Hanne Tytgat on LinkedIn: Ekoli vzw 8 jaar! (2025)

Did a short interview with The Netherlands Study Centre for Technology Trends (Stichting Toekomstbeeld der Techniek (STT)). As a member of their youth network, YoungSTT, I have represented STT within the Council for the Future (Raad voor de Toekomst) of the Social-Economic Council (Sociaal-Economische Raad (SER)) since September this year. In the interview, we discussed the role of STT in the Council with my predecessor, Anna-Carolina Zuiderduin.The Council of the Future has advised the cabinet and the National Growth Fund (Nationaal Groeifonds) since 2022 on how to account for the interests of young people and future generations regarding investments from the Fund. The National Growth Fund is a 20 billion government initiative (2021-2025) that invests in projects contributing to long-term economic growth.The Council of the Future has called in their rapport 'Dare to Think Sustainably' ('Duurzaam Durven Denken') for more prominent attention to investments' social and ecological effects, and to ensure this is well integrated into the National Growth Fund assessment framework. A healthy environment and a just society are essential for a sustainable economy and society. Hence, not only economic growth should be at the forefront of investment decisions, but rather the well-being of people and the planet in the long term. The environment, climate, economy, and society cannot be viewed in isolation to achieve long-term well-being and solidarity with future generations. Instead, they must be accounted for jointly in the investments that build our future society. Thanks Stichting Toekomstbeeld der Techniek (STT) for the opportunity and the interview!Read the rapport here: https://lnkd.in/e8KUxRbyRead the interview below:

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Injustice comes with activism.Activism comes with controversy.Controversy comes with discomfort.But let all of this not be a reason to disengage. Let it be a reason to talk. A real dialogue. With the goal of understanding, not defending.I want to challenge and invite you to read this op-ed by a colleague whom I deeply respect and trust. Especially if you're in any way connected to WUR, and even more so if you've only been reading reports in Resource (the internal WUR magazine). Regardless of your stance on the topic, you should be interested in a view that sheds a different light on the one-sided communication about the student encampments in many media, and particularly Resource.Before you start reading, I'd like to ask some questions that are keeping me busy these days.- If speaking out makes you an activist, what does not speaking out make you?- Why is it always the active choice that needs to be defended? Why shouldn't inaction be the choice that needs defending?- Is silence and inaction the same as neutrality? And why and how is neutrality morally superior?- If we do not know what the effects of an action or boycott will be (which nobody can truly predict), it's a gamble either way - why not take the risk of acting?- Who decided that "scientist" can equate to "passive observer"? When? And why?- If you still "don't know enough about the topic", what do you need to know enough? And why don't you do your research? Why don't you talk with people about it?- If you "prefer other ways of action", are you doing them? If yes, can you tell me and others how? If no, why not?And lastly, a question that will never not make me emotional:- Why does it seem like Palestinian lives are worth less than others?If you have the answers, please let me know. In the meantime I will keep trying to work for a world, a WUR, where these questions don't need to be asked. And I'm super proud of all the students and colleagues who are doing so, each in their own ways.Take care of yourself and of each other. Wherever you are and whatever you do.Marieke

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Don’t do it. 113The world’s tragedies can make life seem like a terrible option. From geopolitical horrors to utterly isolated suffering. If you stare long enough into the abyss, the abyss starts staring back into you. Too often, people with outwardly seemingly perfect lives, choose to end it. No complaints, no rumors, no signs, just clean cuts. Where my old econometrics professor said that “The path to success, winds along the edge of the abyss of utter despair”, a whole lot of other trails pass by it as well. We are not accustomed to talk about our doubts, insecurities, and fears. Contrary to wishful thinking, we fear others may smell blood. It doesn’t have to be like that. We must foster close, intimate, long-lasting relationships to stay sane in this world.Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) attributed their #AbrahamKuyperLezing to mental wellbeing in our days. A topic entitled to attention, given people in NL are 13 times more likely to kill themselves than to be killed by others.I’m no professional, but now that I have your attention, please:1.Talk to your trustees 2.Step back into exercise and nature3.Get to the bottom of thingsIf all else fails, please, call 113 Zelfmoordpreventie.

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How to move systems....

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Go with the flow

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By educating change agents, universities play a key role in shaping future leaders who are committed to making a difference. Therefore we formulated the ambition in our new educational vision that all our students at Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam are exposed to impact learning. Impact learning is crucial at universities because it prepares students to tackle real-world challenges and make meaningful contributions to society. Making Minds Matter

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Last week I visited my US based CM.com colleagues in Detroit, it’s great to see how things are progressing here. All our new messaging channels and AI powered Software is really taking off here and make our respected clients, like U-Haul, very happy.I also got the chance to meet many of our investors in Chicago, New York and Boston. It’s great to be able to disscuss our latest developments in real person with them. Especially our ‘one stop shop for conversational commerce strategy’ was very well received.This week I’m spending time with a delagation from Breda to discuss the future value proposition of our hometown. Amongst others I’m here with the mayor, the deputy mayor, the deputy commander of the Dutch defence academy, the GM of Amgen Netherlands, the CEO of the regional development organisation BOM (Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij), the CFO of the Amphia hospital, the CFO of Breda University of Applied Sciences, a board member of Avans Hogeschool, a cofounder of Handpicked agencies, and other great and inspiring entrepreneurs and people from Gemeente Breda and other officials.We’re visiting many businesses, developers, coworkingspaces, manufacturers, incubators, governmental organisations, in Boston and New York, in order to get inspired for a new and compelling economic vision for Breda; the formation of a true Innovation District for Breda.My personal mission is to sell the idea of transforming the CM headquarters into CM Campus, an open, inspiring and vibrant place, with ample facilities like a restaurant, a gym, a conference center, open for not only our valued CM colleagues, but also for related business (including professional services, like accountants and lawyers) and startups in Breda, a truly ecosystem for attracting and retaining talent for the region, I was born and raised and hope to be able to live in much longer. I really believe that CM Campus, together with others, can be great Anchor for the new Innovation District development in Breda. It’s still a long shot, because the city of Breda can be sometimes very restrictive in terms of rules and regulations, but I believe Boston and New York are the best places to be inspired about how ecosystems of thriving companies around leading universities can really work. My first insight is that in the end we all want the same. To make Breda a green and inclusive city without borders, where tech companies can apply technology to really solve problems in a creative way. Regardless if they are in Gaming, Robotics, AI, Software, Life Sciences or any other technology.

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Super proud and happy to share that last month I was awarded a Veni personal research grant from the NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek). This four year funding will allow me to study interactions between selenium and sulfur to promote selenium biorecovery from waste streams at . I am very fascinated by these chemical interactions, and all the more motivated for this research because they can be important for resource recovery as well! Public summary:Selenium and sulfur are very similar elements: you could call them chemical siblings. Both are useful as well as harmful: our bodies need them, but in the wrong form or concentration they make us ill. Because they are so similar, they also react with each other, for example in biological removal processes from wastewater. I want to study whether these interactions also make them want to be together in a molecule, or even in a crystal, and whether selenium can 'hitch a ride' with sulfur. That would make recovery of selenium a lot easier, and lead to circular selenium.

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