Faculty of Science - Universiteit Leiden

How Future Scientists Learn About the Future of Science 🧑‍🔬🔮

Mushroom cheese and mini X-ray scanners: students from the Honours College 'Beta & Life Science' delved into the future of science.

‘Do you love pizza?’ In front of a giant cheese slice poster, first-year student Jay discusses his group's research. ‘Then you might also like mushroom cheese.’ 🧀 And he's not the only one with a smooth pitch: in the hall of the Van Steenis building, 20 students share enthusiastic stories about the future of science. 🌱🔬

This presentation event marks the conclusion of the Science Skills Lab, a challenging course where first-year students extensively explore advanced science. It’s part of the Honours College 'Beta & Life Science' programme, designed to challenge our Leiden Science students 🧬📚

No dusty conference talks here! Instead, all pitches feature cheerful posters, powerful openers, and interesting trinkets. 🙌🏼

The cheese slice poster wins the beauty prize. And the best pitch? That definitely goes to the X-ray group, who, with an intriguing box and a compelling story, excellently captured the audience’s attention—a valuable skill for the scientists of the future. 🏆📊🧠

And then there was water! 🌊

What was once a gaping hole is now starting to look more and more like the promised pond under the Gorlaeus Collegezaal building (aka De Schotel 🛸)! The most important element has been added, in any case: the water! 💧🦆

Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to the official opening on September 2nd! 🗓️✨

3️⃣ S e p t e m b e r T u e s d a y T a l k s

We’re very happy to announce that our Professor of Science Communication will be speaker at this special edition of Tuesday Talks!🥳

📈Graphs are commonly used to communicate data about important topics or impactful messages, from scientific articles to mass media, and from patient information to political campaigns. Graphs should be designed to help readers interpret the underlying data correctly. However, as we all know, this is not always the case😅

How do you combat misleading graphs? Ionica tells all about it during her lecture! Will you join us? 🤩 More info via the link in our bio!

🚲🚲🚲 B i c y c l e P a r k i n g 🚲🚲🚲 S n e a k p e a k

In two months, the new bicycle parking opens! With almost 3,000 parking spaces for staff and student bicycles, the parking will be available from the start of the new academic year. 🚴🏼🚴🏼🚴🏼

The basement and ground floor will host the bicycle parking spaces, while the first floor will feature a charming rooftop garden with seating areas and a variety of plants 🌿🪻. Biology students were involved in designing the garden and will also maintain it.

Did you know that the bicycle parking is built on the old steel structure of the former Gorlaeus High Rise Building? 🏗️ During the demolition, the lower steel structure was preserved and repurposed as the foundation for this new facility, giving the steel a beautiful and sustainable second life. ♻️

🦟 ‘I've never heard people talk about midges and red larvae with so much excitement’ 🐌



From plain container to lively landmark: Animation/illustration student has brought the research of the Living Lab to life with a beautiful mural. 🎨

Evita: ‘The mural is an ode to the ditch and all the organisms within, inspired by medieval tapestries and antique botanical illustrations. It highlights how ditches are full of surprising invertebrates, insects, and microorganisms integral to our ecosystem." 🌾

Evita dedicated 97 hours over two weeks to painting everything by hand. Working on location, she had lots of contact with the researchers and incorporated their suggestions into the painting.

‘I aimed for the artwork to be both visually appealing and anatomically accurate. It was amazing to see lab members recognize the creatures with such enthusiasm! 🤗 I've never heard people talk about midges and red larvae with so much excitement. The result is a great example of how art and science can go hand in hand.’

If you’re in the area, be sure to drop by and see this cheerful piece in person! 📸

K e t i K o t i

'I long for a change, where I am rather seen as an individual person than as an example.'

Yesterday, at Keti Koti, the University's Diversity & Inclusion office () revealed a special exhibition in the inner courtyard of the Academy Building. It features 11 insightful portraits of students & staff and their answers to the question: What is the significance of the history of slavery for our present-day society? Our own assessor Nalani Verwoord () also shines in one of these photos.


Read the full story of Nalani and the other via the link in our bio.

The exhibition runs until 25 June 2025.



Portraits by

Our feathered neighbours are already enjoying the beautiful greenery that's growing on our new campus square 🩷🪿☘️ Have you spotted them yet?

A small world without walls🦠🔬

The Netherlands Electron Microscopy Infrastructure (NEMI) has announced this electron microscopic image of E.coli bacteria image of the month 🎉 The image, called ‘World Without Walls’ shows the emergence of L-form E.coli bacteria. In this form, the bacteria have (almost) no cell wall anymore. Without a cell wall, the bacteria are less sensitive to antibiotics. A world without walls opens doors to survival for E.coli.

The image was captured by Joost Willemse, facility manager of the microscope facility at the Institute of Biology Leiden.

📚 L-form" is short for "Lister form," named after Joseph Lister, a British surgeon known for his work in antiseptic surgery. It refers to the spherical form that certain bacteria assume when they lose their cell wall, as can be seen in this picture.

🪫♻️⛽ Green hydrogen is an indispensable ingredient of a future sustainable society, for the green chemical industry, as a fuel, and as a means of energy storage. Green hydrogen is the product of the electrochemical process of water electrolysis driven by renewable electricity.

Marc Koper's group investigates the molecular and physico-chemical basis of this water electrolysis.

Tuesday, he will talk about some of his recent research, and how he plans on addressing some of the most pressing remaining scientific challenges with the recently awarded Gravitation grant.

Come and join us! You can sign up via the link in our bio.

🗓️ When: 11 June
🕓 Time: 16.00-17.00
📍 Where: Gorlaeus building, CM.1.26

🌿🐝 The Netherlands is losing plant species that rely on pollination by insects. Leiden environmental scientist Kaixuan Pan (Leiden University and Naturalis Biodiversity Center) demonstrates this after analysing 87 years of measurements from over 365,000 plots. The news is alarming for our biodiversity and food security. ‘75 per cent of our crops and 90% of the wild plants rely on insects.’

Supervisors Geert de Snoo (Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie (-KNAW) and Koos Biesmeijer: 'We must continue monitoring to see if our protection measures have the desired effect. Both on insects and plants, because they are interdependent. That way, we can learn from the past, monitor the present, and positively change the future.’

Read the whole article: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2024/04/buzzing-decline-dutch-landscape-is-losing-insect-pollinated-plants

📸 : Co-author Leon Marshall

Buzzing decline: Dutch landscape is losing insect-pollinated plants The Netherlands is losing plant species that rely on pollination by insects. Leiden environmental scientist Kaixuan Pan demonstrates this after analysing 87 years of measurements from over 365,000 plots. The news is alarming for our biodiversity and food security. ‘75 per cent of our crops and 90%...

Hi! My name is Dylan and starting next week I will be taking you with me in the life of a student at the Faculty of Science at Leiden University📷.

I am a 19-year-old second-year student and ambassador of the Computer Science bachelor 💻! I'm going to take you on a day in my life, show you the best places in the faculty, and many more!

Do you have any questions or do you really want to see something? Send us a DM or check our story✉️!

I'll see you again next week with a new 🎓

✨Stargazing at la isla bonita 🔭

At beginning of this month, our second-year Astronomy bachelor students paid a visit to the Isaac Newton Telescope on La Palma for their observation run. Faculty Education Manager Arianne Pen-Oosterhoek had the opportunity to join: ‘It was an enriching experience witnessing these budding astronomers in action, putting their theoretical knowledge into practice under the breathtaking skies of La Palma.’ 🌌

‘The intensity and dedication these students displayed throughout the observation run were truly commendable. From meticulously planning their observations to operating the telescope with precision, each moment was a testament to their passion for astronomy and commitment to their craft. 🌠’

Erik Seijmonsbergens was one of the students that joined the trip: ‘Telescopes are those constructions you hear a lot about, but never actually see. To be able to see that they are not myths, but that they really exist and to witness their enormous scale, I found it the most intriguing aspect of the journey.’

📸Pictures by teaching assistant

This edition we will talk about fighting cancer with light!

Anticancer treatments come with a load of side effects. Leiden professor Sylvestre Bonnet is working on ways to effectively fight cancer without these side effects. HE does so with locally activated prodrugs. Prodrugs activated by visible light irradiation of the tumor using a laser are very promising and already in the clinics, but Bonnet is looking for ways to improve these medicines. Don't miss his inspiring talk!

🗓️ When: 9 April
🕓 Time: 16:00-17:00
📍 Where: Gorlaeus building, Atrium

Sign up via the link in our bio.

Keep the rooarrrrrrr 🦁 on the savannah!

These beautiful lion pictures were shot by former Leiden biologist .

Together with other scientists from Leiden and Kenya, she analysed the DNA of 171 Kenyan lions.

This way, the scientists prooved that human measures to protect lions, have an impact on the genetic health of their populations. 'By fencing reserves, for example, the chance of inbreeding increases.'

With the knowledge and tools from the research, management authorities in Kenya can better protect their valuable wildlife in the future.

Read the whole article via the link in our bio!

Driving on hydrogen and using it to heat our homes could be a solution to the climate problem. At least, if we start producing it in the right, clean way. Leiden researchers mapped out the global environmental impact of hydrogen production and looked ahead to 2050. They published their work in Energy & Environmental Science. ‘If we switch to hydrogen production through electrolysis with renewable energy as quickly as possible, we can prevent a lot of CO2 emissions.’

Read about the research of Shijie Wei (魏世杰), Bernhard Steubing and Arnold Tukker:

How the world can achieve climate goals with clean hydrogen production Driving on hydrogen and using it to heat our homes could be a solution to the climate problem. At least, if we start producing it in the right, clean way. Leiden researchers mapped out the global environmental impact of hydrogen production and looked ahead to 2050. They published their work in Energ...

🌲🐸🦊What's the best way to restore dune ecosystems? Our project TERRA-Dunes investigates the role of soil microbes in the development of natural dune areas. Recently, the project went into a new phase: plantinf 412 oak seedlings grown in different types of soils!

Could the 'transplantation' with soil (including microbes) from nearby locations help the restoration of the dunes?

Check the article on our website:
https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2024/02/how-oak-seedlings-teach-us-more-on-dune-restoration

Wishing each other a Happy New Year in late January? Indeed! On February 10th, the Chinese Year of the Dragon 🐉 commences. To mark the occasion, the Leiden Science China community hosted a Chinese New Year reception this past Monday for everyone to enjoy.

The bustling event featured activities such as calligraphy🖌️, knotting 🪢, and dumpling making 🥟.

Dean Jasper Knoester also joined in the festivities, remarking, "This is a true celebration of the blending of cultures, enriching our lives with diversity and inclusivity. By learning from each other and fostering collaboration, we pave the way for greater success in our studies and research.

🐉

Climate change changes the timing of natural events differently in each region. A problem for migratory birds, says environmental scientist Yali Si: 'It becomes quite a challenge to arrive everywhere at the right time.'

Mismatched timing: how climate change challenges bird migration How does climate change affect the migration routes of birds? Mainly negatively, according to a new study from Yali Si from the CML. ‘It changes the timing of natural events differently in each region,’ she explains. ‘This can lead to a growing mismatch between the availability of food and the...

In the upcoming 'Tuesday Talks: Science Insights', we will dive into the realms of quantum mechanics and nanotechnology! Carlo Beenhakker will tell us about his recent discovery. In addition to numerous scientific achievements, Beenhakker is also known for his engaging and comprehensive style of teaching and presenting. So, even if you know little to nothing about quantum mechanics, be prepared to walk away with new insights and inspiration!

Sign up via the link in our bio.

Photographer: Hielco Kuipers

A beautiful speech by vice-dean Bart de Smit, a mini-lecture on exoplanets and the presentation of our three faculty awards. That's how we started the new year at Leiden Science. Together with colleagues and students, we raised our glasses to a new year full of great collaborations, science and education.

Congratulations to:

🥇 👩‍🏫 Yamila Miguel, our Teacher of the Year

🥇 👨‍💻 Dominique Lawson, our Leiden Science Young Talent

🥇 📔 Bregje Brinkmann, the writer of the Best Thesis of the Year

Read all about the festive start of the new year:

Starting the new year together: these are the winners of faculty awards A beautiful speech by vice-dean Bart de Smit, a mini-lecture on exoplanets and the presentation of three faculty awards. That's how we started the new year at the faculty. Together with colleagues and students, we raised our glasses to a new year full of great collaborations, science and education.

Developing an extremely small nanochip, converting mathematical theorems into computer language, improving a new medication for atherosclerosis or countering nerve pain caused by chemotherapy... Our bachelor's students never cease to amaze us

During the New Year's reception, one of these excelling students will be crowned Leiden Science Young Talent of 2023.

We've spoken with the four students who are on the shortlist. Meet them and the other nominees on our website Leiden Science in 2023:
https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/science-talents-and-discoveries/faculty-awards/leiden-science-young-talent-award

Is our musicality unique? That’s what the Bird Singalong Project aims to find out. And for that, they need the help of feathered friends from all around the world. ‘By researching how parrots learn songs, we also learn more about the origin of our own musicality.’ Do you have a parrot that can sing or whistle along to songs and do you want to help? Sign up now!

'We started of with a Zoom meeting with 15 parrots!'

https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2023/11/wanted-singing-parrots---is-our-musicality-unique

✨️NEW!✨️ Tuesday Talks: Science Insights

Leiden Science’s monthly dose of research inspiration from our staff, for our staff and all other curious minds.

It is the successor of the lunch seminar series ‘This Week’s Discoveries’!

When: Every second Tuesday of the month, starting 12 December

What: Lecture featuring the latest insights from one of our research fields, presented by a faculty staff member, from 16.00 to 17.00 hrs.
The session will be followed by drinks and a meet-up until 18:00 hrs.

Where: Atrium Gorlaeus Building, first floor

More info: https://www.staff.universiteitleiden.nl/announcements/2023/11/new-tuesday-talks-science-insights

First edition:
📆 12 December, 16:00 hrs
📕 Networks of the Future
👨‍🏫 Michel Mandjes, Professor of Probability and Operations Research

🙏Please sign up if you want to join

More info and sign-up: https://www.staff.universiteitleiden.nl/events/2023/12/tuesday-talks-science-insights---12-december

The eye-catching arcade already gave it away a bit, but with these new letters, no one can get around it anymore: this is the Faculty of Science's new entrance!!

Since Thursday 19 October, the name 'Faculty of Science' flaunts on the façade of phase 2A! We are getting closer and closer to the completion of the impressive new Gorlaeus Building.

The arcade below the letters represents a voronoi, a mathematical diagram that is found in all the faculty's fields of study. What does it look like? Think of a soap bubble structure, which is a good example of a voronoi.

Any questions?
Do you have any questions? Please send an e-mail to: [email protected].

Op zondag 8 oktober 2023, tijdens het Weekend van de Wetenschap, opent de Faculteit Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen van de Universiteit Leiden van 11.00 tot 16.00 uur haar deuren voor iedereen die nieuwsgierig is naar wetenschap!!

Betreed een wereld van verwondering en ontdekking; waar wetenschap wordt omgezet in een onvergetelijk avontuur. Intrigerende experimenten, boeiende presentaties en interactieve workshops wachten op je.

Iedereen, van jong tot oud, is van harte welkom! We hebben een veelzijdig programma samengesteld dat speciaal is ontworpen om zowel kinderen als volwassenen te betoveren.

De toegang is kosteloos, maar om de dag soepel te laten verlopen, vragen we je wel om je aan te melden.

Meer info en aanmelden:

Leiden Science Family Day Op zondag 8 oktober 2023, tijdens het Weekend van de Wetenschap, opent de Faculteit Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen van de Universiteit Leiden haar deuren voor iedereen die nieuwsgierig is naar wetenschap! Neem een kijkje achter de schermen, bekijk spannende demonstraties, kruip in de huid van een w...

Vanavond is ons onderzoek in het tv programma Focus, 20.00 NPO2. Petra Grijzen bezocht het Levend Lab op de nieuwe locatie midden in het Leiden BioScience Park

He no longer works in Leiden, yet he is running in the Leiden Science Run this year. Former employee Dennis Hoencamp is not just a fan of this event: he once invented it! Together with 3 former colleagues, he will be participating in the relay race to raise money for the Stichting voor Vluchteling-Studenten UAF. And they are not planning to take it easy: 'Full speed and no air left once you cross the finish line, that’s the idea!’ Read the interview with Dennis:

Back to Leiden for the Science Run: ‘As founder, I just have to participate' Once a year, former employee and avid runner Dennis Hoencamp returns to his old workplace. That’s when he competes in the Leiden Science Run. As an event coordinator, he once devised the relay race as an anniversary activity. It grew into an annual event for the entire University and the Bio Scien...

And the winner of the NSE study associations competition is....
..🥁...

CDL! Congratulations!🥇

They had the most completed surveys with 43.63%. How did they manage that? By bringing biscuits🍪to their members between lectures when they had assessed their course! Very clever👏🏻CDL received a cheque worth 500 euros from student assessor Ava Bauer. With this they can organise an activity for their members. LBC came second and gets to spend 250 euros on an activity. Have fun!

Happy International Women's Day! 👩‍🔬💪 Here's a small gig to remind you that our Faculty is full of awesome women excelling in beta research, management and anything else they set their minds to. Proving once again that it does not matter whether you're male, female or anything in between or beyond!