Abeje Y. Mersha
Lecturer/Researcher at Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Abeje Yenehun Mersha is a aerial robot (drone) expert and one of the specialists involved in the recently launched Space53. This is a special test location for drones, which is the first of its kind in the world. He also works at Saxion University of Applied Sciences, where he's a lecturer/researcher for Mechatronics.
Bart Hilhorst
Dancer
Dancer in the field popping, finger tutting and breakdancing. Also a Senior UX Consultant.
Dorothy Oger
Poet-coach
Dorothy is a poet-coach from Belgium. In the terrorist attacks on Brussels, she lost a friend and wrote a poem that was spontaneously translated in more than 40 languages. The poem “I shall stand for love” is inviting us to change the world through more openness, compassion, inclusion.
Fransje Immink
Lecturer/Researcher at Saxion University of Applied Sciences
“Our goal is to build a new community. A community of pioneers who stand for: I am you because we are! “
Fransje is an art teacher at Saxion for the study Social Work. She likes to draw, bake cakes and go on trips with her husband Rogier and her daughter Katoo. She’s a creative thinker and she’s always looking for new and creative projects together with her partner in crime, Marije Draaijer. They try to think outside the box within the borders of education. They’ve set up projects to raise money and awareness for refugees. For example, she went to Lesbos with 5 students to do volunteer work. After that good experience, they decided to set up a foundation: Foundation NOUR. So they can do more of these awesome projects with students for people in a crisis situation.
Harry Webers
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Technology
“I want to inspire people and stimulate the circular economy and innovation to create new jobs in the region ”
Harry quit his job at the age of 58 to follow his passion. He calls it ‘cooking’ with the unusual ingredients ‘People’, ‘Planet’ and ‘Profit’. With the successful recipe from the past, where we (Deventer) had strong partnerships with Hanze cities all over Europe, he creates our new future. An old but at the same time new way of looking at the circular economy and cooperation between cities.
Jutta Reinke
Co-Founder of a startup company within the food industry
“Chlorella has an undiscovered potential for a healthy and sustainable life. My ambition is to provide people with information and possibilities to get access to this special plant.”
Jutta Reinke is a former student / alumni of University of Twente. She lives in Berlin. Together with a friend of her she started a business within the food industry. In her spare time she loves to go out for dinner and find new food discoveries. She enjoys jogging to find the perfect balance to her passion for good food.
Lee Vu
”The way you see and act in any situation decides who you are and how you feel, be smart and have a positive mindset in any case!”
Former Saxion-student Lee Vu took the TEDxSaxionUniversity stage during the first major TEDx conference in Deventer. Lee was in the news because he was accused by the US government of ‘phishing’, a form of internet fraud in which one makes money using e-mail.
Maria Sarkis Azkanaz
Pre-master student in Biomedical Sciences
Building a new life in a new country is difficult but not impossible if you try hard enough, because hard work always pays off. ”
Maria is a pre-master student (Biomedical Sciences) at University of Groningen. Before her pre-master, Maria finished her bachelor study at Saxion University in just three years. One day, she would like to be a successful scientific researcher and contribute in an important way to medical research.
Pamela Nicoletatos
Former Crew Commander of The Mars Society
“My ambition is to be one of the first people to step foot on and colonize Mars!”
Pamela Nicoletatos is a homeschooling mother who studies Astronomy in her spare time. She takes every opportunity to engage in Mars analog projects. Lover of all things Sci fi and Geek! If she will go to Mars, it’s on a one way ticket.
Patrick Stoffer
Founder of a startup company within community development
Patrick Stoffer is a Saxion-student who lives between the elderly in a Humanitas nursing home and who’s video about this went viral. Now he's setting up an urban farm at the center of this community.
Rob Tuitert
Designing playgrounds of the future
“My passion is designing a new generation of play equipment, making use of the possibilities of technology, but in a way that feels natural and above all: is fun!”
Rob Tuitert is a product designer, designing interactive playground equipment. His idea worth spreading is to stimulate youth to go and play outside instead of sticking to their computers indoor, using advanced technology. Instead of saying the playstation is bad for the kids, we should embrace the technology and look at what makes it so appealing to the kids. Take that as the basis to design outdoor play spaces to get the best of both worlds: healthy and social outdoor play, together with the fun and advanced functions of games.
Robin Yerah
Robin Yerah (1995) is a self-taught musician born and raised in Zutphen, The Netherlands. At age 16 he discovered that music was his passion and organically started to write original material. Live performances are varied but always solo. Whether it be just Robin and his guitar, or the full setup with loop pedal, guitar, keys and drum pad as a one man band.
Willem Herter
Co-Founder of a startup company within health and big data
Willem Herter studied Theoretical Physics at the University of Amsterdam. During this period, Willem has founded a company in education helping high school students. Furthermore, Willem was a member of the voluntary board of the Dutch Cancer Society and has worked as data scientist for THNK: School for Creative Leadership.
Wouter Kroese
Co-Founder of a startup company within health and big data
Wouter Kroese has obtained a bachelor’s degree in Medicine in Utrecht and a master’s degree in Computational Logic at the University of Amsterdam. Wouter has worked at University Medical Center Utrecht and has working experience in management consulting.
Ymko Attema
Safety innovater within the fire brigade
“Safety is something we can only build together”
Ymko Attema works at Fire Department Twente, that won many prizes for being innovative and using new technology on the job. He argues that only by being open to new ideas and technology, in stead of being afraid or defensive, we can make progress in security management. Doing is the best way of thinking!