Jasper's day
Jasper Knoester is the dean of the Faculty of Science. How is he doing, what exactly does he do and what does his day look like? In each newsletter, Jasper gives an insight into his life.
'Practice three times, and you’ll have something to show for it: the honorary doctorate ceremony went off effortlessly'
Friday 7 February 2025
‘I am up early for a festive day. Today, under the motto “The Time Ahead”, we celebrate the university’s 450th dies natalis - something we are immensely proud of. Eleven years ago, in Groningen, I had the privilege of experiencing the university’s 400th anniversary. It was a wonderful occasion, but Leiden Leiden still holds the distinction of being the country’s oldest university—something we take great pride in!
The dies celebration does not begin until the afternoon, but I am heading to Leiden before eight o’clock, as the morning is also filled with activities. I am bringing my formal attire along. Deans are expected to wear a tailcoat under their gown—black waistcoat during the day, white in the evening. It took some getting used to, but by now, I have come to appreciate this peculiar university tradition and gladly take part in it. Naturally, the look is completed with polished patent leather shoes! The last time I wore such shoes was when I was six years old—then with great pride; these days, I see them differently, but I accept them as part of the folklore.
At half past eight, I arrive at the Rapenburg, where I have an online meeting in our faculty room with two PhD candidates in Groningen. I prefer to meet them in person on Fridays and also attend the group seminar, but that is obviously not possible today. Kai is working on the final revisions of his dissertation and is on track to defend it in June. Gijsbert is only in his second year. He has made great progress this past week. We are now close to solving an interpretation issue that has kept him occupied for weeks.’
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Photographing the photographer (Monique Shaw makes a picture of Jasper Knoester while he is photographing her) -
Youth on stage – these are the children from the classes that participated in Meet the Professor. -
From left to right: Jasper Knoester, Kelly Chibale and Gilles van Wezel
‘At half past ten, the final rehearsal for the dies begins in the Pieterskerk. Since I am involved in awarding the honorary doctorate to Kelly Chibale, I am present. It is enjoyable to get an early glimpse of the afternoon’s proceedings and to see how thoroughly prepared all the speakers are, with sound and visuals meticulously coordinated. The awarding of the three honorary doctorates is rehearsed no fewer than three times to perfect the exact positioning of chairs and people on stage. Hopefully, everything will run smoothly this afternoon; if not, it certainly will not be due to a lack of practice. The rehearsal even includes a loud protest, momentarily startling everyone present, but Rector Hester Bijl handles it well.
Afterwards, I quickly return to our faculty room for an online meeting with PhD candidate Marick. ow working outside academia, he has struggled to finish his final chapter, but we are pleased to conclude that the last revisions can now be made. After this, I grab a quick lunch and tackle with a few emails before changing into my tailcoat and gown to join the cortège. The procession to the Pieterskerk is much more pleasant than last year. Then, it poured with rain, and everyone carried umbrellas. Princess Beatrix, an alumna and honorary doctor of the university, honours us with her presence. The celebration is wonderful, and fortunately, the protest rehearsal in the church turns out to be unnecessary. All speakers are engaging and dynamic, keeping a good pace throughout. The honorary doctorate ceremony also runs smoothly—at least, on stage, it feels effortless. What I enjoy most is the musical interlude, a stunning combination of classical vocals by Celeste da Vinci and rap by Jon Chase. Truly impressive!
Afterwards, there is a lively reception. It is very crowded, and it takes me half an hour before I finally run into my partner, Xuefei, who also attended the celebration. In the evening, we go to the dinner, which is a great success. But by half past ten, my energy is spent, and we head home. The surprise awaiting us is the presence of seven teenage girls ‘pre-drinking’ for a night out—a noisy surprise, but they are equally taken aback by parents arriving in full gala attire. At half past midnight, the girls head into town, and I can finally go to bed. It has been a wonderful day, and it is a comforting thought that tomorrow is Saturday—no need to get up early. As I store away my patent leather shoes and tailcoat for another year, I think with admiration of our president, Annetje Ottow. Tomorrow, she will welcome the alumni and deliver no fewer than four speeches. Today was fantastic, but one day of celebrating dies is quite enough for me!’