Read our latest magazine articles

To end (or start) the year right, we have listed all our magazine articles from August to December 2022 for you. This makes it possible to read them again at your leisure during the Christmas break. In each article, a UG researcher talks about his or her field of work.

Music tourism: from Abbey Road to Zoutelande

Abbey Road, Graceland, Père-Lachaise... these are all places that immediately bring to mind music or musicians. When music inspires places and feelings to fondly embrace and initiate an intimate dance, this is where music tourism emerges – a growing industry that, for example, allowed the song ‘Zoutelande’ by Bløf to become not just a hit, but also a commercial advertisement for the province of Zeeland. Read more

Why brain doping is mainly hot air

As a theoretical psychologist, Stephan Schleim wants to know all the ins and outs, down to the tiniest detail. He analyses the presuppositions of research and looks at scientific trends from a different perspective. Such as that of brain doping. Read more

Glue for the lungs

How is it possible that a gecko can hang from the ceiling? And why is a mussel able to stick so well under water? Nature’s mysteries are a source of inspiration for researcher Marleen Kamperman. She wants to make and market new materials. It may very well be possible in the near future that a doctor can ‘seal’ a damaged piece of lung. Read more

Science Shops: bridging the gap between university and society

Science shops. What kinds of things can you buy there? A knowledge sandwich? A wisdom smoothie? Bacteria on demand? It is not clear to everyone what science shops have to offer. And yet, they play an important role for society, researchers, and students, by facilitating organizations in hiring students to carry out research. This makes it possible to connect academic research and teaching to societal issues. A fantastic opportunity for all involved! Read more

How human prejudices sneak their way into computer programmes

Language technology has developed so incredibly fast in recent years that we can no longer imagine life without it. Applications such as autocorrect, Google Translate, and Siri are woven into our daily lives. But according to Prof. Malvina Nissim, Professor of Computational Linguistics and Society, such developments are not without their risks. It concerns her that users seldom stop to consider the active role that they themselves play in the development of language technology. Nissim will give her inaugural lecture on 2 December. Read more

Polarization: from resistance to connection

People are increasingly losing faith in the information coming from the government, academia, and policymakers. They no longer see legislation as a solution to their problems. In this context, the University of Groningen (UG) is organizing a Meet & Greet entitled ‘Perspectives on Polarization’ on Friday 18 November. The UG wants to use this opportunity to exchange knowledge and bring together different perspectives on polarization. The central question underlying the event is: How can we shape the society of the future? Read more

Winning a science award — by playing bingo???

On 25 October, a bingo cage was spun at the University of Groningen Library. From it fell three balls, with which the winners of the UG Open Research Award 2022 were announced. The lucky winners will be rewarded a sum of money as well as the opportunity to present case studies from their research during an event about transparency in science on 17 November. Chair of the jury Maurits Masselink explains the reasoning behind the lottery. Read more

Wanted: guide to escape city centre chaos

In our current on-demand economy, we have become completely used to fast delivery. Ordered today, on the doorstep of your home, shop, or restaurant tomorrow . But nice mid-sized European cities are at risk of getting jammed by the explosive growth of traffic flows. Three UG researchers spoke with transport companies, entrepreneurs, and policymakers in Groningen, Mechelen, and Bremen. This resulted in six future scenarios and a firm warning: ‘The path to sustainable urban logistics is narrow. Without direction by the local government, it will not happen.’ Read more

Helping wheelchair athletes go for gold

Winning gold at the Paralympic Games – a dream shared by many paralympic athletes. But how can you turn that dream into a reality? Movement scientist Riemer Vegter plays his part in this, ensuring that athletes and wheelchairs are as compatible as possible. Through the WheelPower project, the biggest paralympic wheelchair sports are joining forces to share real-world and scientific knowledge. Vegter: ‘You learn the most about human movement when you conduct research in situations in which the body no longer functions the way it usually does.’ Read more

Recyclable plastics for a sustainable future

Chongnan Ye is a member of the research group led by Katja Loos and is working on new, sustainable materials. For his PhD research, he created a library of promising, biobased molecules. The research is a unique collaboration between the University of Groningen (UG) and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Emmen, part of the University of the North. Read more

How your neighbourhood determines your opportunitie

‘This crisis is not too bad’, thought Sander van Lanen back in 2009, while working as an intern at Boomerang. He didn’t realize how bad it was until 2011, when he spoke to protesters on Syntagma Square in Athens. ‘That was the moment when I became interested in the effects of a crisis on various places and various people.’ By now, Van Lanen recognizes the problems of disadvantaged neighbourhoods, but also their strengths. Read more

The use of artificial intelligence in war

The capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) systems evolve swiftly and influence almost every sector of society. We are mostly used to the civilian uses of AI, such as image recognition to unlock smartphones, voice assistants that tell us the weather, or that new Instagram filter your friend has just used. However, such systems have also been implemented in applications not too familiar to many of us. One of them is a military application. Taís Fernanda Blauth analyses the legal aspects of these applications. She briefly answers some questions concerning autonomous weapons. Read more

Medieval animal trials: like animals?

Snails being solemnly banished for nibbling too much on the crops of the inhabitants of Autun, France. Dolphins, horses, moles, and flies being sentenced in court. Sven Gins investigates these kinds of medieval animal trials. We might have World Animal Day and a Party for the Animals in the Dutch House of Representatives, but are we really more humane? ‘Medieval people would probably be just as shocked to see how we treat animals in the bio-industry and in nature.’ Read more

Virtual job interview maps stress

The Psychiatry Department at the UMCG is conducting research on stress resilience, using virtual reality to properly map the impact of stress. This way you can create a stressful situation in a controlled manner. For this purpose, the visualization team at the Centre for Information Technology developed an environment in the form of a virtual job interview. Read more

Who were the readers of the Middle Ages?

Prof. Sabrina Corbellini conducts research into the history of reading in premodern Europe. Her research disproves persistent prejudices about the ‘dark’, ‘undeveloped’ Middle Ages. ‘The ability to read is essential to the functioning of society. This was the case in the Middle Ages, just as it is today.’ Read more

A robot to do your cleaning? A very realistic scenario!

A robot that vacuums, clears up, and takes out the trash: people have been dreaming of it since the first robots were developed. For a long time, it mainly seemed to be a futuristic utopia but, according to robot researcher Hamidreza Kasaei, it is closer than we think. Read more

Alumnus of the Year Iris de Graaf

Iris de Graaf, correspondent in Russia for the Dutch broadcasting organization NOS, has been elected Alumnus of the Year 2022. De Graaf will receive her prize on Septembre 5th during the opening of the Academic Year. The Russian invasion of Ukraine once again shows how important it is to have independent journalists such as her: people who know the facts, explain developments, and are able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Read more

A mitred prelate riding a sow

Historian Joop Koopmans studies the role and influence of media in the early modern period. For example, how did newspapers, cartoons, and pamphlets in the ‘Disaster Year’ of 1672 report on ‘Bommen Berend’? To mark the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Siege of Groningen and subsequent relief (Groningens Ontzet), Koopmans will hold a public lecture on this topic during the Alumni Day. Read more