Jasper's day - A day along Science’s tracks
With a storm on the way and a conference on the horizon, Jasper travels to his hometown for a meeting. Along the way, he is treated to a visit to the Einstein Telescope and a lesson in Dutch railway logistics.
Jasper Knoester is Dean of the Faculty of Science. How is he doing, what exactly does he do, and what does his day look like? In each newsletter, Jasper offers a glimpse into his daily life.
Friday, 19 June
‘I’m awake before six. Xuefei has an early morning flight to London and is already up. For me, this will be my last working day before I leave for a conference in Singapore tomorrow – something to look forward to. I’ve had an excellent working relationship there for years, and it’ll be a lovely reunion with friends, colleagues and former PhD students. Today’s weather is a good preview of next week: tropical, with heavy showers expected this evening.
Science Deans’ meeting in Limburg
I have to go to Maastricht for a meeting of the science Deans and am eyeing the weather forecast with slight concern. There was already severe weather in Limburg last night, and train services there are still affected this morning. Still, I’m looking forward to the trip. The science Deans’ meeting, which takes place five times a year, is a very useful collegial gathering. It takes up a whole Friday afternoon and is always a lovely way to round off the week. It rotates amongst all the universities with a science faculty. So today I’m off to Limburg, which is extra nice as it’s where I was born.
Just after eight o’clock, I’m on the train. The journey is going surprisingly smoothly. I’m calmly preparing for the meeting. I’m chairing it this time, which requires extra focus and keeping a close eye on the time, especially given the large number of participants. From Utrecht onwards, I’m on the train with a few colleagues, so there’s plenty of opportunity to catch up and look ahead. Around half past eleven, we arrive in a sunny and hot Maastricht. I’ve been here countless times and it’s always nice to come back.
ETpathfinder
The nice thing about these rotating meetings is that we get the chance to look behind the scenes and see some extraordinary things. That’s certainly the case today. Before the meeting, we’re visiting the ETpathfinder. ET stands for the Einstein Telescope, the major European facility currently under development to detect gravitational waves. These are fluctuations in the curvature of space-time, caused by the movements and collisions of extremely large masses in the universe. They are a direct consequence of Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
The Netherlands, together with neighbouring countries Belgium and Germany, is bidding to host this facility in South Limburg; in preparation for this, a mini version of the eventual telescope is used here to explore and test the equipment that will ultimately be responsible for detection 300 metres underground. We are presented with a compelling account by staff member Gideon Koekoek and PhD candidate Emma Prins, which demonstrates that the ET will ultimately be a factor of 100,000 more sensitive than any currently existing detectors.
Putting science education and research on the map
Following this impressive tour, we head to the meeting room. Today’s agenda focuses on opportunities for collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Netherlands Defence Academy (NLDA), organisational development and the further professionalisation of our consultations, and the so-called ‘science narrative’. In this, we very briefly outline the importance of higher education and research in the science sector for politicians and people outside academia. All these topics are aimed at increasing the visibility, impact and potential of the science sector. It is good that we are working together on this.
I bring the meeting to a close at half past five on the dot, after which we enjoy the excellent Maastricht cuisine. At around half past eight, we walk to the train. The heavy thunderstorm that had been forecast has just passed by Maastricht, so we board the train without getting wet. Unfortunately, I cannot entirely escape the vagaries of the weather. After saying goodbye to the rest of my colleagues in Eindhoven, I find myself on a stretch of the journey where the bad weather is causing significant delays. It even looks as though I might have to travel back to Eindhoven, but I’m spared that. Wet and half an hour late, I arrive home before midnight. Kamiel is in town with friends. I’m making tea and watching the World Cup. Around 1 am, I go to bed in a bedroom that’s far too hot. The air conditioning I’ll have in Singapore soon suddenly seems like a pleasant prospect.’