the dark side of the sun

Magnificent green and pink auroras are lighting up ever more southern skies. These awe-inspiring spectacles not only captivate us but also remind us that our little blue planet resides near an active star. As the Sun’s magnetic poles are about to flip, the super-hot, churning plasma at its surface reaches peak activity, creating sunspots and triggering violent phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. The Earth’s magnetic field acts as a protective shield against the streams of energetic solar particles, making it habitable. However, it does not protect us from all dangers. Radiation bursts penetrate the magnetosphere, and CMEs can trigger serious geomagnetic storms that disrupt our technology, as seen in 2022 with the Starlink satellites. What exactly drives the Sun’s 11-year cycle and eruptions? How brutal can they get, and how vulnerable are we and our technology today?

Diverse research around the globe and out in space is advancing our understanding of the Sun, space weather, and its impacts. On November 13, two prominent scientists in the field will visit the Science Café Nijmegen to update us on these exciting topics and discuss the latest insights. Daniel Müller, project scientist for the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter and SOHO space missions, will share a selection of these probes’ thrilling images and data, explaining what they teach us about the nature, workings and behavior of the Sun and the heliosphere. Viviane Pierrard, head of the solar wind division at the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy and professor at UCLouvain, explores with us the various effects of space weather on the Earth and its environment and on humankind. Throughout the evening, Lukas Proske on accordion and Michael Gustorff on bass guitar will play interludes of jazz standards and original compositions. Shedding light on its darker aspects, let’s get to know our star more intimately!

scientists /8pm Viviane Pierrard (BIRA-IASB, UCLouvain) and Daniel Müller (ESA)

music /7.30pm  Lukas Proske & Michael Gustorff

moderator          Ronald Kleiss

time                    Wednesday November 13th 2024, 7.30/8 – 10 pm
venue            
    The Shamrock, Smetiusstraat 17, Nijmegen

admission          free admission (no reservation)

language            English

info                     www.sciencecafenijmegen.nl

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SOLAR STORMS – the dark side of the sun

Magnificent auroras are lighting up ever more southern skies, reminding us of our planet’s proximity to an active star. As the Sun’s magnetic poles prepare to flip, solar flares and coronal mass ejections reach their peak, causing geomagnetic storms that can disrupt our technology. On November 13 at the Science Café, experts Daniel Müller (ESA) and Viviane Pierrard (BIRA-IASB, UCL) will share their insights on the workings of the Sun, space weather, and its impacts on Earth.

Graag nodigen wij je uit voor een inspirerende middag waarin we ingaan op de noodzaak en kansen van logistieke robots in de zorgsector. Tijdens deze sessie krijg je inzicht in hoe logistieke robotica de zorg kan transformeren en kan bijdragen aan efficiëntere processen, met experts die praktijkvoorbeelden delen en in gesprek gaan over de uitdagingen die nog voor ons liggen.

Programma:

14:30 – 15:00 | Inloop en ontvangst
15:00 – 15:05 | Welkom en introductie door de dagvoorzitter
15:05 – 15:20 | Plenaire presentatie: Maurice Magnée (HAN) over de noodzaak van logistieke robots in de zorg
15:20 – 15:35 | Plenaire Presentatie: Thijs Dorssers (NL Robotics) over het eco-systeem van robotica in NL en over medische & zorg robots 15:35 – 15:50 | Plenaire presentatie: Willem-Jan Lamers (Ambee) over praktijktoepassingen van logistieke zorgrobots
15:50 – 16:00 | Wisselmoment met drankje
16:00 – 16:30 | Deelsessies ronde 1:

    • Sessie 1: Sociale robotinteractie door Wouter Sluis-Thiescheffer, lector Mediadesign, onderzoeker Jasper Jeurens en docent/onderzoeker Elisa van Tuijl (HAN AIM)
    • Sessie 2: Acceptatie van technologie in de zorg door Maurice Magnée en docent/onderzoeker Clark Nowack (HAN-AGV)
    • Sessie 3: Behavioral operations door Dennis Moeke, Lector Logistiek & Allianties en hoofddocent / onderzoeker Nienke Hofstra (HAN-AOO)

16:35 – 16:45 | Wisselmoment met drankje
16:45 – 17:15 | Deelsessies ronde 2 (zelfde keuzes als ronde 1)
17:15 – 18:00 | Netwerkborrel

Goed om te weten

Presentaties zijn in het Nederlands en de toegang is gratis (wel even vooraf registreren). We verwelkomen graag nieuwe gasten, dus stuur deze uitnodiging gerust door naar relevante mensen in uw netwerk!

Registratie

Wij hopen je te mogen verwelkomen op deze inspirerende middag. Aanmelden kan via deze pagina.

To meet the demand for innovative treatments based on cell and gene therapy, it’s essential that we deliver solutions that are both faster and more cost-effective. Optimizing lentiviral vector (LVV) design and production is critical for advancing a subset of these therapies like CAR-T.

What are some of the main challenges? How can we boost LVV yield and enhance safety profiles? What insights can we gain from viral vector production applied in other areas like vaccines and gene therapy?

Join the J&J Innovation – JLABS program as we delve into the latest advancements in lentiviral vector design and production.

Register here: https://lentiviral.splashthat.com/nl

As October is slowly drawing to a close we are entering the last week of our Open Autumn Call. So far, we have an incredible response from tech startups. A record number of founders have handed in their applications to join the imec.istart.nl business accelerator program. Our call closes at November 1st, 23:59. So, if you want to join the worlds #1 university-linked business accelerator, take this opportunity now.

Book a meeting here.

LIOF, Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus and RQR Advisors are organizing an exclusive two-day workshop to prepare medical companies for the U.S. market. The U.S. market is attractive to European manufacturers of medical products due to its extensive healthcare expenditure and strong demand for advanced products and technologies. Due to the challenges on the European MDR-regulations, more and more medical companies consider going to the U.S. market parallel to or even before the EU market.

U.S. market is attractive

With the U.S. being the largest healthcare market in the world, successful access offers the opportunity for significant revenue growth. With only four percent of the world’s population, it represents roughly half of the $ 8 trillion worldwide health care economy.

Additionally, FDA approval can serve as a globally recognized standard for quality and safety, strengthening the reputation of products and facilitating access to other international markets.

For European manufacturers of medical products it’s crucial to thoroughly prepare for the U.S. market due to the FDA’s strict regulations, which require extensive documentation and clinical data. Good preparation is crucial to manage the high costs and complex procedures of approval and market entry. 

Workshop

In this two-day workshop, American experts from RQR Advisors address key topics that characterize the U.S. market and that are crucial to prepare for. They will be travelling to the Netherlands exclusively to give this workshop!

The workshop is in English.

Register

You can register via this link.

Key questions addressed in the workshop

  • Is there a market need for the technology and the various layers of the competitive landscape?
  • Will healthcare companies and consumers believe they need the technology?
  • Is there a pathway for coding, coverage and payment?
  • How does the founder align the marketing claims with the regulatory claims and then choose the correct regulatory pathway?
  • Are there key opinion leaders who will champion the product?
  • Will medical societies adopt the new technology as the new standard of care?
  • Is there a strategic buyer thas has an unmet need for the product in its existing portfolio?

By understanding and addressing these questions at an earlier stage in the development pipeline, founders and investors can decrease the risk of failure and increase the likelihood of success.

Location

The workshop will take place at the congress center MECC Maastricht.

Program

You’ll find the program below.  You can also download the program with an overview of the speakers here.

Beyond Safety Standards – Best practices for safe handling of inorganic chemicals.

Join us for an informative safety live-online training where we will explore essential safety guidelines and best practices for handling inorganic chemicals (acids, bases, salts, caustic alkalis) in laboratory settings. This webinar is designed for customers working in labs who are keen on enhancing their knowledge of safe chemical handling and improving daily processes regarding personal safety. 

The presentation will be given by:  Annett Schneider & Chrisitan Roth at Merck KGaA.

Register here.

Basics of Karl Fischer titration with tips and tricks for practical use.

This webinar will show what steps are necessary to achive correct and reproducible KF titration results. Theoretical background will be combined with practical demos live from the lab.

Topics that will be covered are:

  • Basics of KF titration
  • What is the difference between volumetric and coulometric KF titration
  • Titer determination in practice
  • Indirect methods in KF (external extraction and headspace oven)

The presentation will be given by: Stefan Kaus, Dr Jens Hillerich, Christian Funke at SI Analytics

Register here.

In November we are going to the east of the Netherlands!

On Tuesday, 5 November, Kickstart is hosting their meetup: “AI Startups West and East meet” in Arnhem at the Rozet Culture Center. It is co-organised with AI Hub Oost.

Featured Speakers: Rob Verheyen – Co-Founder, Deconcern Former theoretical particle physicist diving into advanced ML for environmental protection. Learn how Deconcern uses visual document understanding and graph neural networks to simplify regulatory control in hazardous substance management.

Wout Eggink – Founder & CCO, Twin AI Discover how AI is transforming traditional automation across sectors. Gain insights into AI’s role in optimizing manufacturing, supply chains, and customer interactions.

Connect with peers at the forefront of AI innovation, exchange ideas, and explore AI applications for your work or business.

Don’t miss this opportunity and register now to secure your spot! https://meetup-november5.kickstartai-events.org/

Het Health Valley Event 2025 (HVE) op 13 maart in De Vasim Nijmegen is dé plek om de toekomst van gezondheid en innovatie te ontdekken en is de bruisende ontmoetingsplek voor professionals in de zorg. Laat je gedurende de dag inspireren door verschillende keynote sprekers en de nieuwste innovaties op de beursvloer om met elkaar invulling te geven aan de transitie richting toekomstbestendige zorg.

Het HVE biedt je alles wat je nodig hebt om de toekomst van de zorg te verkennen: sessies boordevol inzichten, interactieve workshops en een beursvloer met de nieuwste innovaties. Ontdek hoe technologie de zorg verandert, raak geïnspireerd door praktische voorbeelden en benut de unieke netwerkkansen om samen te werken aan een toekomstbestendige zorgsector. Een programma vol waardevolle ontmoetingen en vooruitstrevende ideeën die je niet wil missen!

Meld je aan via www.healthvalleyevent.com en profiteer van 25% korting op entreekaarten met de code 25BRISKR25

Are you a researcher, company or startup working on robotics in agriculture or health? Join us on November 28th at the DesignLab in Enschede for the AI in Robotics event, where we will focus on cross-sector innovation of AI in healthcare and agricultural robotics. This event will explore how innovations in one field can inspire breakthroughs in the other, while also addressing the societal impact and acceptance of robotics.

Program
13:00-16:30 Robotics innovation market
13:00-13:30 Welcome & lunch
13:30-14:00 Plenary opening by [dagvoorzitter] and keynote by [keynote speaker]
14:00-14:45 Breakout sessions round 1
14:45-15:30 Coffee break & networking
15:30-16:15 Breakout sessions round 2
16:15-16:45 Plenary closing
16:45-18:00 Drinks & networking

The organization is in the process of finalizing the program, and we’d love your input! If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments section of the registration form.

Registration
Secure your spot and register here.