Nibs

James Martin, a best-selling author on information technology, will have an institute named in his honor, looking at the global effect of technology. The gift starts at £700,000 a year, rising to £1.4m in perpetuity. Oxford’s vice-chancellor, Sir Colin Lucas, said this would allow mankind to gain “maximum benefit” from technological developments.’ The James Martin Institute will study the social, environmental and economic effects of computers. Researchers will hold discussions with leading business and government figures. Among the subjects debated will be emerging technologies such as genomics and nanotechnology. Dr Martin said: “The 21st Century will present humanity with unparalleled problems and opportunities. The institute will teach, pursue research and influence policy in areas that are critical to these challenges and to the future of world civilization. This is one of the most important activities a leading university could be focusing on today.”
Shortage

Research by MKB-Nederland has found that Dutch small and medium-sized companies are facing major shortage of qualified personnel and must therefore search abroad for employees. The research revealed that not enough young professionals are entering the Dutch labor market to compensate for the numbers of retiring baby-boomers. The result is that there will continue to be a shortage of some 15 to 93,000 fulltime employees per year.
Fulbright

TU Delft PhD students Caspar Chorus (TBM) and Freek van Leijen (L&R) have been awarded prestigious Fulbright scholarships to conduct five-month research in the United States. The scholarships are named after the US Senator J. William Fulbright (1905-1995) and are an important part of the international exchange program between the US and other countries. In total, forty Fulbright scholarships were awarded to researchers, students and graduates this year.
Magician

The Delft magician Lodewijk de Widt (27) has won the most prestigious award for magicians in the Netherlands, the Grand Prix. The former civil engineering student won the award for his act ‘Design4change’ during the ‘National Congress for the Art of Magic’ in Hoogeveen. De Widt is a specialist in close-up card tricks. De Widt wasn’t the only magician from Delft to win award, however: In the category ‘sleight of hand’ first prize was awarded to a local schoolboy, Dion van Rijt (13).

www.degoochelaar.nl
Bike wars

Secondhand bikes are hard to find in Delft, says the student union VSSD, and therefore the VSSD has decided to start selling secondhand bikes to first-year students. But local bike shop owners aren’t happy about this. Bike shop owner Paul Karlas, whose bike shop is near the Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, said, “we always have secondhand bikes for sale in our shop.” Karlas advertises the bikes on his website. But they are expensive: The lowest priced bike cost 175 euro, and the most expensive 495 euro. Expensive compared to the VSSD price of 45 euros. Karlas therefore says the VSSD is guilty of ‘unfair competition’. “45 euro is commercially impossible,” Karlas says. “Just one hour of work on the bike, a new tire and bell, cost more than 45 euro. These students are cheating the retail trade.” Karlas said that another bike shop owner in Delft has appealed to the Delft Chamber of Commerce to see if it can do something to stop the VSSD’s planned bike sales.
Sleepless nights

The TU Sports Centre will try to sound-proof its sports hall to prevent students who live on De Balthasar van der Polweg from being kept awake nights by noise from parties in the sports halls. The Sports Centre management decided to act after receiving many complaints from Balthasar van der Polweg residents who had suffered through a sleepless night on May 20, when StuD held its anniversary party in the sports hall.

Big gift

A British computing pioneer has financed the creation of a school at his alma mater, the University of Oxford, that will examine problems and opportunities of the 21st century. James Martin, a best-selling author on information technology, will have an institute named in his honor, looking at the global effect of technology. The gift starts at £700,000 a year, rising to £1.4m in perpetuity. Oxford’s vice-chancellor, Sir Colin Lucas, said this would allow mankind to gain “maximum benefit” from technological developments.’ The James Martin Institute will study the social, environmental and economic effects of computers. Researchers will hold discussions with leading business and government figures. Among the subjects debated will be emerging technologies such as genomics and nanotechnology. Dr Martin said: “The 21st Century will present humanity with unparalleled problems and opportunities. The institute will teach, pursue research and influence policy in areas that are critical to these challenges and to the future of world civilization. This is one of the most important activities a leading university could be focusing on today.”
Shortage

Research by MKB-Nederland has found that Dutch small and medium-sized companies are facing major shortage of qualified personnel and must therefore search abroad for employees. The research revealed that not enough young professionals are entering the Dutch labor market to compensate for the numbers of retiring baby-boomers. The result is that there will continue to be a shortage of some 15 to 93,000 fulltime employees per year.
Fulbright

TU Delft PhD students Caspar Chorus (TBM) and Freek van Leijen (L&R) have been awarded prestigious Fulbright scholarships to conduct five-month research in the United States. The scholarships are named after the US Senator J. William Fulbright (1905-1995) and are an important part of the international exchange program between the US and other countries. In total, forty Fulbright scholarships were awarded to researchers, students and graduates this year.
Magician

The Delft magician Lodewijk de Widt (27) has won the most prestigious award for magicians in the Netherlands, the Grand Prix. The former civil engineering student won the award for his act ‘Design4change’ during the ‘National Congress for the Art of Magic’ in Hoogeveen. De Widt is a specialist in close-up card tricks. De Widt wasn’t the only magician from Delft to win award, however: In the category ‘sleight of hand’ first prize was awarded to a local schoolboy, Dion van Rijt (13).

www.degoochelaar.nl
Bike wars

Secondhand bikes are hard to find in Delft, says the student union VSSD, and therefore the VSSD has decided to start selling secondhand bikes to first-year students. But local bike shop owners aren’t happy about this. Bike shop owner Paul Karlas, whose bike shop is near the Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, said, “we always have secondhand bikes for sale in our shop.” Karlas advertises the bikes on his website. But they are expensive: The lowest priced bike cost 175 euro, and the most expensive 495 euro. Expensive compared to the VSSD price of 45 euros. Karlas therefore says the VSSD is guilty of ‘unfair competition’. “45 euro is commercially impossible,” Karlas says. “Just one hour of work on the bike, a new tire and bell, cost more than 45 euro. These students are cheating the retail trade.” Karlas said that another bike shop owner in Delft has appealed to the Delft Chamber of Commerce to see if it can do something to stop the VSSD’s planned bike sales.
Sleepless nights

The TU Sports Centre will try to sound-proof its sports hall to prevent students who live on De Balthasar van der Polweg from being kept awake nights by noise from parties in the sports halls. The Sports Centre management decided to act after receiving many complaints from Balthasar van der Polweg residents who had suffered through a sleepless night on May 20, when StuD held its anniversary party in the sports hall.