Pintra (EN) Blog
It’s an increasingly common sight in cities: walls that are overgrown with plants. If you look closely, you’ll see black dust on the leaves of these green façades. That’s because these plants filter particulate matter from the air, improving air quality. But which type of green façade makes the best air filter? Scientists at the University of Antwerp are using a wind tunnel to investigate.
What do you do when you can’t organise a ‘proper’ staff party? Make radio! On Thursday 20 May, we presented Radio Unifiesta to provide an afternoon filled with background entertainment for the offices (and home offices) of UAntwerp staff. The show was full of music, original advertisements, quizzes and stories, along with messages from, for and by colleagues.
How do you welcome new employees in times when a face-to-face chat or breakfast with the whole team is not an option? The obvious answer is online, but is that enough? ‘While we miss the social aspect of face-to-face meetings, there are also advantages. We’ll definitely keep doing some things online in the future’, says the HR Department.
He, him, she, her, they, them… How should you address people? Are you 100% sure of their gender identity? In light of this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on 17 May, UAntwerp is focusing on gender-aware and gender-inclusive communication. Get started with it today, and actively contribute to a more inclusive society.
A Feather in Your Cap: the feather is a prize passed on from one UAntwerp colleague to another in recognition of their efforts or achievements. This time, Werner Coppieters (Product Development Department) passes the feather on to Michel Corthaut (Interior Architecture Department).
As the first winner of the PRESS>SPEAK writing competition, we present you Anthe Foubert’s article on haemophilia, one of the world’s best-known rare diseases.
Behind Campus Groenenborger lies a beautiful piece of nature, where the university created a community garden last year. This garden brings UAntwerp students and lecturers in contact with the elderly residents of an assisted-living facility and the children of a kindergarten nearby. Delicious herbs, fruit, vegetables, young trees, beautiful flowers… the garden has been in full bloom for a year now and is constantly expanding.
Working from home has been the ‘new normal’ for over a year now, and that isn’t likely to change any time soon. So take a moment to check that you’re sitting comfortably at your desk, and make sure you’re spending your days in a productive and healthy way. Together with Mensura we’ll point you in the direction of the perfect home office in eight simple steps.
With a major prevention project, our university is focusing even more strongly on the mental well-being of its students. Truyken Ossenblok and Femme Swinnen from the Study Advice and Student Counselling Service are in charge of this project. And they want to involve as many colleagues as possible.
The Keep Moving Challenge has ended. Throughout the month of March, 866 participants – UAntwerp staff and students – did a lot of extra walking, running and cycling, registering the minutes they were physically active. They ultimately raised 4550 euros for the fund for students in financial need.
Campus Drie Eiken will be undergoing a major makeover over the next few years. This autumn, construction will start on new student facilities at what is now Car Park 3. That means that 31 young trees have to make way for a new sports hall and student accommodation. But instead of chopping down these 31 alders, planted there just two years ago, we decided to replant them.
Alain Verschoren, a passionate professor of mathematics and charming leader, died on 27 November 2020. To help compensate, the university has made a film portrait of its former rector.
