Lectures and other contributions in 2020

For the general public

• Paintings research Pint of Science 23/09/20 (Katrien Keune)
• The future of plastics, Spui 25-lecture 28/02/20 (Gert Jan Gruter)

For highschool students and teachers

• Chemistry in Amsterdam (16/11/20 → 20/11/20): How research in chemistry contributes to making the food industry more sustainable Wybren Jan Buma talks about his research on molecules that can be used to increase yields in agriculture. 
• Coordination chemistry to make small cavities: Lecture for HBO students, January 2020 (Tiddo Mooibroek)
• Guiding research projects (profielwerkstuk) on sustainability-related topics, Centrum Jongeren Communicatie Chemie (Stefania Grecea)
• Profielwerkstuk support Atheneum College Hageveld Heemstede: Analytical Science in Operation Nightwatch (Katrien Keune)
• Profielwerkstuk support Keizer Karel College Amstelveen: Lead white in paintings (Katrien Keune)

HIMS researchers in the media in 2020 

Unsuccessful UvA experiment did result in 100% vegetable plastic
Ten years ago UvA scientists made a discovery, now there is the first product in the form of a plant-based chair. Gadi Rothenberg obtained a lot of media attention with the story about how his accidental “sticky mess” led to a 100% natural bioplastic. 
►25 December, Nu.nl
►24 November, RTV Drenthe  
►YouTube: The most sustainable chair ever!

How Algorithms Are Revolutionizing Liquid Chromatography
Bob Pirok and his team use informatics techniques to make LC more automated and pain-free. Technology Networks recently spoke to Pirok to find out more about his innovative algorithms.
►17 December, Technology Networks

Opinion: climate change more of a problem than a life threatening virus
In an op-ed article in De Volkskrant Jan van Maarseveen gives his opinion about the approach of combatting the climate change.
►7 December, De Volkskrant 

Isotopes make the bomb
UvA chemist Karlijn Bezemer (HIMS) investigates whether the chemical fingerprint of illegal explosives could help trace the culprit. C2W has a news item about her work
►4 December, C2W.

Powder letters
Powder letters were sent to various Dutch companies and institutions. How do you find out the sender of this type of threatening letter? Chemist Arian van Asten (UvA-HIMS) explains it in De Telegraaf and on the RTL Nieuws website.
►20 november, De Telegraaf (via LexisNexis)
►20 november, RTL Nieuws

"As far as the climate is concerned, it is one second to twelve"
For decades,  Jan van Maarseveen built ring-shaped molecules as part of drug research. Now he is trying to develop sustainable technology with molecules of this kind that should put a stop to the climate crisis.
►19 November, NewScientist

Climate crisis
Jan van Maarseveen talks to AD about new technology to stop the climate crisis.
►15 November, AD

Chemical Science article featured in C2W
C2W published an item about the paper of Thierry Slot and master student Nathan Riley (in Dutch)
►6 November, C2W

Circular chemistry
Chris Slootweg drew up the '12 principles of circular chemistry ' in 2019. MVO Nederland has an interview with him about this.
►16 October, MVO Nederland

Hydrogen peroxide against corona
Many dentists currently recommend rinsing your mouth with highly diluted hydrogen peroxide to kill the coronavirus. Does this work? RTL Nieuws asked UvA chemist Bas de Bruin (HIMS).
►9 October, RTLNieuws

"Molecular heaters" of plants
The technology developed by Wybren Jan Buma (UvA-HIMS) and Teun Munnik (UvA-SILS) to increase the temperature of plants via special molecules, which has recently been patented, is picked up by the specialized press. AgriHolland, Food & Agri Business and Greenity, among others, report about it.
►AgriHolland, 23 September
►Food & Agri Business, 23 September 2020
►Greenity, 25 September 2020

Can the climate problem be solved with nuclear energy?
In an interview with Nu.nl Bob van der Zwaan gives his opinion on this question.
►Nu.nl, 23 September 2020

Three-Dimensional Thinking
Noor Abdulhussain was interviewed by The Column (issued by Chromatography online) on her recently published article and the latest developments in 3D-printing for separation science. The interview was featured on the cover
► The Column
►11 September, C2W

PhD research of Karlijn Bezemer
►31 August, De Ingenieur

Flames at the Shell oil refineries
Bas de Bruin explains at EditieNL (RTL Nieuws) how this happens.
► EditieNL 13 August

Beirut explosion
In an item for EditieNL (RTL Nieuws), Bas de Bruin provided background on fertilizer explosions and the colour of the smoke cloud.
► EditieNL, 5 August.

Radical reactions
Interview with Bas de Bruin
►16 June, C2W

Cooperation with Chinese universities
Folia magazine interviewed Gadi Rothenberg on the pros en cons of cooperation with Chinese universities
► Folia, 7 May.

Disinfection of face masks
Fred Brouwer contributed to an item of Edition NL (RTL Nieuws) on desinfecting face masks using UV-light
► Edition NL, 27 March.

Rembrandt van Rijn's paint
Katrien Keune contributed to the TV programme 'Historisch bewijs' about a box with paint bags supposedly used by Rembrandt van Rijn. In an additional online edition of the programme she provides insight into the use of XRF scanning and X-ray methods.
► Historisch bewijs, 12 February.
► Historisch bewijs extra, 12 February.