A boost for natural sciences
The Fund for Natural Sciences in Society is an initiative of alumna in experimental physics Krist'l Van Ouytsel. The Fund supports the Solvay Science project, the STEM Support Centre Brussels, in collaboration with the Physics and Astronomy Department at VUB.
The Solvay Institutes
Solvay Science Project
At the initiative of Professor Emeritus Franklin Lambert, this project—undertaken in close collaboration with the Solvay family as well as several libraries and archival institutions—explores the rich Solvay archives, with a particular focus on the renowned Solvay Councils held between 1911 and 1927. These historic gatherings played a pivotal role in shaping modern physics and, notably, in the birth of quantum mechanics.
Professor Lambert’s first book, co-authored with Professor Emeritus Frits Berends and entitled Einstein’s Witches’ Sabbath and the Early Solvay Councils – The Untold Story, vividly recounts the interactions among the distinguished scientists who attended these meetings, including H.A. Lorentz (chairman), Walther Nernst, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Max Planck, and Henri Poincaré, among many others.
Together with Alessio Rocci, he published a second book, The Solvay Science Project and the First Quantum Revolution, whose research was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship funded through the VUB Fund and thanks to a generous donation from Jean-Marie Solvay.
The book highlights the work of twelve distinguished scientists who, thanks to grants provided by Ernest Solvay, were able to pursue groundbreaking research in physics and bring many of their pioneering ideas to fruition.
Professor Lambert’s vision and determination also led to a most significant achievement: in 2023, the Archives of the International Solvay Conferences on Physics and Chemistry (1910–1962) were inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, recognising their exceptional historical and scientific value.
STEM Support Centre Brussels
STEM: “Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics” represents a different focus and a different approach to the teaching of science, technology/engineering, and mathematics. The Brussels STEM Support Center was founded on December 5, 2016, and is institutionally affiliated with the Brussels University Association. The initiative was based on a proposal by Emeritus Professor Dr. Henri Eisendrath (VUB) and Frank Noten (formerly of EhB) to support teachers in the Brussels region in implementing innovative STEM education. This proposal was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of the Brussels University Association (UAB).
Major societal problems are largely solved through an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approach, and the aim is to make this clear to young people within STEM education. The various STEM disciplines and/or course content are often taught separately in schools. However, there are also clear connections between the disciplines, allowing them to be taught together or interwoven (i.e., integrated). The educational program is based on authentic and relevant themes that present a challenge to young people, enabling them to engage in more active and meaningful learning through research, design, and collaboration.
The Brussels STEM Support Center is led by Dr. Zino Boisdenghien and Dr. Ronny Merken and aims to help young people recognize, during their classes, the connection between the STEM disciplines and the development of a sustainable society, with a view to a challenging professional life. Various learning pathways (in Dutch) have already been developed for the first, second, and third levels of secondary education. These are currently being used in about 25 schools in Brussels by students and teachers, are freely available to all teachers, and can also be used outside of Brussels. In addition, the Support Center aims to strengthen its presence and activities in other Flemish regions that are of strategic importance to both VUB and Erasmus University College. The Support Center collaborates with various partners in education, the education inspectorate, and various companies.
The fund aims to provide additional support to the Support Center in its activities, such as the purchase of materials needed for the learning pathways.
The House of quantum
This project is an initiative of Emeritus Prof. Henri Eisendrath and Emeritus Prof. Gaston Moens (UGent). Many initiatives are emerging to support, among other things, the teaching of quantum physics in schools. Together, they have developed the content for a digital platform called “Het Kwantumhuis.” The platform consists of eight chapters or “rooms,” each with three sections: one section that describes the basic concepts of quantum physics, a second that provides a contemporary overview of the social, economic, and cultural contexts surrounding quantum mechanical issues, and a third that offers opportunities for in-depth exploration and further study. For eight of the rooms, eight short introductory videos were developed and showcased during Scienceville, the children's science festival held in conjunction with the International Documentary Film Festival Docville, where they were met with considerable acclaim.
Additional short films—“Women in Science” and “The Concept of Chance Through the Centuries”—are currently in production. The digital platform will serve as the central and guiding element of an entire quantum mechanics environment, comprising an exhibition (covering 450 m²), the book *Quantum Revolution*, and the DVD of the same name. The Fund is providing financial support for the digital development of the House of quantum platform.
To bring this digital project to fruition, 80% of the funding has already been made available through the VUB Fund for the Support of the Natural Sciences in Society. You, too, can contribute.
Donate now and make all the difference!
Donate online or by bank transfer to the account number BE51 0013 6779 3562 of VUB with the reference GIFT FO8. Donations from € 40 are tax-deductible.