a university-related matter, or if you have a question or suggestion for us, send your emails to d.mcmullin@tudelft.nl. We welcome all feedback from our readers. Letters intended for publication should include your name and be no longer than 350 words. This edition of Delta is also available online at www.delta.tudelft.nl, where you can also access the English Page archive.

Sinterklaas

TU Delft’s Sinterklaas party on Saturday, November 29, is a great time for international staff and their families to enjoy a traditional Dutch holiday. Prometheus personnel union is hosting the Sinterklaas party at the Aula, starting at 14:00. All TU Delft personnel and their children are warmly invited to attend the event, where parents and children can enjoy special games and of course meet Sinterklaas and his helper Pete. Entry tickets cost 7 euro per person and includes drink, candy and presents for the kids.

Ten million

TU Delft’s faculties had a collective budget deficit last year of 10.5 million euro, and their reserves funds weren’t always sufficient. For the coming year, TU Delft expects a budget deficit of 14 million euro. This amount consists of the 15 million euro of university-wide deficit, less the positive revenue of 1.3 million euro generated from various associations, foundations and companies TU Delft has stakes in. The university believes it is still owed 15 million euro from the Dutch central government for implementing the Bachelor-Master system.

Quality

Students have graded the overall quality of TU Delft’s facilities, communication channels and educational organization as a 6.7 this year, or 0.1 points higher than in 2007, according to a logistics quality survey conducted this year for the fifth successive year. All 15,395 TU students received the survey with questions about issues like study areas, copy machines, exam scheduling and course registration. Only 37.7 percent of students completed the survey.

Skinny facade

The Delft Hogeschool INHolland on the Rotterdamseweg now has the thinnest facade in the world. The four-storey high facade is just 45 millimeters thick. This stunning feat was achieved by using a combination of extremely strong cables to mount the 13-meter high facade and reinforced glass panels. TU Delft Professor Mick Eekhout (Architecture) is involved in developing this project. He explained that the cables run through a cavity in the double glass. The facade will be unveiled in mid 2009.

Tragedy

A 21-year-old TU Delft architecture student, her sister and another passenger died in a car crash on the night of November 16, when the car they were traveling in hit a highway guardrail and then slammed into a concrete bridge support. The TU Delft student – Annemarie Waaijer – was driving the car. She was returning from a techno party in Gent with her sister Fleur (17) and her friend Demy Wuestenenk (17). The accident happened on the E19 in the direction of Breda. It is thought that Waaijer fell asleep at the wheel. Police report that no alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash. The three victims, who were all wearing seatbelts, died at the scene. Waaijer was a member of Laga, the student rowing club, and also a member of the Delftsch Student Corps.

Urine machine

Astronauts aboard the international space station are trying to fix their urine machine, a vital piece of equipment that converts urine and sweat into drinkable water and would allow the space station to have six crew members onboard. Flight controllers asked station commander Michael Fincke to change the way a centrifuge is mounted in the $154 million water recycling system. Fincke was asked to remove the centrifuge’s mounts. “Fantastic! That’s something we can do,” Fincke told Mission Control. If the astronauts can fix the system, samples will be generated for testing back on Earth. The urine processor however only functions for two hours before shutting down. The water recycling system is essential for allowing more astronauts to live on the space station next year. Lead flight director Ginger Kerrick said engineers hope to fix the problem, but they’re also studying whether six crew members could still live at the space station even if the urine processor only works for two hours at a time. The international space station plans to expand from three to six residents next year.

Feedback

If you’d like to comment on anything appearing on the English Page or on a university-related matter, or if you have a question or suggestion for us, send your emails to d.mcmullin@tudelft.nl. We welcome all feedback from our readers. Letters intended for publication should include your name and be no longer than 350 words. This edition of Delta is also available online at www.delta.tudelft.nl, where you can also access the English Page archive.