What do young researchers think about the future? We asked three PhD students to look ahead at the developments in their field.
Text Ilja Van Braeckel
Charlotte, what is the subject of your research?
“In my research, I look for solutions to the Yang–Baxter equation. The equation attracts a lot of attention from researchers in several fields. For example, it is used in physics, to easily describe systems composed of many small elements, or to build quantum computers, which in the future will replace current computers."
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Where would you like to be in 50 years? What could your field look like by then?
“I might do purely mathematical research, I might start teaching or I might enter into business. The good news is that mathematics is needed everywhere. If you want to call, send messages, securely pay online… I hope in the future, people will appreciate it more, and will once again see the versatility of mathematics. That will hopefully lead to more passionate mathematics teachers who will inspire students. I hope it will also increase public support for mathematical research.”
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Anne-Sophie, what is the subject of your research?
“ I study the rights and duties of the different kinds of creditors within the field of the law of succession. That’s relevant, since an estate does not only include the goods and rights of the deceased, but also his or her debts. For example, rent that still needs to be paid, the redemption of a mortgage… If the people who can inherit accept the estate, they have to be answerable for those debts.”
Where would you like to be in 50 years? What could your field look like by then?
“In the legal world, my subject does not receive enough attention, so there is still a lot of work to do. After a while, maybe I will switch to notaryship. Lately, there has been a lot of commotion about the profession and more and more people are saying that notaries should be replaced with computers or for example blockchain technology. Just like in any field, modernizations happen and that is a good thing. But a computer or some software will never be able to offer the same service.”
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Hanne Fleur, what is the subject of your research?
“I study the extent to which the colonial history has influenced the production of art, after the independence of Congo in 1960. For that, I involve Belgian and Congolese artists, but also artists from other countries. More specifically, I focus on cinematic pictures , for example the way in which film-makers and artists critically reuse visual material of colonial propaganda.”
Where would you like to be in 50 years? What could your field look like by then?
“After my PhD, I would like to do postgraduate research. More and more often, you hear about cuts to academic research funding in the field of humanities. But in a city like Brussels, there is always so much happening in art and culture, so hopefully, those cuts won’t be so severe. On top of that, there is more and more interdisciplinary research, in which art history plays a role. Current themes like ecology and migration can also be studied by looking at the past. Art is a suitable medium for that.”
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