Talent Day reveals great diversity in research talent

Erasmus University turns the spotlight on talented researchers and students

On Wednesday 15 February 2012 Erasmus University Rotterdam organised its annual Talent Day. The occasion is a festive one when researchers and the most talented students are the centre of attention.  The ten Erasmus University and Erasmus Medical centre fellows are also officially announced on the same day. All the laureates have won various scholarships or grants in the past year. Professor Chris de Zeeuw was awarded the Advanced Grant of the European Research Council (ERC). The students who successfully completed the Erasmus Honours Programme in 2011 were also present alongside the 29 researchers.

During the Talent Day Mozaïek winner Abdessamad Bouabid MSc, and Dr Monique  den Boer (Vici) gave a brief presentation of their research. Mr Bouabid studies the way images are formed of Moroccans while Ms den Boer examines the treatment of leukaemia. Professor Jan Hoeijmakers, winner of the ERC Grant in 2008, addressed the laureates. Dr Meike Vernooij, as an ErasmusMC Fellow, spoke to the students who had attended the Erasmus Honours Programme.

Besides Ms Vernooij another three colleagues were awarded an Erasmus MC Fellowship by Erasmus MC while four colleagues received an Erasmus University or EUR Fellowship. Campus Woudestein was represented for the EUR Fellows by Dr Payal Arora of the  Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication. (ESHCC) and Dr Jolanda Hessels of the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE)

The researchers who were in the limelight on Talent Day had received a subsidy from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research NWO (Veni, Vici, Mozaïek), from Erasmus University Rotterdam/Erasmus MC (EUR Fellow, Erasmus MC Fellow) or a European Research Council ERC Advanced Grant.
They received a gift from the Executive Board and from the Erasmus Trustfonds. The rector of the university Professor Henk Schmidt presented the students with a Letter of Recommendation and the secretary of the Erasmus Trustfonds gave them a gift.

The university sets great store by keeping talent and developing it. It is partly thanks to this talent that the university can live up to its research ambitions in its strategic plan ‘Erasmus 2013, At Home in the World’ which include the endeavour to retain and expand the university’s lead at the forefront of areas of expertise and strengthen the multidisciplinary nature of the research. The Talent Day is sponsored by the Erasmus Trustfonds.

All the prize winners and a résumé of the research can be found on the website: www.eur.nl/talentday/

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Press information Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), (010) 408 1216 or press@remove-this.eur.nl