On January 19th:

On January 12th, the Minerva Scholarship Fund held a medical specialist dinner. During this evening, doctors, medical students and other relations of our fund were able to converse about various medical topics. There were also presentations by three enthusiastic speakers:

Professor Dr. Meta Roestenberg kicked off the evening by speaking with great passion about the experiences within her translational research group and experimental studies on how natural and vaccine-induced immunity against infectious diseases originate. Doctor Bram den Dekker told how his MSF grant brought him to Oxford to research the OrganOx, a pump that can ‘keep alive’ the liver outside of a body. Finally, Professor Dr. Johanneke Portielje spoke with great enthusiasm about her career as a geriatric oncologist and her view on contributing to scientific research.

The Minerva Scholarship thanks all attendees for an interesting and enjoyable evening!

On December 19:

It is our pleasure to introduce the ten Minerva Scholars of the last round of 2022:

Ana Jocelyn Roeper, a student of Mathematics and Education, will teach mathematics at the International School of Curacao.

Bente Jansen, a law student, will follow subject at the university of British Columbia about the functioning of legal systems.

Berber Verhalle, a biology student, will restore seagrass at Gili Air in Indonesia.

Daan Jiskoot, a student of biopharmaceutical sciences, will research the accuracy of protein-ligand binding affinities by using an absolute free energie approach at the University of California, Irvine.

Debra van Asten, a student of biopharmaceutical sciences, will develop a pharmacokinetic model of de anticoagulant ticagrelor for elder patients at the University Hospital of Lausanne.

Jeroen van Ravenhorst, a student of linguistics, will research how humans speak to cattle in Hamar, Ethiopia.

Maurits Hogenhuis, a law student, will provide development aid in South Africa at local schools and non-profit organisations and study at Stellenbosch University.

Sahar Ansari: a student of Middle Eastern Studies, will research political ideas in the Egyptian poetry of the Nahda period.

Sharina Hamm, a student of clinical- and health psychology, will research negative attention bias and self confidence as risk factor at Yale University.

Tijn van Stekelenburg, a medical student, will intern for his clinical rotation in tropical medicine at Nkhoma Mission Hospital in Malawi.

We wish all our new scholars an exciting and instructive time abroad!

On May 31:

This month, professor Ineke Sluiter stepped down as chairwoman of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Dating back to the nineteenth century, this institute is both a fellowship of scientists of different disciplines, an advisory body to the Dutch government of science and a coordinating institute of scientific organisations.

During her presidency she devoted herself, among other things, to gender equality in the scientific world, defending threatened scientists (in light of the pandemic) and initiating a broader conversation on the state of diversity and inclusion within the Dutch scientific circle. She herself is a professor of Greek literature at the Faculty of Humanities at Leiden University.

Within the Minerva Scholarship Fund, Professor Sluiter is a member of the Allocation Committee. 

Professor Sluiter while still be involved with the KNAW as a  lifelong member; an appointment that dates back to 2012. She is not the only professor of the Allocation Committee that is part of the KNAW: Pancras Hogendoorn and Carlo Beenakker are also counted as members the members of this high-quality scientific institute.

On May 2:

We would like to introduce to you the recipients of the Minerva Scholarships of the first round of 2022:

Alice van den Broek, a medical student, will conduct research at Harvard Medical School into tumor antigens in eye melanomas for the use of immunotherapy. This field aims to utilise the immune system to intercept tumours.

Elaine van Ee, a medical student, will participate in a research project at Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts General Hospital on the prediction of complications in multiple trauma.

Fleur Anna Walravens, a law student, will study to obtain a ‘Diploma of Legal Studies’ at the University of Oxford. This enables her to understand complex international discussions about legislation.

Grégory von Boetticher, Liberal Arts & Sciences student, will study for the duration of a semester at the National University of Singapore as an exchange student. He will study the legislation of artificial intelligence, a technique with an ever growing impact on society that must be properly regulated.

Isaac Eaton, linguistics student, will participate in the project ‘Linguistics in Malawi Experience’ at the University of Malawi. This allows him to document local languages and dialects for the coming generations.

Julia Maasland, Liberal Arts & Sciences student, will take courses on international development and public health at Tulane University in New Orleans as an exchange student. This will prepare her for a career as a policy officer in the field of health equality and poverty.

Ishara Ibrahim, student of Vitality and Aging, will do her research internship for her master’s thesis in Munich to research the locus of control in the elderly. This research is important for gaining an understanding of their approach to health and illness and ultimately for improving their health in general.

Loran Hempenius, a law student, will attend  Merton College, Oxford University. To obtain an education which spans multiple legal disciplines. His time at Oxford will chiefly be spend on courses concerned with human rights and how these are processed into civil law.

Maureen van der Haar, a medical student, will attend the Medical University of Graz for the duration of a semester. Her courses will range from diving medicine to parasitology and global health. Her time in Austria will help her personal and academic development as a doctor.

Noa van de Klundert, a history student, will travel to King’s College London. Here she will attend courses which are an extension of her study in the Netherlands. This university is renowned in this field.

Sam van Ooijen, a biopharmaceutical science student, will travel to Harvard University to investigate the metabolic response of aneuploid yeast cells at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Results of this research can eventually be transferred from yeast cells to human cells.

Sharina Hamm, a clinical- and health psychology student, will head to Yale University’s Rutledge Lab to investigate the link between happiness and decision-making via smartphone apps.

Zelda Geels, a Business Law student, will leave for Israel to follow courses at Tel Aviv University from the Business Law program there and to participate in the “Hebrew Ulpan” (a school to learn Hebrew). At Tel Aviv University she will study the relationship between climate change, science and the law.

We hope that all new Minerva Scholars will have a terrific experience abroad!

On March 13, 2022:

On March 11, the MSF organized a gathering for its Scholars, board members and everyone else who makes the fund possible: its first physical event since the lockdown!

It was an evening where, in addition to a drink where experiences were exchanged about the MSF, projects abroad and studying in general, there was also a panel discussion about the importance of the fund and its future.

A delegation from Leiden University also joined in, consisting of Rector Magnificus Hester Bijl, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board Martijn Ridderbos and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leiden University Ab van der Touw.

We received many enthusiastic reactions from those present and are already looking forward to the next edition!

On February 10, 2022:

The Minerva Scholars of the second scholarship round of 2022 have been announced!

It concerns no fewer than 12 students who will use their scholarships for the following projects:

Franka Wigman will do an internship at the NATO Office of Security in Brussels following her master’s degree in crisis and security management.

Malou den Dekker will do an internship from her master teacher training VHO social studies and teach social studies at the Leipzig International School.

Luuk Wissink will follow in-depth courses at the University of Texas from his bachelor’s degree in law.

As a master’s student of medicine, Perrine Huisman will conduct research into the role of antibodies in pregnancy problems at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen.

Henrike Vellinga will write a thesis on the role of poison in colonies in the second half of the nineteenth century as part of her master’s degree in European history and civilization.

Bram den Dekker will do an internship in transplant surgery at the University of Oxford.

Didi Janne Gieling will take in-depth courses at the Universidad Nacional Autonóma de México as part of her research master’s degree in Latin American studies.

As a master’s student in bio-pharmaceutical sciences, Lara van de Beek will investigate pharmacokinetics in the brain at Uppsala University.

Henrik Pröpper will be visiting the University of Cambridge’s Political Psychology Lab as a visiting scholar for his master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy.

Claire Letterie will follow in-depth courses at the University of Oslo for her master’s degree in employment law and her master’s degree in notarial law.

Janine Nijhuis is doing a master’s degree in bio-pharmaceutical sciences and will conduct research into cancer therapy analyzes through pharmacometry at Uppsala University.

We wish all 12 Minerva Scholars the best of luck with their study projects!

15 April 2023 – Deadline first application round of 2023