Celebrating research and innovation: that is the goal of the annual TU/e Research Day. This year's theme was 'Curiosity Connects'. This fifth edition also highlighted exceptional achievements and the sharing of knowledge. Christian Borgs, a professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, was awarded an honorary doctorate by our university this year.
In her speech at the kickoff of Research Day, Rector Magnificus Silvia Lenaerts emphasized that TU/e was born out of curiosity and the urge to ask questions. "Seventy years ago, this university did not yet exist. What did exist were people with questions-in our case, chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineers-who looked at the world around them and wondered how it worked and how they could make it function even better." Seven decades later, that attitude remains the focus.
Interest in other perspectives
According to the rector magnificus, curiosity leads to collaboration and knowledge sharing, enabling researchers to achieve more together. This forms the basis of the One TU/e ambition, in which cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential. To tackle future challenges, openness, repeated collaboration, and a genuine interest in other perspectives are needed.
That interest also runs like a common thread through the academic career of Christian Borgs , a member of the Berkeley AI Research Group (BAIR). He received his honorary doctorate from Silvia Lenaerts. Borgs is a leading international researcher working at the intersection of mathematics, statistical physics, theoretical computer science, and AI for science. Borgs collaborates with TU/e professors Remco van der Hofstad and Nelly Litvak -who were also his honorary supervisors-on a variety of topics, including fairness in algorithms and the spread of information in network.
A passion for networks
During the Academic Career Forum, Borgs explained how he brought his academic knowledge to industry-and vice versa. He spoke about the importance of interdisciplinary work. Together with his wife, Jennifer Chayes , Borgs established the Theory Group at Microsoft. "We built a community that included not only mathematicians, but also economists, social scientists, and anthropologists."
In his presentation, Networks: The Fabric and Signature of Human Activity, Borgs shared his passion for networks and the mathematics behind them. He delved deeper into why we, as humans, value networks. The honorary doctorate recipient demonstrated how human interaction influences networks related to travel, the economy, and online recommendation systems.
Sharing experiences
Sharing knowledge and expanding one's network were central themes at the Innovation Expo and the new initiative Kickstart Your EU Academic Career. The initiative was designed to help young researchers navigate the opportunities for European funding and collaboration for their research. Fellow researchers and staff from the Research Support Office shared their experiences during an interactive session.
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Winners Science Awards
Accompanied by a festive presentation by University Professor Bert Meijer , the Science Awards were presented at the conclusion of Research Day. These awards serve as a token of appreciation for researchers and the research they conduct on behalf of our university. The winners received a financial reward to further develop their research.
Young Researcher: Minha Lee
Minha Lee from the Department of Industrial Design was presented with the Young Researcher Award. The jury's report stated: "Lee's research is a unique combination of AI, ethics, and design. Her work not only has a strong technological foundation but also makes an important contribution to future social and ethical issues." The jury views Lee as an energetic and inspiring researcher who explores new directions with vision and creativity.
The other nominees for this award were: Maarten Houben en Pavlo Bazilinskyy (Industrial Design), Marta Gil Pérez en Shahryar Ershad Sarabi (Built Environment) en Rianne Conijn en Albert Schrotenboer (Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences).
Groundbreaking Researcher: Federico Corradi
This year's Groundbreaking Researcher award went to Federico Corradi of the Department of Electrical Engineering . The jury praised his ability to "work across different disciplines as a researcher and effectively integrate them." They particularly valued his contribution to the application of neural principles in the semiconductor sector. "Corradi combines in-depth knowledge with an eye for practical application, making his work directly relevant and impactful," according to the jury report.
The other nominees were: Yali Tang en Xiaocheng Mi (Mechanical Engineering) en Marco Fattori (Electrical Engineering).
Leadership in Excellence: Carlijn Bouten
Carlijn Bouten from the Department of Biomedical Engineering , was honored with the Leadership in Excellence Award. The jury described her as a "versatile researcher: a leader in her field, yet innovative and capable of thinking outside the box. Throughout her career, she has also demonstrated a keen eye for young talent and fellow researchers. Bouten possesses natural leadership qualities and plays an inspiring role within the international academic community."
The other nominees were: Erik Bakkers , Sofía Calero en Andrea Fiore (Applied Physics & Science Education), Kitty Nijmeijer en Emiel Hensen (Chemical Engineering & Chemistry) en Tanja Lange (Mathematics & Computer Science).
Best EngD-thesis: Elze Swinkels
Elze Swinkels who has been connected to the Department of Biomedical Engineering was selected by all jury members as the winner of the best EngD thesis, titled "Prototype Development of an AI-Assisted Tuberculosis Screening Tool Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound." Her project focused on improving the diagnosis of tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries, where the disease remains a leading cause of death. Elze developed affordable and accessible screening solutions by combining ultrasound, AI models, and a standardized lung scan protocol.
The jury report: "Elze possesses in-depth technical and organizational skills. She also demonstrates the leadership needed to foster successful collaboration across cultural, geographic, and professional boundaries." The prototype Swinkels developed has already attracted the interest of healthcare professionals, research organizations, and policymakers. She has already received the KIVI EngD Award 2025 for her work.
The other nominees were: Georgia Skroumpelou (Built Environment), Sofia Iosifidou (Chemical Engineering & Chemistry), Quinten van den Elsen (Mechanical Engineering), Pradheepan Raghavan (JADS), Ishmam Hossain (Mathematics & Computer Science), Jasmijn Haverhals (Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences) en Ted Manders (Electrical Engineering).
Best PhD Thesis: Derek van Tilborg
According to the jury, the submissions for the best PhD thesis reflect the rich variety of fascinating and impactful projects in our PhD programs. There is a direct link to, and impact on, important and current challenges in society and industry.
The thesis by Derek van Tilborg of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, titled Molecular Machine Learning Beyond the Chemical Kármán Line, was selected as the winner. "Derek bridges theory and practice in a way that is still rare in this field. What makes his work exceptional is not only its scientific depth but also its impact. His research has already been cited hundreds of times and has influenced how scientists worldwide think about machine learning in chemistry," according to the jury report.
The other nominees were: Laura van Hazendonk (Chemical Engineering & Chemistry), Chris Verhoek (Electrical Engineering), Fernando Lit (Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences), Renee Noortman (Industrial Design), Mike Pols (Applied Physics & Science Education), Alberto Comoretto (Mechanical Engineering) en Marina Borzova (Built Environment).
TU/e Postdoc Association - Pitch for the Best Paper Award (BPA)
Every year, the TU/e Postdoc Association (PDA) presents the Best Paper Award. The PDA focuses on increasing the visibility of postdocs at TU/e. On June 15, Kunal Datta , a postdoc in the Department of Applied Physics & Science Education , won the award with his pitch titled When Solar Panels Get Wrinkles. During Research Day, he gave a three-minute pitch about his research into the formation of wrinkles (defects) in a new type of solar cell. Understanding the cause helps reduce these wrinkles and make solar cells more efficient and stable.
