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447th Dies Natalis

Innovating and connecting

Date
Tuesday 8 February 2022
Time
Address
Pieterskerk
Pieterskerkhof 1A
Leiden

On 8 February 2022 the theme of Leiden University's 447th Dies Natalis will be innovating and connecting: the direction of our new University strategy that we will be launching that day

As a University, we are part of an increasingly complex society that is more reliant than ever before on science to resolve difficult societal issues, such as climate change and health care. In this position, we are challenged to innovate, to forge strong connections within and between scientific disciplines and society. Thus, we create interesting opportunities for research and education, that, eventually, may lead to promising applications with a significant impact on society.

Two Dies lectures

The two Dies lecturers this year are inspiring examples of how these aims can be achieved in practice. In their talks they will show how (independent) scientific research, and combining insights from different scientific disciplines can contribute to societal impact. Matthias Barz (professor of BioTherapeutics) has a background in chemistry and researches how nanotechnology can help develop new medical treatments. This research makes use of broad multidisciplinary expertise and completely new research applications. Meta Roestenberg (professor of Vaccinology) conducts research on the development of vaccines for poverty-related infectious diseases. She involves a broad array of areas of expertise and uses methods that bridge the gap between fundamental and clinical research.

Granting of honorary doctorate

Innovating and connecting are also clearly manifested in the research carried out by Rosemary Joyce (professor of Anthropology and Social Archaeology, University of California - Berkeley) through the combination of scientific fields and the clear connection she makes between her findings and developments in society. The faculties of Social and Behavioural Sciences and Archaeology will jointly confer an honorary doctorate on Professor Joyce in recognition of her research on culture and heritage in Central America and Mexico. Due to travel restrictions, unfortunately she will not be presented with the doctorate in person by Maarten Jansen, emeritus professor of Meso-American Archaeology and History (Faculty of Archaeology) and Marja Spierenburg, professor of the Anthropology of Sustainability and Livelihood (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences). Therefore we will make contact with Berkeley via a live video connection for the conferral of the doctorate.

University Medal

The Executive Board will award the University Medal to Dr Bart van Zijll Langhout. He has worked at Janssen for over 30 years, in the past years as lead at Janssen Campus The Netherlands. As chair of the Leiden Bio Science Park Foundation, he made an active and fundamental contribution to the development of the largest Life Sciences & Health innovation district in the Netherlands. This contribution is of clear importance to research, teaching and societal impact. Van Zijll Langhout will be presented with the medal by Vice-Chairman Martijn Ridderbos.

Programme Speakers Music Presentation of strategic plan
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