Three days of fun in the Gorlaeus garden: this was the We are Science Week
Sunshine, ice cream, coffee, and plenty of good vibes. Once again, students and staff made the most of the We are Science Week. Relive some of the highlights with our photo report!
The most welcoming garden room in the Netherlands — in the Leiden Science garden, you could play a variety of games, including table football, Connect Four and table tennis. And if you fancied a coffee, a professional barista was ready to serve you. A cappuccino, a latte macchiato or an espresso — the baristas from Kaldi Coffee made them all.
Fancy something sweet with that? On Tuesday, Stichting RINO whipped up ice cream using liquid nitrogen; they served over 500 scoops! And on Thursday, you could enjoy a plate of mini Dutch pancakes (poffertjes). There was a bit of a queue, and even a light drizzle to brave, but that didn’t stop anyone.
Some colleagues used the We are Science week to highlight more serious topics. There was information for students about consent and unwanted behaviour. You could even take a short quiz to learn more about it. Colleagues from SEEDS and Student Plaza were also present, looking for students willing to share their thoughts on how Student Plaza could better support them during their studies.
The old faculty T-shirts were popular once again. Many students and staff grabbed the chance to take one home. One colleague from the MI shared that he and his partner (also from MI!) were hoping to get a 2022 T-shirt — the birth year of their daughter. It’ll be a while before it fits, but it’s safe to say the Leiden Science spirit runs in the family.
The study associations were also well represented this year, each hosting a fun activity. From Mario Kart with De Leidsche Flesch and boardgames with the Chemisch Dispuut Leiden, to a wellness hour with S.V. LIFE, arts and crafts with Aesculapius, and bingo with the Leidse Biologen Club: thank you all for organising such enjoyable events for the whole faculty!
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Crafting with Aesculapius -
Bingo with Leidse Biologen Club -
Boardgames with Chemisch Dispuut Leiden -
Super Mario Kart Battle with De Leidsche Flesch -
Wellness hour with S.A. LIFE
And for those with nerves of steel, there was the escape room challenge on Tuesday. Teams had 15 minutes to crack the puzzles and unlock the door. Nearly 30 teams took part. One of the final teams of the day set the record — they escaped with almost two minutes to spare.
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The fastest to escape: a group of biology students!
To round off the We are Science Week, the atrium once again filled with hundreds of excited participants taking on the professors in the final pub quiz. A new feature this year was the scoreboard, which displayed live results from all the teams on the videowall. The Professors took an early lead, but in the final three rounds, the scoreboard was frozen — keeping things tense until the very end.
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Quizmasters Timo and Anthe -
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From the balcony, the professor team had a great view of the competition. Professors Mario van der Stelt, Sander van Kasteren, Gerard van Westen, Nathaniel Martin, Julian Romero and Raimond Duijsens all gave it their best — and in the end, none of the 67 teams managed to beat The Professors. The challenge is set for next year, when everyone will have another chance to topple them. The winning professors looked visibly proud as they took home the trophy.
