果冻传媒 Science Award: Best PhD thesis nominees

Lisanne Bergefurt PhD

The physical workplace as a resource for mental health - A salutogenic approach to a healthy workplace design at the office and at home

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Short description thesis:
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the interest in workplace design, with a new focus on both the office and the home, but has also caused a 25% rise in mental illness rates. This dissertation therefore explores how physical workplace characteristics 鈥� both at home and the office- influence employees鈥� mental health 

鈥淭he design of the traditional office and the home office should align with the diverse needs of employees to foster mental health in a new era of healthy hybrid working.鈥� 

Social Control Experience Design - A Cross-Domain Investigation on Media

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Short description thesis:
Collaborative media systems for private, shared spaces can shape group experiences and enhance togetherness between family members or friends. Through her research, Melanie has shown that allowing everyone to contribute to what is watched in the living room or listened to in the car strengthens social bonds - transforming movie nights or road trips into an inclusive, engaging, and memorable experience.  

 

"When we share the spotlight of media control, we're not just choosing to be entertained together; we're building connections and creating memories."

Melanie Berger

Vincent Debets PhD

Glassy Dynamics in Dense Active Matter

APPLIED PHYSICS

Short description thesis:
The behavior of cells in a variety of biological processes, most notably cancer metastasis, bears a remarkable resemblance to that of glasses. To improve our knowledge of such processes, they have sought to bridge the gap between the theoretical physics of glass formation and the non-equilibrium realm of living systems

鈥湽炒� is experience, and the essence of experience is self-reliance.鈥� 

Organic neuromorphic computing

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Short description thesis:
Her research focuses on using organic materials to create neuromorphic systems that mimic the brain's efficiency. This work enables smart, energy-efficient bioelectronic devices, such as disease-detecting biosensors. These advancements promise to revolutionize healthcare by integrating seamlessly with biological systems, leading to smarter and more adaptive medical technologies. 

鈥淓mbracing the extraordinary efficiency of the human brain鈥�

Eveline van Doremaele PhD

One鈥恠tep CO2 hydrogenation to dimethyl ether via packed bed membrane reactors

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND CHEMISTRY

Short description thesis:

In her research, she has found a way to turn carbon dioxide into a cleaner fuel for heavy vehicles, like trucks. This helps reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which are harmful to the environment. Essentially, we are turning a greenhouse gas into something useful, contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

 

"There is a plan B, not a planet B" 

Serena Poto PhD

(A Guide to) Antenna Measurements in mm-Wave Reverberation Chambers

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Short description thesis:
Every antenna in the world needs to be tested. Wireless testing is so complex that it takes up months of development time - an unacceptable delay in the semiconductor industry. To solve this problem, they developed and commercialized an instrument that performs many tests over 100 times faster, and more reliable.  

"Antenna measurement systems should be as innovative as the antennas they test."

Anouk Hubrechsen PhD

Laura Rijns PhD

Design rules to control supramolecular hydrogel-cell interactions

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

Short description thesis:
Every cell in our body is surrounded by the extracellular matrix (ECM): a fibrous network that provides mechanical support and biochemical information to cells. We engineered fully synthetic ECM mimics based on supramolecular hydrogels to grow cells and organoids into functional tissue, useful for drug screening and as tissue replacements.  

鈥淭he science of today is the technology of tomorrow鈥�

  • Thesis confidential

From Chaos to Control: Effective Approaches for Addressing Demand Uncertainty in Vehicle Routing

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING & INNOVATION SCIENCES

Short description thesis:
Despite increased availability of data, it remains essential to account for demand uncertainty when planning delivery routes. Only then, one can maintain efficiency, enhance customer satisfaction, and promote fairness in resource distribution, thereby contributing to societal well-being and sustainable logistics.  

" My research aims to optimize routing amidst uncertain demand while ensuring a fair distribution of resources"

Natasja Sluijk PhD

Ghada Sokar PhD

Learning Continually Under Changing Data Distributions

MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Short description thesis:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is deeply embedded in daily life, impacting fields like healthcare and education. Yet, current systems falter in adapting to rapid data changes. Adaptability is key for AI progress, enabling positive transformations. Ghada Sokar developed new methods that allow AI systems to continuously learn, adapting to evolving data. 

 

"In an ever-evolving world, AI systems shine through their rapid adaptability to changing data"