Electable staff and students

Jakup

My name is Jakup Ratkoceri, and I have a background in telecommunications, computer networks, systems engineering, and emerging technologies. I have 20+ years of experience in both academia and industry, including teaching, research, product management, and network engineering. My work focuses on connecting technical knowledge with practical applications, especially in areas such as Systems Engineering, AI, Telecommunications, Semiconductors, Photonics etc. I am passionate about developing innovative solutions and supporting students, professionals, and organizations in understanding and applying modern technologies.

Tingting

Hello, I’m Tingting Zhu, an Assistant Professor in the Thermal and Fluid Engineering department. I work on heat pump research, teach Mechanical Engineering courses at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, and supervise PhD students. Since heat pumps are all about boosting temperature and energy efficiently, I would love to bring some of that same positive energy to help strengthen and “boost” our Faculty Council community, while contributing to open communication, collaboration, and positive engagement across the faculty.

Mohammad

My name is Mohammad Ebrahim Imanian, and I am a PhD candidate in the Biomechanical Engineering department. After speaking with fellow PhD candidates, postdocs, and researchers about their experiences, I decided to join the Faculty Council to represent their perspectives, concerns, and ideas. My goal is to contribute to smoother and more efficient research processes within the faculty.

Wieteke

Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to represent the voice of ET as Chair of the Faculty Council. I really enjoy being informed about everything that is going on within the faculty and, where necessary, engaging critically in discussions with the Faculty Board in order to represent the interests of ET staff and students. Over the past period, we have been actively engaged with the financial measures, such as those concerning teaching assistants (TAs). In the upcoming term, for example the renovation of the Horst building will be an important area of focus.

Laura

Hi everyone, I am Laura and I am a PhD Candidate in the Marine and Fluvial Systems group at the Department of Civil Engineering & Management. After a successful first term in the Faculty Council of ET, I want to be part of it again! The first term was a steep learning curve, and now that I am more familiar with how things work, I want to continue contributing to meaningful and positive changes within the Faculty. 

I am particularly interested in representing the junior employee community (PhD Candidates, EngDs, Postdocs…), as well as the Civil Engineering & Management Department, with special focus on the wellbeing of all employees and students.

1. Silberstein

Amir

I am a Civil Engineering student with a background in software engineering. I also studied Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, and alongside my studies, I work as an instructor and course developer for technology-related programs.


This year in the Faculty Council, I want to focus on three areas:

1. AI in education - AI is now a structural part of academic and professional life, and it is not going away. However, in most courses it is still treated as something external, a bit of a “grey area.” I want to work towards a clear, faculty-wide approach where AI is acknowledged and treated as a normal part of how students work on courses and projects, instead of something outside of them. I would also support introducing basic AI-focused courses or training for both students and staff, so there is a shared understanding of how to use it well in education and engineering work.

2. Collaboration between Dutch and international students - I am starting my third year in the Netherlands as an international student, and I see a lot of potential in our faculty for stronger collaboration between Dutch and international students. We have a diverse student population, and I think we can make better use of that in our daily learning. I would like to encourage more intentional mixing in group work, so this becomes a natural part of how we learn together in the faculty.


3. Feedback and quality of education - One of our biggest strengths here at the UT is project work and feedback. I want to support this culture by reinforcing early feedback, so students can adjust and improve while still working on their projects, and by improving how feedback is used in group projects, so both team and individual contributions are improved.

Higher education for me is a privilege, and a time where students can build knowledge and direction, and I want to help students make the most out of their time here.

2. Laaper

Rowan

My name is Rowan Laaper, and I will be electable for the ET Faculty Council of 2026-2027. Currently, I am in my third year of the Bachelor of Civil Engineering and for next year I would like to become part of the ET faculty council. There are several reasons I want to be in the Faculty Council:

First of all, I find it very important to be actively involved in my own and other people their study. The Faculty Council is a great opportunity to be involved and try to improve all studies in the ET faculty to make sure that the experience of all students within the faculty is pleasant.

The quality of education is also very important to me. For this reason I am also active at the board of ConcepT as Officer of Educational Affairs. However, this made me realize that some issues are very hard to fix on a smaller scale. To fix faculty wide issues, it is important to address these issues on that scale as well. The Faculty Council is therefore a good opportunity to fix these issues.

My drive to improve the ET faculty for everyone and my expertise and knowledge that I have already acquired as Officer of Educational Affairs will help me if I become part of the ET Faculty Council

3. Ax

Joanne

Hi! My name is Joanne Ax and at this point I’m rounding up my bachelor thesis in Civil Engineering.

During my board year, I have seen how decisions are made within the faculty and where student input gets lost. The faculty council is one of the places that can really shake trees and ensure that the faculty board takes students interests seriously! The reason I want to join for another year is to take on the opinion of students once again but this time with experience how to do this the best. My focus lies on the study environment of students and teachers. Last year I discovered that lots of student input gets lost, once decisions are higher up. This year my focus will be on clearer communication, better alignment in the faculty and showing the impact of a council like this. I am counting on your votes to maintain a healthy faculty.

4. Bertels

Simone

My name is Simone Bertels, and I am now almost at the end of my 4th year in Enschede and occupied with my double master’s in industrial design engineering & civil engineering and management.

In this election, I represent the party DAS, which stands for the Ambitious Student, emphasising the importance of developing not only your academic skills but also your social skills. I’m also active in multiple social clubs, like the sorority Spooky, Audentis & Break Even, while working a side job and trying to keep fit. I find it important to keep a healthy balance between study and personal activities. It is my ambition to keep informed about current (changes in) policies of the university and to communicate this to the students of the faculty, to safeguard and improve student well-being. In addition, I’m a daughter of a mixed marriage; this background helps me understand the concerns of both Dutch and international students. I want to use this characteristic to our advantage. Vote for me this June!

5. Veenhof

Larissa

I am excited to present myself as a candidate for the Faculty Council of ET. Before I share why I believe I can make a positive impact, I would like to introduce myself!

My name is Larissa Veenhof, and I am a third-year Mechanical Engineering student. A couple of months ago I finished my board year at my study association W.S.G. Isaac Newton. In my board, I fulfilled the roles of Commissioner of Internal Affairs and Commissioner of Committee Finances, next to this I was also the Commissioner of Well-Being. During this year, I learned a lot of new skills. A key part of my tasks was engaging with many students to understand their perspectives, which I found fulfilling.

I am someone who enjoys listening to others, hearing what they think about important matters, and I can voice my opinions well whenever needed. I believe these qualities would help me represent the interests of both students and staff of our faculty well. It would be an honor to represent our faculty in coming year!

The past year, I was also a member of the Faculty Council. Increasing student activism interests me a lot and I have been working on this topic. I would be happy to further work on this in the coming year! :)

6. van Buuren

Lieke

Hello! My name is Lieke van Buuren, and I am a 3rd-year IDE student. This year I am a part of the board of study association S.G. Daedalus as the officer of external affairs.

I am having a great time, and decided that I want to do some more for the students of the university. I am also always interested in how things work behind the scenes, and it is then especially nice to be able to make an impact for the good of the students! 

7. Schoenmaker

Janna

"My name is Janna Schoenmaker and I am in my second year of IDE. I am 20 years old and originally from Ankeveen, near Hilversum. I am the current Chairwoman of S.G. Daedalus, the study association of Industrial Design Engineering.

As a board member, I hear a lot of information, ideas and worries from students, which I think is important to bring into the Faculty Council as well."

8. Boerma

Bernd

Hey everyone, my name is Bernd Boerma. I’m 22 years old and currently in my fourth year of studying Mechanical Engineering. I have previously been a member of the Faculty Council, where I enjoyed contributing to discussions about education and student interests within our faculty. After taking a break from the council, I’ve decided to run again this year.

Especially in these changing times of budget cuts and uncertainty, I think it is important to keep the university approachable and accessible for students. I would like to help ensure that students continue to feel heard and that the quality of education is preserved within the faculty, which is why I’m eager to join the Faculty Council once again.