Meet the students in the running for UU’s student prizes

Next Monday, Utrecht University will present two awards to outstanding students as part of the ceremony marking the start of the academic year. This is the 19th edition of the Student Awards.

This year, nine students were shortlisted for the Social Impact Award, and nineteen were shortlisted for the Best Master’s Thesis Award. A jury chose three nominees for each category.

Social Impact Award
The nominees for the Social Impact Award are: Frederique van Aalst, a Master’s student in Neuroscience & Cognition and Neuropsychology; Jouke Nabuurs, a student in Global Sustainability Science; and Yeline Hoogmans, a Master’s student in Social Challenges & Policy Interventions.

Frederique is the founder of the Utrecht Geeft platform, which takes donations to help homeless people, refugees, undocumented persons and those who, for whatever reason, are struggling to make ends meet. Comprised of a team of seven, Utrecht Geeft has already helped a visually impaired, homeless man buy a pair of glasses and a young refugee receive boxing therapy.

Jouke is one of the co-founders of the Utrecht-based start-up Thermal Compost Systems, which aims to extract heat from organic waste. DUB has recently reported on a test setup on the grounds of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht Science Park. The system has since been developed further. He also helps fellow students find work placements and part-time jobs via the Global Sustainability Sciences Connect platform, through which they can also contribute to society.

Jouke Nabuurs. Photo: courtesy of the student

Yeline, who has also been interviewed by DUB, is the founder of A.S.A.P., an app that lets women contact people they know to let them know they feel unsafe on the street. The app was officially launched this summer. Yeline is also working to raise awareness of the fear that many women experience on the streets. She has recently organised an event at Utrecht Science Park on men's role in ensuring women’s social safety.

Yeline (right) during the event she organised at Utrecht Science Park. Photo: courtesy of the student.

Best Master’s Thesis Award
The three nominees for the Best Master’s Thesis Award are Olaf Nijssen, who has just graduated with a Master’s in Biofabrication; Connor Proudfoot, who now has a Master’s in Behavioural Ecology; and Miriam Osinga, a recent Master’s graduate in Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences who also has a Master’s in History and Philosophy of Science.

Olaf developed a new technique for cultivating cells which could make animal testing unnecessary. It also enables medication to be tested more quickly. Connor conducted research at Blijdorp Zoo into how Rüppell’s vultures, an endangered species, communicate vocally with one another. The student discovered that this communication is much more extensive and varied than in many other animal species. This finding supports the theory that socially organised animals, such as vultures, possess more complex forms of communication.

Miriam's thesis explored how human consciousness arose. She examined the controversial Orch OR theory, which posits that quantum processes in the brain are responsible for consciousness. Based on existing scientific analyses, she concludes that the theory is not yet convincing but may be valuable in debates on human consciousness between biologists and philosophers.

The winners of the two prizes will each receive a certificate and a cash prize of 1,500 euros.

Last year, the prize for best Master's thesis went to the Economics graduate Bas Kraan, who investigated which labour market policies work best for people covered by the Participation Act. The winner for best student initiative was Rowing Blind, which gives visually impaired people the opportunity to take up rowing.