UT opens 65th anniversary year with Alumni Days

What alumni achieve is tangible and visible. Twan Korthorst (Electrical Engineering alumnus, 1996) is working with New Origin on the first photonic chip factory in Twente. Not a research plan, but an actual production facility.

Maryam Dodangeh developed her first Bluetooth chip in a UT lab during her PhD. She is now a senior engineer at Renesas Electronics, one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers. Reflecting on her time in Twente, she says: “My time in the IC Design group at UT laid the foundation for my career in chip design and gave me the opportunity, confidence and direction to grow further.”

On 8 May, both alumni will guide visitors through the journey from research to real-world application. The session will be led by Leontien Kalverda (Communication Science alumna), Programme Manager ChipTech Talent at UT. She will address a key question: how do you educate enough talent for this rapidly growing sector?

Twan Korthorst also reflects positively on his choice for Twente:
“‘The wise go east’ was the slogan more than twenty years ago to attract talent to Twente. I came here to study and never left. We have strong facilities, room for entrepreneurship and a region that seizes opportunities together. That’s something we can be proud of.”

Steven van Roon, manager of the UT Robotics Centre and founder of Mission I.A.M., will also host a session. He will present research into the development of a bionic leg that could enable people with an amputation to run an ultramarathon by 2030. The project brings together students, researchers and athletes.

In addition, the programme includes lectures on topics such as quantum communication, AI, VR, sustainability and the role of scientists in policymaking. Entrepreneurs Giels Brouwer and Maarten Kollen will discuss what they call ‘High-Tech Noaberschap’: the Twente combination of pragmatism, craftsmanship and collaboration.

The Alumni Days coincide with the weekend of the 54th Batavierenrace, the world’s largest relay race. On Saturday 9 May, the race will finish at the UTrack on campus. Alumni can attend the daytime programme and end the day at the finish line from the alumni tent.