Nienke Leenders at 'De nacht van NTR wetenschap' radioshow

Nienke was invited to talk about her PhD research into recycling polycotton waste textiles. She was live on the radio for a whole hour in the middle of the night and also discussed her research with listeners afterwards.
► Een nieuw middel om textiel te recyclen: zoutzuur! NTR radio, 19 June 2025.

Bernd Ensing at Klokhuis Vragendag 2025
On Saturday 14 June, the Klokhuis Vragendag 2025 took place at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam. With 4 other scientists, Bernd Ensing, from the field AI and Chemistry, appeared at the Vraag-Maar-Raak-Show at the event. 
► NTR: Het Klokhuis (NPO Zapp), Aftermovie Klokhuis Vragendag 2025, 14 June 2025

Chris Slootweg in AD on phospate recycling
After publication of the results of his 'We need you pee' project at the Lowlands music festival, AD interviewed him about the concept of phosphate recycling from human urine.
► Zo maak je landbouwmest van festivalplas: urine is goud waard. AD, 9 June 2025.

Bob Pirok in C2W on AI
On the occasion of the HPLC 2025 sympsium, C2W interviewd Bob about his contributions, in particular regarding the use of AI in analytical chemistry.
► HPLC2025: de zin en onzin van AI. C2W, 3 June 2025.

Joost Reek in C2W about the concept of exo-templating
The article refers to a recent publication in Nature Chemistry by the group led by Joost Reek, in which it is explained that, with ring-shaped molecules, you can now control the self-assembly of nanoparticles from the outside for the first time.
► Nanodeeltjes van buiten naar binnen maken, C2W, 22 May, 2025
► Read more on the HIMS-website

Pim Linnebank at EditieNL - The Scent of Rain
Pim explained in the TV show why it smells nice after a rain shower when it has been very dry for a long time. The explanation is that organic substances accumulate in the ground and on plants, and that the rain causes these molecules to become aerosolized so that you can smell them.
► Item about the scent of rain, EditieNL, 22 May 2025, starting at minute 11:30
► Or watch it on Videoland
► Waarom vinden we zomerregen toch zo lekker ruiken, Noordhollands Dagblad, 2 July 2025
► Noordhollands Dagblad via NexisLexis

Pim Linnebank at EditieNL - Steelfire
Pim was at the tv-program to explain that iron can burn and he did an experiment with steel wool, because it burns easily.
► Item on steelfire, EditieNL, 16 May 2025, starting at minute 1:00
► Or watch it on Videoland

Pim Linnebank at EditieNL - Habemus Papam
Pim Linnebank was at EditieNL to explain how to make white and black smoke, and how this is done in the Vatican. In short, a powerful oxidizer is added to the white smoke, accelerating the combustion and formation of steam and small ash particles. To create black smoke, substances that actually burn poorly, such as anthracene or tar, are added, which results in incomplete combustion and therefore extra soot particles. This makes the smoke black.
► Wachten op Witte Rook, EditieNL, 28 April 2025 (as of minute 03:36)
► Audio fragment used for Met het oog op morgen, 28 April 2025 (as of minute 04:20)

Telegraaf and AT5 on the new method of detecting gunshot residue
Chemists from HIMS, in collaboration with AMOLF researchers, have developed a new method to detect gunshot residue. The new method ensures that released lead particles light up (literally). De Telegraaf has a news item about it, without comment from the scientists (Arian van Asten and Wim Noorduin) involved, but with an enthusiastic response from a forensic expert from the Amsterdam police. Also AT5 had an item on the new method of detecting gunshot residue, with Wim Noorduin appearing in a video.
►UvA-scheikundige bedacht spray die politie nu inzet: "Looddeeltjes worden groen onder UV-licht", AT5, 19 May 2025 (in Dutch)
► Door looddeeltjes op te laten lichten zijn resten van schoten vuurwapen straks makkelijker op te sporen, De Telegraaf, 24 April 2025
► De Telegraaf via NexisLexis

Het Parool about the performance of the FNWI Ig Nobel team in NEMO
On Tuesday 15 April, Marc Abrahams, founder and organiser of the Ig Nobel Prize, will close the Ig Nobel Euro Tour with a festive evening at NEMO Science Museum. Het Parool looks ahead, with a description of the various speakers and their research. The Faculty of Science team that won an Ig Nobel last year is also present: Daniel Bonn, Antoine Deblais, Tess Heeremans and Sander Woutersen (IoP & HIMS respectively) received the prize for their research with drunken worms as a model for the movement of polymers.
► Wetenschap is niet alleen maar bloedserieus, en dat is precies wat de Ig Nobelprijs viert: ‘Synchrone hartslag voorspelt of je date slaagt’, Het Parool, 15 April 2025
► Het Parool via NexisLexis

Article on the work of group Amanda Garcia in C2W
The piece highlights how electrochemistry can drive greener chemical processes — and why it's a key player in the energy transition. 
► Electrons for green molecules, C2W, 2 April 2025

Maurice Aalders at Het Misdaadbureau
Maurice Aalders was one of guests at the NPO1 program 'Het Misdaadbureau' which was dedicated to the so-called 'green witnesses'; non-human biological traces such as plants, insects, pollen, etc.
► Het Misdaadbureau, 21 March 2025 (Starts at minute - 0.42)

Pim Linnebank at Editie NL
Pim Linnebank was at EditieNL to explain the dangers of cyanide, in response to the collided oil tankers that where feared to have 15 containers of sodium cyanide on board. This turned out not to be the case, because the containers had left the boat just before. 
► Aflevering 70: Angst voor gif in de Noordzee (starting at 03:45); EditieNL 11 March 2025
► EditieNL Aflevering 70 11 March 2025 Videoland

HIMS researchers in Folia in an article on startups and the Faculty of Impact
Tijmen Bakker, Ewelina Węglarz-Tomczak and Olivier Lugier talk to Folia about their startups and their experiences with the Faculty of Impact, a 'new national program for scientists who want to turn their research into a business with impact'.
► From science to business: these UvA researchers founded a start-up; Folia, 19 February 2025

Pim Linnebank at Editie NL
On 27 January and 1 February Pim Linnebank was  a guest at Editie NL. In one broadcast he explained about green pigments containing arsenic and in the other about butyric acid, which was used in an action of Extinction rebellion in an H&M that made several people unwell. 
The broadcasts can be viewed only with a Videoland subscription.
► Broadcast of 1 February (Item starts at minute 1); Editie NL, 1 February 2025
► Broadcast of 27 Januari  (Item starts at minute 8); Editie NL, 27 January 2025

Timothy Noël in Chemistry World
The RSC magazine writes about novel methods of adding fluorine to drug molecules and agrochemicals while avoiding PFAS persistency issues. Tim elaborates on this matter based on his own research using only a caesium fluoride salt as the source of fluorine.
► Putting the F in pharma. Chemistry World, 10 February 2025

Wim Noorduin on national televison presenting his lead detection kit
Wim was a guest at WNL op Zondag where he got ample time to demonstrate and talk about his method for lead detection that he developed together with PhD student Lukas Helmbrecht.
► WNL op Zondag met Wim Noorduin, 2 February 2025

Gert-Jan Gruter and Nienke Leenders on their successful research on polycotton recycling
Following their paper in Nature Communications, many news outlets reported on the remarkable results that were obtained in cooperation with Avantium. A selection:
► Veel oude kleding is nauwelijks te recyclen, dus maakt dit Nederlandse bedrijf er plastic van. Volkskrant, 29 January 2025.
► New research leads to viable solution for polycotton textile waste recycling. Phys.org 29 January 2025.
► Avantium vindt belangrijke oplossing voor recycling van polycotton textielafval. Duurzaam-ondernemen.nl, 29 January 2025.
► New Research Paves Way for Viable Recycling of Polycotton Textile Waste Texfash.com, 31 January 2025
► Old t-shirts left over? UvA scientists recycle them into sugar and plastic. Folia, 31 January 2025
► Fast fashion zonder afval? Avantium claimt doorbraak in ‘onrecyclebaar’ textiel. Change.inc 31 January 2025.
► Je spijkerbroek krijgt straks misschien een tweede leven als saladebakje. Trouw, 5 February 2025.
► Washing your laundry in hydrochloric acid. C2W, 6 February 2025.

More HIMS researchers in the media

Our Annual Reports provide overviews of media appearances and other outreach activities of our researchers: