“What technical solutions can you think of to reassure the people of Groningen after the earthquakes that have been occurring there?” That was the question that a select group of school students looked at on Friday 8 March during the In_Sight Day organized by ATLAS University College.

This project on earthquakes is typical of the innovative teaching methods used in ATLAS, a bachelor programme for outstanding students which starts in September. Combining technical and social insights in a creative way is one of the cornerstones of the curriculum.

As she welcomed the students to the In_Sight Day, dean Jennifer Herek said that she really valued the attitude of the ATLAS students, who were invited to participate on the basis of their CVs. The group included students from across the Netherlands and even some from further afield (Germany, Hungary and Switzerland). For tutors, the day was the perfect opportunity to see exactly what the ATLAS students are capable of. Much was said about healthy stimulation and making the most of the expertise of each individual student. The participants worked on formulating the problem and on preparing presentations, but they were also given a tour of the campus and got to find out a lot more about the ATLAS programme.

Hot topic

Earthquakes in the Groningen area have been making headlines of late. They are increasing in intensity, and gas extraction would appear to be to blame. Mark van der Meijde (ITC) introduced the subject. Scaling back the extraction of natural gas would have major economic consequences for the Netherlands and the students recognized that this was not a feasible solution.

Christian van Kampen (18) from Wijk bij Duurstede and Jana Bauer (19) from Germany worked on short-term solutions in their team of four students. The students were able to consult the In_Sight Day experts and, by using the vibration plate on campus, also got to know more about the actual effects of earthquakes. “The residents of Groningen need to be kept fully informed about the decisions being made and their anxieties must be reduced,” said the pair. “In Limburg, for example, people are much more familiar with the problem of earthquakes. In the short term, most of the solutions are at the social level. Technology is something for the long term.”

The In_Sight Day was enough to remove the last of any lingering doubts that Christian may have had. “I’m definitely going to sign up for ATLAS. The curriculum is challenging and the combination of the technological and the social aspects is really interesting.”

Presentations

The other teams also revealed some innovative ideas during their presentations. The assessors were very impressed. A range of technical solutions were put forward, including the injection of soil, using materials differently, reducing the intensity of drilling and switching to other forms of gas extraction. Practically all the teams agreed that the problem needs to be managed in one way or another and that people in Groningen should be involved in discussing the situation. A start could be made by providing more information and choosing popular representatives.

Some students also saw the funny side, suggesting that thrill-seekers or seismologists “might find it fun to move to Groningen” for example, or proposing that people in Groningen could be given a discount on their energy bills. “You ought to become a politician! Finally someone with a long-term vision,” remarked assessor Pascal Wilhelm (GW/ATLAS) to one of the students. After some time for socializing over drinks and pizza, the students left the campus at the end of the afternoon – tired, but somewhat the wiser.