Nibs

The American Physical Society is the professional society of physicists in the United States, with more than 45,000 members. About 20% of these are from other countries. Each year the APS elects about 200 Fellows, mostly, as in the case of Cees Dekker, for distinction in research.
Change-of-address

The relocation of TU Delft’s Student Administration is complete. The following Education and Student Affairs Department services are now available at the new location at Jaffalaan 9a: the Central Student Administration, the Student Administration, the International Office, the Student Counsellors and the University Psychologists. The visitors’ entrance for Jaffalaan 9a is on Mekelweg. The latest contact details for the Education and Student Affairs Department are available in the online TU Guide.
World’s smallest

Researchers from TU Delft and the FOM Foundation have successfully made and ‘tuned’ the world’s smallest piano wire. The wires are made of carbon nanotubes that measure approximately 1 micrometer long and approximately 2 nanometres in diameter. The tubes were attached to electrodes and initially placed above a layer of silicon oxide. This layer of silicon oxide was then partially etched away with acid, causing the tubes to detach and hang. A layer of silicon was placed under the silicon oxide. When a strong, variable alternating current was applied to this layer, the hanging nanotubes vibrated. By varying the strength and frequency of the applied current, the research group led by Professor Herre van der Zant succeeded in transposing the wire from a freely hanging state, to a state in which it was taut and vibrated. Van der Zant: “And as such it was like tightening a piano wire or guitar string. You could, as it were, tune the wire.” These research findings were published last week in the scientific journal Nano Letters.
Washing machines

The design of a washing machine looks the same as it did 50 years ago: a white box with an opening in the middle about 60 cm from the floor. This is ergonomically impractical however and means that elderly people are no longer able to do their laundry at home. According to TU Delft researcher Dr. Nicole Busch, this problem can be alleviated with a few simple adaptations. For her experiments, Busch used a washing machine ‘mock up’, whose height and angles could be adjusted. Then, in a ‘real life’ test, her laboratory research findings were verified by people doing the laundry at home. The test subjects were asked to load and unload the elevated washing machine. From this, Busch determined the specifications required for an ergonomically improved washing machine. According her findings, the ideal washing machine’s opening for loading and unloading should be 100 to 105 cm from the floor; the axis of the drum should be angled at 30 degrees from the horizon, and there should be a stand for placing the laundry basket on, so that laundry is located close to the opening.
Rooms

Beginning this academic year, foreign students who despise living in the spaceboxes can now move into the Marcushof, a former nursing home on the Roland Holstlaan. This month marked the official opening of this temporary hall of residence, where there are 118 furnished rooms for rent. The foreign students must share kitchens and showers. Most of the rooms measure 16 square meters and the rents range from 275 to 395 euro per month.
Language test

This week marked the start of the first English-language tests for instructors from the TU’s Faculty of Applied Sciences and Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. The tests will test the instructor’s proficiency in English and consists of computer tests and the so-called oral proficiency assessment, which requires the instructor to give a presentation to determine how proficient he or she is in English. The test will run until mid December, and only the deans of the various faculties will be privy to the test results.
Griffioen

Former Delta staff writer and columnist Rik Kuiper has one a prestigious journalism award, the ‘Glazen Griffioen’, which is awarded to a talented scientific journalist under the age of 35. Kuiper (29) wrote his winning article for the Dutch magazine Quest, which he is now the editor of. In his article, he asked various scientists, including TU Delft’s Professor Cees Dekker, what the greastest question was in their particular field. Dekker’s answer: where is the border between life and non-life?

American honor

TU Delft’s Professor Cees Dekker has been elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society ‘for seminal experimental discoveries of the electronic properties of carbon nanotubes and other contributions to nanoscience.’ The American Physical Society is the professional society of physicists in the United States, with more than 45,000 members. About 20% of these are from other countries. Each year the APS elects about 200 Fellows, mostly, as in the case of Cees Dekker, for distinction in research.
Change-of-address

The relocation of TU Delft’s Student Administration is complete. The following Education and Student Affairs Department services are now available at the new location at Jaffalaan 9a: the Central Student Administration, the Student Administration, the International Office, the Student Counsellors and the University Psychologists. The visitors’ entrance for Jaffalaan 9a is on Mekelweg. The latest contact details for the Education and Student Affairs Department are available in the online TU Guide.
World’s smallest

Researchers from TU Delft and the FOM Foundation have successfully made and ‘tuned’ the world’s smallest piano wire. The wires are made of carbon nanotubes that measure approximately 1 micrometer long and approximately 2 nanometres in diameter. The tubes were attached to electrodes and initially placed above a layer of silicon oxide. This layer of silicon oxide was then partially etched away with acid, causing the tubes to detach and hang. A layer of silicon was placed under the silicon oxide. When a strong, variable alternating current was applied to this layer, the hanging nanotubes vibrated. By varying the strength and frequency of the applied current, the research group led by Professor Herre van der Zant succeeded in transposing the wire from a freely hanging state, to a state in which it was taut and vibrated. Van der Zant: “And as such it was like tightening a piano wire or guitar string. You could, as it were, tune the wire.” These research findings were published last week in the scientific journal Nano Letters.
Washing machines

The design of a washing machine looks the same as it did 50 years ago: a white box with an opening in the middle about 60 cm from the floor. This is ergonomically impractical however and means that elderly people are no longer able to do their laundry at home. According to TU Delft researcher Dr. Nicole Busch, this problem can be alleviated with a few simple adaptations. For her experiments, Busch used a washing machine ‘mock up’, whose height and angles could be adjusted. Then, in a ‘real life’ test, her laboratory research findings were verified by people doing the laundry at home. The test subjects were asked to load and unload the elevated washing machine. From this, Busch determined the specifications required for an ergonomically improved washing machine. According her findings, the ideal washing machine’s opening for loading and unloading should be 100 to 105 cm from the floor; the axis of the drum should be angled at 30 degrees from the horizon, and there should be a stand for placing the laundry basket on, so that laundry is located close to the opening.
Rooms

Beginning this academic year, foreign students who despise living in the spaceboxes can now move into the Marcushof, a former nursing home on the Roland Holstlaan. This month marked the official opening of this temporary hall of residence, where there are 118 furnished rooms for rent. The foreign students must share kitchens and showers. Most of the rooms measure 16 square meters and the rents range from 275 to 395 euro per month.
Language test

This week marked the start of the first English-language tests for instructors from the TU’s Faculty of Applied Sciences and Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. The tests will test the instructor’s proficiency in English and consists of computer tests and the so-called oral proficiency assessment, which requires the instructor to give a presentation to determine how proficient he or she is in English. The test will run until mid December, and only the deans of the various faculties will be privy to the test results.
Griffioen

Former Delta staff writer and columnist Rik Kuiper has one a prestigious journalism award, the ‘Glazen Griffioen’, which is awarded to a talented scientific journalist under the age of 35. Kuiper (29) wrote his winning article for the Dutch magazine Quest, which he is now the editor of. In his article, he asked various scientists, including TU Delft’s Professor Cees Dekker, what the greastest question was in their particular field. Dekker’s answer: where is the border between life and non-life?