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UT continuing Zwarte Cross tradition

The Universitent will once again be pitched at the Zwarte Cross event in Lichtenvoorde on 24, 25 and 26 July. This year marks the nineteenth edition of the festival, and UT will once again treat visitors to lectures on nanotechnology, physics, climate change, robotics and other fascinating topics. The Universitent will have a new look and feel this year. It will once again be located in the theatre meadow, and all activities will be included in the Zwarte Cross theatre programme.

The Zwarte Cross festival in Lichtenvoorde, that welcomed more than 185,000 visitors last year (a new record), is an eclectic mix of motocross, music, stunts, theatre, humour and lots of craziness and hubbub. Amid the ruckus, the Universitent proved to be a welcome haven of erudition during the past five editions of the festival. More than 1,000 people visited the Universitent in 2014, and this year’s programme will put even more emphasis on science. For three days visitors can sit in on inspiring lectures by enthusiastic scientists. You can be sure that the sparks will fly! 

Universitent at the Zwarte Cross festival

Organizer Guus Rijnders of the University of Twente’s MESA+ research institute put the programme together. “Science is booming, there’s no escaping it,” says Guus Rijnders. “The organizers of the Zwarte Cross festival are convinced of this fact, and we of course are thrilled. The Universitent is a real eye-catcher where we can demonstrate hands-on science to a wide audience. We are immensely proud of the collaboration.” 

Scientists and music

The Universitent has seating for about 150 visitors and there is also standing room to handle spill-over crowds. The Playin’ L-Street Band & Friends, with Guus Rijnders on the guitar, will provide musical entertainment. Science on Tour students will conduct ‘household physics’ experiments. They will demonstrate superconductivity, high voltage, a Van der Graaf Generator, a Vortex machine and other scientific ‘magic’.

UT has booked a number of leading scientists and the lecture line-up is as follows:

Friday 24 July 2015 13:00 – 17:00

Gertjan Koster, “Zwarte Cross 1,000 years from now”

Mireille Claessens, “How potent are your proteins?”

Ton Spil, "Serious gaming, serious business"

Hanneke Gelderblom, “The physics of festival fluids: coffee and beer”

Albert van den Berg, “Chips for good health”

Kerensa Broersen, “Grey matter at Zwarte Cross”

Saturday 25 July 2015 13:00 – 17:00

Floris Zwanenburg, “Can you count on a single atom?”

Albert van den Berg, “Chips for good health”

Mark Huiben, “Høken for energy”

Edwin Dertien, “The robots are coming, what now?”

Jeroen Cornelissen, “From dancing plastics to soluble beer cups”

Guus Rijnders, “Pee smells better than you think!”

 Sunday 26 July 2015 13:00 – 17:00

Mark Huiben, “Høken for energy”

Ton Spil, “Serious gaming, serious business”

Manfred te Grotenhuis, “Coincidence does not exist!” (Radboud University)

Guus Rijnders, “Pee smells better than you think!”

Alexander Brinkman, “What makes quantum mechanics so interesting”

Gertjan Koster, “Zwarte Cross 1,000 years from now”


drs. J.G.M. van den Elshout (Janneke)
Press relations (available Mon-Fri)