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Onderstroom

The road that researchers travel is often full of twists and challenges. Luckily, detours sometimes lead to the most beautiful places.

Meander

Alumna Julie Van Overmeiren went from her desk to the field 

Dimitri De Waele: ‘Ambition and selfcare don’t always match’ 

Nele Wynants: ‘Leave more room for chance, intuition and unexpected twists’ 

Geoffrey Dierckxsens: "An academic career is no certainty"

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Opera singers and scientists sharing a stage? It probably never happened before, but on Thursday, May 2, it will. During the benefit gala ARIA for MS, the University of Antwerp and Opera Ballet Flanders will join forces. The goal: to put multiple sclerosis on the map and raise money for promising new research through the Antwerp University Fund. You can now <a href="https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/events/aria-for-ms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get your tickets</a>, thus contributing directly to the research.

New cell therapy can boost battle against MS

At the presentation of the Language Industry Awards, or LIAs for short, UAntwerp's <a href="https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/about-uantwerp/faculties/faculty-of-arts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Faculty of Arts</a> won two awards. The project "A Touch of Museum to Scale" received an award for the way in which the permanent art collection of the <a href="https://stroom.uantwerpen.be/en/the-source/museum-to-scale-2-0-is-more-than-just-a-feast-for-the-eyes-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Museum to Scale</a> is made accessible to everyone. Also <a href="https://duikintaal.be/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Duik in Taal!</a>, a campaign to get young people interested in studying languages, received an award. Some language teachers from UAntwerpen put their shoulders to the wheel.

Two projects Faculty of Arts win Language Industry Award

At the indoor world athletics championships in Glasgow, the Belgian Tornados captured the men's 4x400m world title for the second time in a row. Christian Iguacel, an alumnus of physical therapy and rehabilitation sciences, was one of four Belgian runners in the final.

Alumnus wins world title for 4x400m

In the book Een nuchtere kijk op alcohol (A Sober Look at Alcohol), Geert Dom (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) gives advice and insights on how to deal in a healthier way with beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. Dom compiles all medical-scientific insights and shows the visible and hidden effects of alcohol on the body.

Professor writes book about dangers of alcohol

Alumnus Warre Clarys (industrial sciences, 2023) wins the prestigious mtech+ Prize 2023 with the development of a digital skin model that mimics the heat distribution of skin and tumors. By training this model, the subcutaneous shape and depth of the tumor can be precisely measured. Clarys also won the public award from mtech as well as the Eos Prize.

Alumnus wins mtech+ Prize and Eos Prize

Doe maar niet (Better don't)&nbsp;is the title of the very first book by law student Amir Bachrouri, former president of the Flemish Youth Council. In the book, Bachrouri, who grew up in an underprivileged family, searches for levers so that all Belgian youth can prosper. The book presentation took place at De Roma.

Student writes book about the future of youngsters

Bart D'Olieslager (product development 1998) is the new CEO of the Luxembourg division of the telecom company Eltrona. In recent years he worked at Belgian telecom operator VOO, and also held a management position at Orange Belgium in the past.

Alumnus becomes new CEO Eltrona

The OVAM presents the annual Ecodesign Award for students. Kieran Franck (product development, 2023) won with the project Cyclowash, a system that filters microfibers and waste particles from the water of washing machines in laundromats. The filtered wastewater can thus be reused and the waste does not end up in our oceans. His colleague Emiel Goffin was laureate in the Industrial Design category. His Paccobox is a circular system where consumers can deposit the empty reusable packaging of their meals.

Alumnus wins Ecodesign Award

In Madrid, Em. Prof. Louis Beyens (Department of Biology) received the Lifetime Achievement Award Eug&egrave;ne Penard, presented by the International Society for Testate Amoeba Research. The biologist has been researching the impact of climatic fluctuations on single-celled organisms, more specifically scaled amoebae, in the polar regions since 1978. His passion for the polar regions has led to several popular science books, such as The Future Polar Bear.

Polar expert receives Lifetime Achievement Award

As a biostatistician, Prof. Niel Hens (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) was often in the media during the corona period with his models about the expected spread of the disease. Together with his UHasselt colleague Christel Faes, Hens now wrote the book What if?. The authors offer a look behind the scenes: which data was available? Which questions had to be answered first and why? The book offers guidance for anyone who wants to know what was behind 'the daily covid figures'.

Biostatistician writes book on daily covid figures

PhD student Annelies Augustyns (Faculty of Arts) won the audience award of the PhD-Cup with 1.800 votes. In her research, she investigates diaries from unknown Jewish Germans during World War II.

PhD student wins PhD-Cup audience award

Professor Annick Gilles (Translational Neurosciences)&nbsp;won the Annual Science Communication Prize with her book (h)OREN(dol)?! published in 2022. In the book she formulates clear answers to questions that patients with tinnitus may have.

Professor wins Annual Science Communication Prize

Professor Annick Schramme (Antwerp Management School) has received the Visser-Neerlandia Prize as a reward for her commitment to Dutch-Flemish cooperation, which runs like a common thread through her career.

Professor wins Visser-Neerlandia Prize

Martha Mutua (Development Evaluation and Management), Hannah Downes (Globalisation and Development), Abdulwahid Panganting (Governance and Development) and Colin Van Belleghem (International Relations and Diplomacy) were honoured by Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez at the presentation of the Prize for Global Research by the Province of Antwerp.

Four alumni win Prize for Global Research

Professor Joris Dirckx (Dept. of Physics) works on a science musical about Marie Curie, in collaboration with UAntwerp and Podiumacademie Lier. There will be a live orchestra, a cast of 70 and an international dance company. Tickets for&nbsp;Curieus&nbsp;can be bought on the <a href="https://www.musicalcurieus.be/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.

Professor makes science musical

Julien De Wit (Law, 2023), president of the Flemish Association for Students, published his first book.&nbsp; Ge(e)neratie (translation: (No) generation) is a plea for a society in which youngsters are more included in decision making processes.

Alumnus publishes book

Genetic researcher Lotte Van Den Heuvel (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) launched a podcast. In 'Plots, Doodeerlijk' (Suddenly, Deadly Honest) she talks with patients who have an incurable genetic condition. How do they cope with their diagnose?
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/04E4PXdHRDHFGhj880yYLn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Listen to the four episodes</a>

Researcher launches podcast

Alumnus Matteo&nbsp;Balliauw (Business Engineering, 2013) starts as Head of Data, Analytics &amp; Insights at the Royal Belgian Football Association.

New Head of Data at Royal Belgian Football Association

Alumnus Tom Ongena (Law, 1998) is the new - acting - chairman for Open Vld. Ongena, who is from Mechelen, has been seated in the Flemish Parliament since 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;

New chairman Open Vld

In his book&nbsp;Spring verder (Jump further), Youssef Deconinck (Organisation and Management, 2015) helps new entrepreneurs to survive their first year of business. As a coordinator for Xerius, he knows the questions entrepreneurs have through and through; the answers to these questions are now combined in one book.&nbsp;

First aid for entrepreneurs

Since 1989, EAIE promotes international education, with focus on learning, networking and knowledge exchange. Piet Van Hove (Dept. University &amp; Society) is the first Belgian president since establishment. His term will end in September 2024. The upcoming conference will be in September 2023, in Rotterdam.

First Belgian president European Association for International Education (EAIE)

Katrien Crauwels (Law, 1992) has taken the oath as the new President of the Bar Association of Antwerp. Crauwels is a partner at the law firm Crowe Spark Legal, where she mostly focuses on social law. &nbsp;

New President at the Bar Association

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of gay marriage in Belgium, Paul Borghs (Law, 2003) published Echt Verbonden &ndash; Geschiedenis van het homohuwelijk in Belgi&euml; (Truly connected &ndash; The history of gay marriage in Belgium). In this book, the alumnus tells all about Belgium becoming the second country in the world to legalise gay marriage.

Twenty years of gay marriage

Together with Kathleen Beckers and Annelien Van Remoortere, Karolin Soontjens (Faculty of Social Sciences) wrote Journalism Out of Balance<a href="https://www.aspeditions.be/en/book/journalistiek-uit-balans/19400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">?</a>. The book sheds new light on the debate on press bias. The book provides answers to the many questions surrounding perceptions, image damage, bias ... between political parties and journalists.

Journalism out of balance?

Sara Op de Beeck (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) was selected for the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany. For one week, the researcher gets to attend several lectures and has the opportunity to network with other young researchers. Moreover, Sara will have the chance to meet Nobel Prize winners.

Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

Alumnus and visiting professor Peter Piot (PhD in microbiology, 1980 and affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) won the Global Health Leaders Award. This award, presented by the World Health Organization (WHO), is given to him for his phenomenal achievements in public health.

Global Health Leaders Award

Student Jef Vandorpe (Law) won the VRT 1 television quiz &lsquo;1 year for free&rsquo; in early April. The prize was a whopping 85,000 euros. He will gift part of the prize money to his godson.

Winner '1 year for free'

Master of Law students Eva Devlieghere, Pieter Mertens and Charlotte Verstreken participated in the eighth edition of the Belgian Moot Court in Constitutional Law organised at the Council of State at the end of April. It was quite a success, because the trio went on to win all the prizes.

Belgian Moot Court in Constitutional Law

<span class="NormalTextRun SCXW201491465 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun" data-ccp-charstyle-defn="{&quot;ObjectId&quot;:&quot;7f6e2fc1-5842-4e86-9a15-b8a26bc58c88|9&quot;,&quot;ClassId&quot;:1073872969,&quot;Properties&quot;:[469775450,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,201340122,&quot;1&quot;,134233614,&quot;true&quot;,469778129,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,335572020,&quot;1&quot;,469778324,&quot;Default Paragraph Font&quot;]}">Three professors from our university recently released a new book. Dirk Avonts, Hans Keune and Roy Remmen (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) wrote&nbsp;Natuur op doktersvoorschrift (Doctor&rsquo;s prescription for nature). The book is about how nature can have an influence on human health.

Doctor’s prescription for nature

<span class="NormalTextRun SCXW12916827 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun" data-ccp-charstyle-defn="{&quot;ObjectId&quot;:&quot;7f6e2fc1-5842-4e86-9a15-b8a26bc58c88|9&quot;,&quot;ClassId&quot;:1073872969,&quot;Properties&quot;:[469775450,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,201340122,&quot;1&quot;,134233614,&quot;true&quot;,469778129,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,335572020,&quot;1&quot;,469778324,&quot;Default Paragraph Font&quot;]}">Student Elaheh Ahmadi-Eli (Alumna of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy and PhD student) recently became the new physiotherapist of Antwerp basketball powerhouse: Telenet Giants Antwerp.

New physiotherapist Telenet Giants Antwerp

Antwerp Zoo and Planckendael caught a new veterinarian: alumnus Jonas Spruyt (Veterinary Medicine, 2011). The ambitious and adventurous doctor was active abroad for many years and is eager to take on this new challenge.

New veterinarian at Zoo Antwerpen and Planckendael

Alumna Jacotte Brokken (Chemistry, 2015) succeeded Frank Deboosere as weatherwoman. In April Jacotte joined VRT&rsquo;s weather team.

Alumna Jacotte Brokken joins weather team VRT

Officer of the Order of Leopold: this title was conferred on Dominiek Dendooven (Department of History). He received the medal and certificate from Didier Vanderhasselt, the Belgian ambassador to India. In his research, Dendooven emphasises the important role Indian soldiers played during World War I.

Officer of the Order of Leopold

Andreas Pfeffer (Communication Sciences, 2003) is the new chair of Voka &ndash; Chamber of Commerce and Industry Antwerp-Waasland. Pfeffer is the CEO of temporary employment and recruitment agency Recrewtment.

New chair Voka

The birthplace of poet Paul van Ostaijen on Antwerp&rsquo;s Lange Leemstraat is bustling again. Matthijs de Ridder, Dennis Van Mol and Ewald Peters are three former members of staff of the Louis Paul Boon Documentation Centre at UAntwerp. De Ridder wrote a biography on Van Ostaijen, Van Mol and Peters worked out an exhibition around the poet&rsquo;s artist friends.

The birthplace of Paul van Ostaijen

Imposter mother, that&rsquo;s the title of Hanan Challouki&rsquo;s latest book (Communication Sciences, 2015). In the book, the alumna &ndash; an expert in inclusive marketing and communication &ndash; talks about her first, uncertain year as a mother.

Imposter mother

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