New Science bar name revealed
In the Gorlaeus Building, there will be a brand new faculty bar for students and staff. From hundreds of entries, a faculty jury chose the name for this bar. The new bar will be called 'The Fusie'. 'This name exudes togetherness and cosiness,' says FWN assessor Nalani Verwoord. 'And it has an additional meaning for students.'
The new name had to have a link to the faculty, be easy to understand and convey a sense of community. 'Fusion has a number of different meanings,' says Nalani. 'It is a place where people can come together. And for students, the word 'fusie' has an additional meaning. In student houses in Leiden, it is a common space in the house where students eat and relax together. A kind of living room actually.'
Due to current rent and subsidy rules, housing organisations are building more and more studios instead of student houses. As a result, increasingly fewer students are living together in a house with shared facilities and a fusie. 'We hope that the new bar can be a place where students come together, meet each other and feel at home,' said another jury member. 'That way even the students living in studios still have a fusie.'
Fusion of two other places
With the relocation of several departments and programmes to the new Gorlaeus Building, students and staff also have to say goodbye to the Foobar in the Snellius and the Science club in the Lecture Hall. 'So it is also the fusion of these two places,' says Nalani. Leiden student Wouter van Tol sent in the name. 'I was looking for a name that related to as many of the research fields on the faculty as possible. Many studies deal with forms of fusion such as nuclear fusion or cell fusion.'
Yet the main reason for the choice of name is the intended atmosphere of the bar, says Wouter. 'I hope the new bar will be more than just a space where you have a drink with each other. I committed myself to the previous bar. I hope that students will also feel attached to this bar and be happy to put their blood, sweat and tears into it. And I hope students will soon feel as much at home there as in the fusie in their own student house!'
To the Fusie with the main
As the winner of the competition, Wouter will receive a budget for drinks and food to organise his own activity in the new bar. 'I am incredibly excited. It was therefore difficult not to tell everyone about the new name right away.'
Assessor Nalani is also happy with the name. 'I liked the process of involving the faculty in naming the bar.' Hundreds of names came in with the contest. 'It was very amusing reading through them all. I am very happy with the name De Fusie because I think it really exudes togetherness and cosiness.'