Nicolas joins the group!

We are pleased to welcome a new postdoc to the Ameloot group! Nicolas received his Ph.D. at Aix-Marseille University in France with his thesis entitled ‘Using external parameters to improve gas adsorption in nanoporous materials: control of humidity and mechanical pressure.’ After finishing his Ph.D., he held a postdoctoral associate position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working on gas diffusion in disordered nanoporous materials and developing electrically-conductive cement for energy storage applications.

In the Ameloot group, he'll mainly study the diffusion of vapors in MOFs and work on combining adsorption and NMR measurements to unravel insights regarding their adsorption mechanisms.

A warm welcome to Nicolas!

Neus joins the group as visiting scholar!

A warm welcome to Neus Crespí!

Neus is a PhD student working at the Materials Chemistry Group of the University of the Balearic Islands, she will join the Ameloot group for a period of five months. During her stay, Neus will work on ultrathin films of electrically conductive MOFs via CVD for the fabrication of MOF-based electronic devices.

Hanne wins Best Oral Communication Award 3th prize of YBMRS!

Last week Hanne presented some of her PhD work at the 18th edition of the Young Belgian magnetic resonance scientist (YBMRS) conference. Notwithstanding that it was the first oral presentation of her PhD, her presentation was rewarded with the 3th prize for 'best oral communication'. We can surely say that she did a great job! Congratulations Hanne!

Ameloot Group inspires the next generation of STEM leaders in a science outreach initiative for children!

To drive and champion education and science communication, inspiring the leaders of tomorrow in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the outreach team of the Ameloot Group piloted their first major workshop at the International School of Leuven (ISL) on November 24.

The Teach STEM BE is one of the science outreach initiatives by our research group. It is a grassroots initiative aimed at inspiring the youth to explore and discover STEM as part of their learning experience. The project also aims to provide access to innovative learning materials to the less fortunate and promote accessible and equitable science and technology education.

With the talented learners reinforced by their multicultural background, the ISL is selected as one of the pilot schools for this science outreach initiative. The half-day session focused on additive manufacturing (3D printing) and its use for real-life applications. The crew brought a polymer-based (plastic) 3D printer to showcase its use in engineering, healthcare, and biotechnology applications. The team also demonstrated using a chocolate printer to make the experience much more enjoyable, experiential, and interactive.

After the learning session with the group’s scientists, the outreach team prepared modules for the students and teachers and trained them to operationalize the machine with the learners for two more weeks. With the support of KU Leuven, the group will seek funding to further expand its reach to other schools and underprivileged communities in Flanders, Belgium, and beyond.

For more information on our outreach projects, or if you are interested in collaborating or supporting our cause, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Alexander John Cruz or Prof. Rob Ameloot.

Hanne's research in the spotlight @MediaplanetBE and @DeMorgen!

Hanne's research on improving medical imaging via 3D printing is featured in MediaPlanetBE and De Morgen. Hanne works on the development of a novel method to improve the efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging, via patient specific 3D printed MRI hardware components. The article (in Dutch) can be read here.

Don't hesitate to contact Hanne for more info!

Full day of fun at this year's teambuilding!

After postponing last year's teambuilding, the entire group was very enthusiastic about this year's edition. Adventure awaited, our first activity took us to the forests of Herent for a game of archery tag. Afterwards we went to the centre of Leuven for a delicious beer and chocolate tasting. We ended the day with a wonderful diner. We already look forward to next year's edition!