The Art of Building Small: Student lecture by Nobel Prize laureate Ben Feringa 

In connection with Nobel Prize Dialogue Brussels, students, scientists and UZ Brussel employees are invited to a Nobel Prize student lecture. 

On Tuesday March 5, 2024, Nobel Prize Laureate Ben Feringa will visit our university at the initiative of the Nobel Prize Outreach from Sweden. He gives a guest lecture entitled 'The ART of Building Small'. With this he wants to introduce VUB students, scientists and UZ Brussel employees to molecular nanotechnology in an accessible way. 

Chemist Ben Feringa was the first in the world to build a molecular nano car with four-wheel drive. He thus opened the doors to various revolutionary applications and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2016.

After the Nobel Prize lecture, a select audience of 15 students will have the chance to meet Ben Feringa in person and participate in a roundtable discussion with the Nobel Prize laureate. It wil be a discussion about Professor Feringa’s lecture, about life as a scientist or anything else you would like to discuss with a Nobel Prize laureate. Want a chance to win an invitation? Let us know when you register.

Practicalities 

Tuesday March 5, 2024 at 13:00 in the Brouwer room on the VUB Health Campus (Jette). 

Programme

- 13:00 - 14:00 Lecture 
- 14:00 - 14:15 Q&A 
- 14:30 - 15:20 Round table discussion (by invitation only)

More info: 
Professor Ben Feringa is a Dutch chemist at the University of Groningen. In 2016, Feringa, together with Jean-Pierre Sauvage and Fraser Stoddart, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their research into molecular nanomachines. 

In 2011, Feringa was the first in the world to synthesize molecular motors that continue to rotate under the influence of ultraviolet light. With his research group, Feringa has succeeded in developing a 'nano car with four-wheel drive', a molecule that can move over a metal surface. In the future, this will make revolutionary applications possible, such as transporting medicines via the bloodstream to a very specific location in the body. Consider an anti-tumor drug that works in a tumor but leaves healthy tissues alone.

 Register now 
Since the number of places is limited, registration is required.