We Are Science in 2023
What we did this year? Well, we ran for charity, moved a 2,000 kilo electron microscope and ate poffertjes in the garden. Oh yes, and together mapped out a strategy for the next five years. Warm up the fingers and get ready to scroll through the year of Leiden Science in 2023.
January - The year of the rabbit
The first of Janauary is not the only day you can wish people ‘a Happy New Year’. On 23 January, a day after the start of the Lunar New Year, the Leiden Science China Community hosted a New Year’s celebration in the Atrium. Over 300 people joined to celebrate and share culture.
April - Succesful comeback for Leiden Science Run: 65 teams raise 9400 euros for refugee students
Athletic achievements, enthusiastic supporters and a beautiful donation for charity: on Saturday 15 April, the Leiden Bio Science Park was the setting for the 5th edition of the Leiden Science Run. All this was accompanied by bright sunshine. ‘What a joy to be part of!’
This video can not be shown because you did not accept cookies.
You can leave our website to view this video.May - We Are Science Week
Playing games in the garden, battling colleagues on the Mario Kart racetraks and of course the traditional Beat the Professor PubQuiz. The We Are Science Week once again provided students and staff with a lot of fun and great meet ups.
-
Everyone could enjoy Dutch ‘poffertjes’ in the garden -
In the queue for coffee from a barista -
Playing games and relaxing in the garden -
Full house: during the Beat the Professor Pub Quiz two floors were filled with battling teams. -
Mission accomplished: this team won and beat the professors at the Beat the Professor Pub Quiz -
Playing Super Mario Kart on the big screen in the Atrium
Science at Work: Stories from our faculty
Olga Gadyatskaya
![](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/our-talents-and-discoveries/nominees/2022/olga-we-are-science.png/olga-we-are-science.png/d185xvar)
‘Girls can be hackers too’
Cybersecurity expert Olga Gadyatskaya works on all kind of security issues. Next to that, she hopes to inspire young girls to consider a career in cybersecurity.
Read the full interview with Olga Gadyatskaya
![](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/our-talents-and-discoveries/design/empty-bar.png/empty-bar.png/d700xvar)
![](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/our-talents-and-discoveries/nominees/2022/alexander-we-are-science.png/alexander-we-are-science.png/d185xvar)
Alexander Dürre
‘I use a statistical analysis to estimate my travel time by bike’
Why use Google Maps when you can also calculate your bike route based on your own data? Statistician and cyclist Alexander Dürre sees statistics in everything around him.
Read the full interview with Alexander Dürre
Roderick Bouman
![](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/our-talents-and-discoveries/nominees/2022/roderick-we-are-scicee.png/roderick-we-are-scicee.png/d185xvar)
‘We are like a regular museum. Except that our objects are alive’
Roderick Bouman is collection manager of the Leiden Hortus botanicus. He keeps track of which plants there are in the garden, where they come from and makes sure visitors can find the right information.
Read the full interview with Roderick Bouman
![](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/our-talents-and-discoveries/design/empty-bar.png/empty-bar.png/d700xvar)
Leiden Science podcast launched: sit back and delve in the world of Science
Do you ever wonder about extraterrestrial life? Or what robots can take over from us? And how safe are our smart devices actually? Learn the answer to these and other interesting science questions in our new podcast ‘Wetenschap op je gemak’ (in Dutch).
![](/binaries/content/gallery/ul2/main-images/science/sites/wiskunde-en-natuurwetenschappen/podcast/podcast-hortus-.jpg/podcast-hortus-.jpg/d700xvar)
Listen to more episodes of Wetenschap op je gemak
September - Connecting through curiosity
What does our faculty stand for and what will we do in the next five years? During the Opening of the Academic Year, Dean Jasper Knoester proudly presented our new strategic plan that we made together.
Thanks to joint efforts, we now have a clear course that sets the direction for the coming years.
![A proud dean shows the booklet.](/binaries/content/gallery/ul2/main-images/science/nieuws/2023/9/opening-academisch-jaar-science-2023-2024-lr-43.jpg/opening-academisch-jaar-science-2023-2024-lr-43.jpg/d700xvar)
Check out the impression of our new Gorlaeus Building
Bit by bit, the new Gorleaus building is taking more shape. The arcade stands, and above it now flaunts the name Faculty of Science. From spring 2024 onwards, we can officially take our place in phase 2a.
This video can not be shown because you did not accept cookies.
You can leave our website to view this video.September - Nalani Verwoord joins Faculty Board on behalf of students
At the kick-off of the new academic year, we also said goodbye to assessor Ava Bauer. Her successor is third-year Biology student Nalani Verwoord. On her programme are disposible plastics, the dining facilities and student welfare. ‘It is important that the university is a nice place for everyone to study and develop.’
This video can not be shown because you did not accept cookies.
You can leave our website to view this video.October - Celebrating Science with the Leiden Science Family Day
Elephant toothpaste, a trip among the stars or a lecture on mathematical juggling: on Sunday 8 October 2023, the Faculty of Science opened its doors for the third edition of the Leiden Science Family Day. A programme jam-packed with workshops, demonstrations, lectures and peeks behind the scenes for anyone curious about science. Plenty to do, thankfully, because the day was busier than ever.
This video can not be shown because you did not accept cookies.
You can leave our website to view this video.Women in Science
International Day of Women and Girls in Science: stories from women in physics
![](/binaries/content/gallery/ul2/main-images/science/lion/brenda-rovers-leem.jpg/brenda-rovers-leem.jpg/d390xvar)
For the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, women students and researchers from physics talked about what inspires them in their work. From quantum to cosmology and biophysics, their curiosity about how nature works is what connects these women.
![](/binaries/content/gallery/customsites/our-talents-and-discoveries/design/empty-bar.png/empty-bar.png/d700xvar)
International Women’s Day
New report on efforts for gender equility
RISE, the network for Researchers in Science for Equality, proudly presented her fourth biennial report. It outlines everything that has happened in term of gender equality at our Faculty: workshops, policy advice and interviews.
![Click on the cover page to read the RISE Biennial Report 2021-2023](/binaries/content/gallery/ul2/main-images/science/cover-report-rise-2023.png/cover-report-rise-2023.png/d700xvar)
Hooray! This extremely sensitive microscope survived its relocation
Moving an electron microscope of 2,000 kg is a delicate challenge. The highly sensitive instrument needed to be moved to a new measurement hall, but even a tiny bump could damage it. After a few nerve-racking weeks of preparing the move and reinstalment, the researchers finally have a verdict: the instrument still works.
-
A group of expert technicians, researchers and movers was required to get the job done. -
Over de doorstep: the smallest bump can damage the instrument, so extreme care is required. -
An unexpected setback: the door of the old measurement hall won't open fully. -
Lifting the extremely sensitive instrument onto a truck, because it is too large to move around the building. -
Yay! The instrument safely made it to its new location.