Universiteit Maastricht

How Air Pollution Shapes Voting Behavior Recent research by Nico Pestel from the Research Centre for Education & Labour Market (ROA) at the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics sheds light on a surprising connection: air pollution and voting patterns. 🔍 Did you know that higher air pollution levels correlate with a shift in support towards opposition parties? It turns out, the quality of the air we breathe can significantly impact our decision-making processes and emotional states. 💡 The impact: Poor air quality doesn't just affect our health; it affects our cognition too. Studies have linked increased particulate levels to poorer performance in various tasks, from chess matches to exams to trading decisions. 🤔 But why the shift in voting behaviour? According to Pestel's research, it boils down to emotions. On days with higher pollution, people tend to feel angrier, unhappier, and more anxious. And these negative emotions translate into a greater inclination to support change, favoring opposition parties over ruling ones. 🌍 The implications: This unconscious influence of air quality on political preferences carries significant societal consequences. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for policymakers and advocates striving to create healthier and more equitable communities. Read the in-depth news article here: https://lnkd.in/e-qs76tu #AirQuality #VotingBehaviour #Research #MaastrichtUniversity

How psychological stress leads to intestinal inflammation An international research consortium, including NUTRIM researcher Zlatan Mujagic and other researchers from Maastricht University, has investigated the effects of stress on the gut. At last, this research has unraveled how stress leads to worsening inflammatory bowel diseases. This knowledge opens doors for new treatments for IBD. The study was published in the leading journal Cell and recently summarized by Zlatan in the Dutch Journal of Medicine. Read more about this research here: https://lnkd.in/dG8ZPawh #IBD #stress #research #MaastrichtUniversity NUTRIM - Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde | NTVG Cell Press

Serie verhalen internationalisering: Maastrichtenaar Stefan Vrancken De Universiteit Maastricht is de meest internationale universiteit van Nederland. Een gegeven waar we trots op zijn, dat ons veel brengt en veel biedt. Iets wat bovendien oneindig veel mooie en inspirerende voorbeelden oplevert. ‘‘De universiteit levert naar mijn idee echt een essentiële bijdrage aan het gezicht van de stad doordat ze gevestigd is in historische panden verspreid over stad. Daarmee neemt ze de verantwoordelijkheid voor behoud en onderhoud voor haar rekening. Dat is nogal wat. Wie zou dat anders doen?” zegt Stefan Vrancken, toegevoegd notaris én Maastrichtenaar in hart en nieren, over de aanwezigheid van de UM in de stad. Als amateur-historicus en stamboom-onderzoeker geniet hij van de internationale allure van Maastricht, de talen die je er hoort en de rijke geschiedenis met veel buitenlandse invloeden. Lees het hele verhaal van Stefan: https://lnkd.in/dx7KhqEZ #VanDeEuregioVoorDeEuregio

Bridging the gap between technology and clinical practice Lee Bouwman, a vascular surgeon and endowed professor of Clinical Engineering, specialises in the implementation of groundbreaking healthcare technologies. The key to success, he says, lies in the collaboration between engineers and clinicians. This approach has already resulted in a range of innovations, from the use of robotics in aortic stenting and knee replacement surgery to the localisation of breast tumours using magnetic seeds and iron oxide. “Engineers and scientists speak a different language from healthcare professionals,” he explains. “They often seem to misunderstand one another. Product developers sometimes brush aside major clinical problems, and come up with brilliant solutions to problems that don’t exist. On the other hand, clinicians may resist standardised treatments and prefer to do things their own way.” Read more about Lee's research in this in-depth article: https://lnkd.in/ePzYg94J Photography: Philip Driessen Maastricht University - Faculty of Science and Engineering

Radboud University and Maastricht University fund research into crop biotechnology and engineering Developing sustainable and productive agriculture and horticulture is one of the great social challenges. The cooperating Radboud University and Maastricht University are getting down to work: a joint master's program is being worked on and the Radboud-Maastricht Graduate Program in Crop Biotechnology and Engineering will start this very day. Thanks to the cooperation, four young researchers can start research in crop biotechnology and engineering over the next four years. The researchers will start work at the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, halfway between the two universities and in the heart of an important agricultural and horticultural area in the Netherlands and Germany. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eyY3EgFv #biotechnology #sustainability #horticulture #brightlands #brightlandcampusgreenportvenlo #MaastrichtUniversity Wim Vriezen Charles Underwood

Synthetic data: a dangerous sense of certainty Synthetic data is information generated by algorithms trained on existing data sets obtained through real world data gathering. The generated data has similar statistical properties and can augment or diversify the original data sets. This is useful for validating mathematical models, technical prototyping, or training machine-learning models. While very promising, synthetic data comes with serious ethical and practical concerns. Dani Shanley and Joshi Hogenboom reflect on synthetic data, the pains and gains of interdisciplinarity, and why AI likely won’t release us from having to study the world we live in. Read the article on the UM website: https://lnkd.in/ecF9ZEYM #SyntheticData #AI #Research

The UM Green Office: Global Pioneer & Evolving UM Sustainability Catalyst The Maastricht University Green Office was the first one in the world and the movement spread out with now 101 Green Offices world wide. In this article, the UM Green Office reflects on how far it has come since its founding in 2010 and what it strives to accomplish in the future. With the recent launch of the UM Green Network framework, students and staff now have more opportunities than ever before to engage with impactful sustainability initiatives. We communicated with Felix Spira, one of these founding students, and Anselm Grahl, a key figure in the UM Green Office’s development, to learn about the original Green Office structure and how it influenced sustainability frameworks in fellow universities. Read the in-depth article here: https://lnkd.in/gfeJKmiQ #Sustainability #GreenOffice #MaastrichtUniversity

Maastricht Debate today! Today Studio Europa Maastricht and POLITICO organise the third edition of the Maastricht Debate in the run-up to the European Parliament elections (6-9 June). For those who were not able to secure a seat in the Theater aan het Vrijthof, or who want to be informed about the European elections in a light-hearted way, Studio Europa Maastricht is also organising a free debate watch party. At the Vrijthof, visitors can watch this important debate on a large screen. Don't miss out on this unique experience! Watch the EU Maastricht Debate through the live-stream (19:00): https://lnkd.in/e_QawdR6 There also is an inspiring programme before and after the debate: https://lnkd.in/ezmJCisp #MaastrichtDebate #WorkingonEurope

All polls are closed and the votes are cast. Thanks to everyone who voted for the UM elections this year! We have counted the votes; the public has spoken. Of course you want to know who has been elected! Check out the results 👉 https://lnkd.in/ekSqjyCC The elected candidates will undoubtedly ensure an even better future for our university. Congratulations and good luck to all of you! #UMElections2024 #MaastrichtUniversity

Nanne de Vries Professor's Fund: "It wasn't my idea" On April 10, 2024, the Professor's Fund was officially renamed the Nanne de Vries Professor's Fund. In an exclusive interview with the UFL, Nanne De Vries shares insights into the history, future, and his personal motivations regarding the fund that now bears his name. "In 2013, Piet Eichholtz and I started with a simple question to our colleagues: would you like to donate a portion of your compensation to the University Fund Limburg?" De Vries recalls how the motivating response from the UM community marked the beginning of the fund. Read Nanne's interview here, as well as more information about the Nanne de Vries Professor's Fund: https://lnkd.in/e2F2WiQH Universiteitsfonds Limburg