Since criticising the war in Ukraine, Russian author and cardiologist Maxim Osipov has fled Russia. He has won various literary prizes in Russia and his work has had a very positive reception in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. This September, he will be Leiden University’s writer in residence and teach a course on Russian literature for a year. He will receive assistance from the Leiden University Fund’s Scholars at Risk Fund.
Following his own path from a young age, taking on challenges, asking for advice and inspiring others with the insights he’d gained: that was Laurent van Vugt’s (1939-2019) path in life. In his will he left a bequest to LUF, which his wife established as a named fund: the Camino Laurent van Vugt Fund.
Political scientist Juan Masullo receives a grant from the Elise Mathilde Fund (Leiden University Fund) to conduct his research project ‘Forging an Anti-Mafia Culture: Observational and Experimental Evidence from Italy’. Masullo aims to find out what ordinary Italians think of organised crime and to generate insights as to how to foster an anti-mafia culture.
Shelley van der Veek has received a LUF Gratama grant for a research project that aims to help parents teach their toddlers healthy eating habits by promoting sensitive feeding in the phase when toddlers become fussy about food.
The Committee for Academic Expenditure (CWB) of the Leiden University Fund (LUF) awards grants for research and teaching projects, ranging from € 2,600 tot € 35,000.
What kind of information is actually being shared? Alongside traditional media channels such as TV and newspapers, the rise of social media has made it incredibly quick and easy to inform the public. Do we have a clear enough picture of the spread of disinformation? And what are the underlying motives of people who believe fake news?
Rose Vossen has been named winner of the Young Star Award 2021. The Life Science and Technology student received the award on Monday from Ewine van Dishoeck. Professor Van Dishoeck is, together with her husband professor Tim the Zeeuw, the founder of the award. Vossen wins a cheque for 2,500 euros for her exceptional results as a bachelor's student. During her final bachelor project, she investigated which changes in the DNA cause very high efficiency in isolated baker's yeast mutants.
The third edition of the Krijn Rietveld Memorial Innovation Award was won by Anne Dirkson, former PhD student at Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS). During her PhD she researched the automatic collection of patient experiences from online forums. ‘With this work, Anne has shown how the exchange of knowledge between medical professionals, patients and researchers can become a closed circle,’ said the jury.
Dominique Moïsi, a professor at King’s College London, will be the first holder of the Owada chair. ‘In the present international context of polarisation and divisions within societies and amongst nations, any effort at bringing Asia and Europe closer to each other is truly important.’
Health Day has won the LUF Relationship-Promoting Activities Prize (LUF RAP). This 5,000-euro prize is awarded to an initiative by Leiden University students that brings the academic community together.
