FameLab Finalists 2018

Sebastien is a Belgian PhD candidate at TU Delft, working in the Biomaterials and Tissue Biomechanics section. He obtained a master’s degree on Aerospace Structures and Materials, and then made the switch from studying the materials used in airplanes to those used in human bodies. He now works on origami-based meta-materials that could lead to future bone implants. Apart from studying paper folding, he enjoys running, woodworking, classical music, and occasionally binge-watching Netflix series.

Marco was born in Italy, roughly 28 years ago, or so they told him. Always fascinated by dinosaurs and things that can burn, he studied Chemistry at the University of Pisa where he eventually got a MSc degree in Inorganic Chemistry.  Tired of good food and nice weather, he decided to move to The Netherlands to start a PhD in Molecular Electronics at the University of Groningen. Next to his love for Science, Marco deeply enjoys writing short bios for the different events he participates in.

Marcel obtained his bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in Groningen. He is currently finishing his Nanoscience master’s by studying the role of “RNA polymerization using external energy sources” in the origin of life. After that? Continue with his research as a PhD student. Is it only about research? No, explaining and talking about science to anyone who wants to listen are things that really define Marcel. Most likely this is why he is also a substitute chemistry-teacher.

Geert is a robotics scientist and engineer, employed as assistant professor at University of Twente and Lead R&D Engineer at Clear Flight Solutions, known for their robotic falcon that keeps airports safe. His research topic is best described as “energy-efficient biomimetic robots”. Geert also likes teaching and sharing his experience, knowledge and fascination regarding robotics. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children; making music; and sailing. 

Esma is eager to explore the world, which is probably due to her multicultural (Albanian and Belgian) background. During her childhood she developed a passion for mathematics and medicine, which led her to obtain a master in civil engineering- architecture and a second master in biomedical engineering. Currently, she is working as a PhD student at the Rotterdam Ophthalmic Institute, where she is investigating the side effects of the Baerveldt glaucoma implant.

Natalie received her medical degree in 2015. After working as a neurology resident, she started her PhD at the Department of Neurology at the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam. Her research focuses on new treatments in acute stroke. For this, she is currently involved in setting up a large clinical trial across the Netherlands and Europe. In her spare time, Natalie is a classical violinist and enjoys travelling and spending time with friends. She lives with her boyfriend, Rutger, in Amsterdam. 

Emmanuel is a Ghanaian PhD candidate in the Water Systems and Global Change Group at WUR. Being from a country where people’s livelihood are threatened by climate variability/change, he developed interest in improving the predictability of the weather and climate. His PhD research harnesses and integrate scientific and indigenous forecast for improve early warnings that enable adaptive decision-making. Aside science, he loves playing soccer and reading books on history, politics and religion.

Jair is a very enthusiastic person, a passionate teacher, and an ambitious cyber security professional. He loves spreading his knowledge and he does it in a very engaging way. He has big dreams, for example the one about ‘solving’ DDoS attacks worldwide. Hopefully, one of his main strengths is to fight hard for his dreams and convince others, like you and me, that his dreams matter for society and humanity in general. 

Alba wants to be everything. Explorer, musician, painter, philosopher, artist, climber, doctor... She ended up being a researcher. She is a PhD student at the AMC in Amsterdam, working on the design of a vaccine against the HIV virus. She is originally from a small village near Barcelona, where she studied piano and biotechnology. She moved to Amsterdam to study a master in biomedical science. And here she is, six years later, finishing her PhD and playing piano as much as she can.

Wen is of Chinese descent but she was born and raised on sunny Aruba. In 2010, she came to the Netherlands to pursue Higher Education. She obtained a BSc and MSc in Biotechnology at Wageningen University and Research. She is a PhD candidate in the laboratory of microbiology at Wageningen University & Research working on CRISPR. In her free time she loves to do CrossFit, bouldering and play board games with friends. When she is back home, she tries to surf and dive as much as possible!