Alumni newsletter - February 2025
New year, new resolutions! Maybe you want to stay more informed about what's going on in academia, develop yourself further or get in touch with old friends. Of course, this is where the Alumni Office can help. Follow us on social media and let us know if there are any changes in your (address) details, so we can continue to reach out and engage with you.
We also have a new resolution: to understand even better what our alumni care about. Therefore, this year we will regularly share short questionnaires in our newsletters. Your opinion will help us move forward, so we hope you fill them in. Happy reading!
Maike van ‘t Laar
Online marketer Alumni Office
Wilco Hazeleger appointed new Rector of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ
The Supervisory Board of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ (UU) has appointed prof. dr. ir. Wilco Hazeleger as the new Rector Magnificus of UU per March 27th, 2025. Hazeleger is professor of Climate System Science and currently dean of the Faculty of Geosciences. He succeeds Prof Henk Kummeling on 27 March 2025, who is calling on people to contribute to for his departure.
Healthy Planet
Healthy Planet is Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ's 2025 theme. Our planet is under pressure, facing complex challenges in areas such as sustainability, health and climate change. Urgent and transformative action is needed. That is why Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ collaborates with numerous partners to develop sustainable solutions that promote the health of both the planet and all living beings.
Your opinion matters!
As an alumnus of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, what digital information do you need? And via which channels do you prefer to receive that information? Your feedback helps us to better align our information with your needs.
Will you help us? Then fill in the questionnaire below. It will take a maximum of 10 minutes.
Making terrorism discussible in the classroom
TerInfo is a project of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, founded by history professor Beatrice de Graaf, to help schools discuss terrorism, political violence and disruptive moments. In doing so, TerInfo contributes to students' resilience. TerInfo's material is available for free to all teachers in primary education, secondary education and vocational education. The Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Fund received a fantastic contribution of 150,000 euros for this project from Vfonds, National Fund for Peace, Freedom and Veterans. This will allow TerInfo to further develop to become the national centre of expertise for discussing crisis and conflict in the classroom!
The Executive Board about their student days
Current members of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ's Executive Board - Anton Pijpers, Margot van der Starre and Henk Kummeling - share their personal experiences as students in the 1980s. For instance, Pijpers was a dedicated skater who divided his time between studies and sports, while Kummeling performed as a musician to earn a living. Van der Starre found herself in cultural circles and combined her studies with various side jobs. Their stories offer a unique insight into student life back then and reflect on the differences with today's student days.
Horse Power
Horse Power's mission is to help as many veterans with PTSD as possible, with a special focus on those who are therapy-resistant in the current setting. Unfortunately, this is the story of about 8% of veterans. Despite many regular therapies, they still experience severe PTSD symptoms and it is a daily struggle for them and those close to them.
With Horse Power 2.0, we therefore focus on both veterans and their loved ones, exploring the power of horse interaction to develop new, effective treatment methods. Help provide them with the support they deserve.
Online course: Understanding justice and fairness in energy transitions
Energy transitions are not just technological or economic shifts but have deep social impacts, often reinforcing inequalities by placing burdens on vulnerable communities while limiting their access to benefits. Exploring justice in energy transitions helps identify and address these issues, shaping fairer transitions. This course equips you with the tools to analyze energy transitions through a justice lens, connect them to your own energy use, and build arguments on what makes a transition just or unjust.
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