Global Initiative TU Delft : Science for the benefit of people

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SolarWorks! has over 20,000 solar home systems installed in Mozambique and Malawi, thereby delivering energy to more than 100,000 people in those countries.

Index Let’s Make Impact

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The Delft Diamond Approach

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Global Research Areas

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Global Goals

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Global Education

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Global Projects

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Facts & Figures

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Science with Global Impact

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Safe Surgery

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The Creepy Crawlies that Can Save Lives

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Re-thinking solar energy

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Affordable MRI

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20,000 weather stations in Africa

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Optical Smart Malaria Diagnostics

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Floating Homes for the Philippines

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aQysta: The Self-reliant Irrigation Pump

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Housing Design in Ethiopia

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Electricity from Biogas

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Towards Impact with Entrepreneurship

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Get Involved

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Your Call to Action

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Let’s Make Impact OUR MISSION

TU Delft | Global Initiative is the platform,

Science for the benefit of people. All people.

portal and booster of science and technology

Worldwide.

for global sustainable development at TU Delft.

Through this initiative scientists from TU Delft

OUR GOAL

use their expertise to find concrete solutions

Concrete solutions for worldwide problems.

for worldwide problems. Global challenges that are urgent in developing countries and relevant worldwide.

GET INVOLVED? JOIN US on tudelft.nl/global

Meet one of the Sub Saharan Africa Excellence scholars who has just graduated: Dara Awe from Nigeria.

‘I am quite lucky to be part of the TU Delft | Global Initiative community, where people involved are passionate about using science and technology to find concrete solutions for problems ranging from healthcare, energy, to infrastructure deficits faced by developing countries. This is quite integral to my research interests, especially regarding sustainable and affordable housing.’

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‘With TU Delft you truly learn that nothing is impossible’

The Delft Diamond Approach

➊ ➋ ➌ ➍

➊ 6

➋

Global Challenge

Science

Starting point are global societal

Research for global development

challenges faced by people in

involves creative, out-of-the-box,

developing countries: good health,

high-quality scientific and technological

food security, affordable and clean

innovations with a tangible output such

energy, affordable and sustainable

as tools, services and marketable

housing, clean water, sanitation and

products. Creative minds working in

disaster resilience and response.

multidisciplinary teams to tackle global challenges.

To tackle worldwide problems our approach includes four key elements:

➊

➋

➌

➍

global challenge - start with the challenge science - use our expertise and creative minds co-creation - work together with all relevant stakeholders local impact - aim for tangible solutions

We call this the Delft Diamond Approach

➌ Co-Creation

➍ Local Impact

Close cooperation between

Tangible and sustainable solutions that

TU Delft scientists and local partners

directly improve lives of people living

in Sub Saharan Africa and Southeast

in low resource settings. A healthier

Asia (local universities, companies,

and safer living environment, creation

governments, NGOs, start-ups) to jointly

of economic activity and affordable,

find and create concrete solutions for

simple, sustainable and reliable tools,

global societal challenges.

services and products.

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Global Research Areas To find solutions for global challenges we focus on the areas in which we have a long-time expertise.

HEALTHCARE

ENERGY

Medical & surgical instruments,

Off-grid energy solutions for

diagnostics

improving energy access

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WATER

URBANISATION

Clean drinking water, reuse of

Inclusive, healthy and fair living

waste water, water safety and water

environments

resource management

DISASTER RESILIENCE AND RESPONSE From warning systems to the role of data during disaster relief operations

Global Goals In September 2015 the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals. Within our research areas TU Delft | Global Initiative contributes to these Global Goals. All our research and decision making is strongly related to these Sustainable Development Goals.

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Global Education From local training to online courses Sustainable global development is impossible without education. TU Delft | Global Initiative educates people from developing countries in Delft (MSc and PhD) and locally through train-the-trainer programmes.

At the same time we inspire and support Delft students and researchers to work on global challenges and join our global community. TU Delft also offers Open and Online Education to everyone with access to a computer and internet. These open online courses are also used by teachers in classrooms all around the world, and offer many opportunities for cooperation and partnership.

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‘After gaining all this knowledge, I could install my own solar system using the mathematical tools provided.’

Getting a good education is a challenge for people all around the world. TU Delfts online courses, in particular the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) available to all, have already reached almost one and a half million people around the world, making impact in many lives. For example, Andersson Contreras in Colombia followed TU Delft’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in Solar Energy, and now he provides electricity for his whole village. “After gaining all this knowledge, I could install my own solar system using the mathematical tools provided. And the economic results of this system were very satisfactory. I have now been able to produce a continuous supply of electricity for my neighbourhood and make a contribution to greenhouse gas reduction.”

For all online courses of TU Delft go to online-learning.tudelft.nl

‘Although studying in TU Delft is challenging, it is really a worthy investment’ Meet one of the Sub Saharan Africa Excellence scholars who has just graduated: Aminat Rasheed from Nigeria.

‘My experience here is not limited to only engineering. I have learnt about different cultures, effective time management, team work and I have improved my leadership skills.

Although studying in TU Delft is challenging, it is really a worthy investment considering the quality of knowledge and skills you gain in the process. All this wouldn’t have been possible without the Sub-Saharan Africa Excellence Scholarship, I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by TU Delft | Global Initiative!’

GET INVOLVED? JOIN US on tudelft.nl/global

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TU Delft | Global Projects

Science for the benefit of people. All people. Worldwide.

For the TU Delft | Global Initiative Impact Map go to tudelft.nl/global

UGANDA ELECTRICITY FROM BIOGAS

MOZAMBIQUE RE-THINKING SOLAR ENERGY

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NICARAGUA CREEPY CRAWLIES THAT SAVE LIVES

KENYA SAFE SURGERY

For the TU Delft | Global Initiative Impact Map go to tudelft.nl/global

UGANDA AFFORDABLE MRI

NIGERIA OPTICAL SMART MALARIA DIAGNOSTICS

PHILIPPINES FLOATING HOMES

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ETHIOPIA HOUSING DESIGN

GHANA WEATHER STATIONS

TU Delft | Global Initiative Global Impact

250+

Delft Global researchers

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+

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Delft Global Research Projects

21 Delft Global Student Projects

500 Students

Global Excellence Scholarships

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active in > 30 countries in Sub Saharan Africa & Southeast Asia

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Startups

€

Research Grants

► 15.000.000 1.000.000 Donations

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Science with global impact

Read all stories on tudelft.nl/global/stories

Jenny Dankelman

HEALTH

Safe surgery

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We’ve all been there. You have had an

For Dankelman, collaboration is key.

accident, perhaps bruised or broken

Dankelman studies the context in which

a limb. Off you go to the accident and

surgical equipment is used in Sub

emergency department at the hospital.

Saharan Africa together with experts in

In Africa things are not quite that

Biomechanical engineering from Kenyatta

straightforward. Treatment, if available

University in Nairobi, Kenya. “And

at all, is often at a couple of days

Diamedica is a commercial partner in our

travel. Often that is simply too long

project. They have experience in building

and patients are left with impairments

medical equipment for several low- and

varying from minor to life-changing, or

middle-income countries.”

even die.

This TU Delft | Global project is only the start, Dankelman says. As professor of

Worldwide a lack of access to basic surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery and Intervention

kills more people than malaria, HIV/aids

Techniques she knows all there is to

and tuberculosis put together. That is why

know about keyhole surgery. Using

Jenny Dankelman’s TU Delft | Global project

smart instruments, needles and flexible

is all about developing safe and affordable

catheters, incision size can be brought back

surgical instruments.

considerably, keeping the risk of infection to a minimum.

Partners: • Diamedica (UK) • Kenyatta University (Kenya)

‘For maximum impact you want to keep things affordable and simple’

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

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Kenya Science with global impact

Doris van Halem WATER

The creepy crawlies that can save lives

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Doris van Halem’s aim is to make

Van Halem first recognised the importance

drinking water safe and accessible to

of the role of micro-organisms in water by

all. Not by adding expensive chemicals

accident. It was during a research project

but by using the tiny creatures that

which took her to Ghana, Cambodia and

are already present in it. By using

Nicaragua where she was testing a ceramic

the water’s own naturally occurring

pot filter with tiny holes which filtered out

micro-organisms she is tackling two

harmful bacteria and protozoa.

main health risks associated with

Years later Van Halem and her team

contaminated drinking water: arsenic

achieved another important breakthrough.

poisoning and infectious diseases

They found that it was possible to remove

caused by viruses.

arsenic from groundwater by means of the iron that naturally occurs alongside of it.

Micro-organisms did not figure high on Van Halem’s list when she started looking at

Co-creaton:

alternative water treatment methods. ‘The

• Ceramic filters are produced at local

life forms that naturally occur in water are

factories (Nicaragua)

usually regarded as yukky creepy crawlies.

If they end up in a drinking water filter – a process called biofouling – we usually throw a lot of chemicals at them so they die.’

‘Drinking water is seen as water that has very few nutrients for micro-organisms to feed on. And yet this nutrient-poor water has active micro-organisms. The question is how to use this activity for the aim we have in mind.’

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

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Nicaragua Science with global impact

Nishant Narayan ENERGY

Re-thinking solar energy Almost 30% of the 7.5 billion world

Nishant approaches it differently.

population has no or unreliable access

“The beautiful part is that most of the places

to electricity. Because of these peoples’

with electricity issues happen to lie in the

remote locations and geographical or

equatorial and tropical belts. So, solar-

financial limits the electricity grid simply

based solutions are a no-brainer.”

has not reached them, yet. That is why TU

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Delft | Global Initiative Research Fellow

To gain more insights he works closely

Nishant Narayan researches off-grid

together with industrial designer Jan-Carel

solutions with solar energy.

Diehl, an expert on human-centered design with a special focus on emerging markets.

Why not just extend the national electricity

Another important partner is SolarWorks!,

grid? Sometimes people live too far away

a TU Delft start-up company which sells

from the grid, or they only use a very little

solar home systems in Mozambique. “My

amount of energy. Nishant sees the solution

research should be seen as a roadmap

in a modular and interconnected design

of sorts towards achieving universal

for these solar home systems. This idea

electrification. How far can they take the

of a solar-based microgrid is not new, but

technology as it is now? How to be best prepared for the future?”

Partners: • SolarWorks!

• KamWorks

‘If you want to climb up the energy ladder, you need modularity in your design.’

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

Science with global impact

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India Mozambique

South Africa

Cambodia

Martin van Gijzen HEALTH

Affordable MRI

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Modern MRI scanners for disease

cost up to three million euros and it takes

detection are commonly used in the

highly specialised knowledge to operate

West but in low- and middle-income

them. Our aim is to develop a simple

countries hospitals are simply unable to

scanner which will cost no more than fifty

afford them. Mathematician Martin van

thousand euros.’ The reason it can be

Gijzen is helping to develop a simple

made so much more cheaply, is down to

MRI scanner that can play a vital role in

the use of a weak magnet. ‘This means

the early diagnosis of hydrocephalus,

the mathematical side of things is much

a condition that affects over a hundred

more complicated and that is what we are

thousand children in Sub Saharan Africa:

working on.’

early diagnosis can prevent severe brain damage.

Partners: • Leiden University Medical Center

Van Gijzen: ‘A normal MRI scanner has a

• Pennsylvania State University (USA)

superconducting magnet and liquid helium

• Mbarara University of Science and

for cooling. It produces a complete, high-

Technology (Uganda)

resolution picture. But scanners like this can

‘Most diseases are not that difficult to detect but you do need the right equipment.’

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

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Uganda Science with global impact

Nick van de Giesen WATER

20,000 weather stations in Africa

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In the next few decades, the worldwide

That is how the ‘The Trans-African Hydro-

demand for food is set to double. Africa

Meteorological Observatory’ (TAHMO) was

and South-America will be the main

born. Goal: a network of 20,000 weather

producers of the extra food. But how can

stations across the whole sub-Sahara

large-scale agriculture be achieved if

Africa.”

there are no reliable data on the avail­

Although there is still a long way to go, with

ability of water, when the rain is going to

500+ stations in 21 countries, TAHMO is

fall, and where? Professor Nick van de

currently already by far the largest producer

Giesen is looking for answers and data.

of scientific weather data in Africa.

“To improve rain forecasts, satellite data and

Partners:

weather models have to be combined with

• Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological

observations on the ground. That’s when it

Observatory

came to us: if we put up low-cost technology

• Oregon State University (USA)

weather stations and accumulate ground

• Decagon Devices Inc. (USA)

data we would have huge impact.

• IBM • Global Resilience Partnership

‘As our climate continues to change, our mission will become even more critical.’

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

Science with global impact

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Senegal Ghana

Chad Kenya

Congo Nigeria Uganda South Africa

Temitope Agbana HEALTH

Optical Smart Malaria Diagnostics

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To create an optical instrument which

team to tackle one of the most urgent

allows anyone, not just experts, to

problems in Sub Saharan Africa: malaria.

diagnose malaria at a very early stage

Agbana is from Nigeria and has first-hand

of the disease using a simple pin-prick

knowledge of the problem and the local

blood sample, that is the challenge

context. “Every year many people die from

facing the team headed by professors

the disease, especially children. In Nigeria

Michel Verhaegen and Gleb Vdovine

one of the problem areas is diagnosis. The

at the Delft Centre for Systems and

standard method is to take a blood sample,

Control. “An instrument that can be used

put it under a microscope and study it. It’s

on the ground in the African countryside

time consuming, and the accuracy of the

would be a first. It’s a big challenge from

results depends on the expertise of the

a scientific point of view: is it possible to

microscopist conducting the test.

make an early diagnosis of malaria using

In the meantime, a national and

only optical techniques? Can it be done

international network of experts has been

at all? We now know it is possible!”

established and the start-up AiDx Medical has emerged from this project which

Malaria

develops the low-cost, automated, smart

It was TU Delft | Global Initiative Research

malaria screening device.

Fellow Temitope Agbana who suggested the Partners: • AiDx Medical • LUMC • University of Ibadan (Nigeria) • University of Lagos (Nigeria)

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

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Nigeria Science with global impact

Pieter Ham URBANISATION

Floating homes for the Philippines City dwellers in the Philippines are

to provide Ham and Van der Schaik with

dealing with the consequences of

the necessary feedback. ‘The plan is to

frequent flooding on a daily basis.

process all the feedback and build 50 more

This is why TU Delft | Global Initiative

homes and even floating classrooms. The

Research Fellow Pieter Ham has

most important thing is to build homes that

been working on the construction of

families will want to live in and that they will

sustainable, modular floating homes in

be proud to call their own.’

the Philippines. Now the pilot home is 30

ready and the first family to test it out

Partners:

has moved in.

• Municipality of Haganoy • Municipality of Malols

Ham thinks it’s important not to do all the

• Municipality of Macabeb

preparation for the work in the Netherlands.

• Asian Institute of Management

You only know if things work when you are

• Finch Buildings

actually in the process of building the house.

You will be faced with challenges that you can’t predict in your lab at home.

The pilot house is currently home to a municipal lorry driver and his wife and two kids. They are the first of four families

For the complete story, visit

who will be putting the house through its

tudelft.nl/global/stories

paces for a period of three months in order

‘People showed us their homes. I was shocked to find myself knee-deep in water.’

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Philippines Science with global impact

Juan Carlo Intriago WATER

aQysta: The self-reliant irrigation pump

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PhD-researcher Juan Carlo Intriago

Based on the current application of the

works closely together with start-up

Barsha pump, aQysta’s flagship hydro-

aQysta, spin-off from the TU Delft, and

powered solution, Intriago assesses the

colleagues Maurits Ertsen and Jan Carel

effects of the ITP-technology in smallholder

Diehl to study possible applications of an

irrigation schemes by means of the

Integrated Turbine Pump (ITP). The device

implementation of a product-service-

operates simultaneously as a pump and

system: ‘The technology might turn out to

a turbine—the latter driving the former—

be expensive, but farmers do need water to

so neither fossil fuels nor electricity are

irrigate their lands. What if they do not pay

needed to support a small-scale irrigation

for the device, but only for what they need:

system: it is capable of generating its own

the service of getting irrigation water from

power.

one height to another?’

For aQysta, information about the dayto-day use of a new pump is important, because it will increase the company’s knowledge of the target group and what the market for this kind of pumps is like.

Partners: • aQysta • Comillas University (Spain) • Small farmers from Nepal and Indonesia

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

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Spain

Nepal

Indonesia

Science with global impact

Dick van Gameren URBANISATION

Housing design in Ethiopia

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Professor Dick van Gameren first got

capital, Addis Ababa. But for many city-

to know Ethiopia years ago, when he

dwellers the new residential blocks are not a

designed the Dutch embassy in Addis

solution to their problems as it is based on a

Ababa. Fascinated by the country

western model of building which ignores the

and its people, he kept returning.

strong social and economic relationships in

One of the things that strikes him

the slums.

about Ethiopia today is that despite a

The plots also generate an income, from

recent building boom, 80 percent of

washing clothes to brewing beer or selling

citizens in the capital city still live in

Injera, a traditional pancake-like bread. In

slums. “How can we design affordable

the new housing estates this entire socio-

homes for Ethiopia’s typical housing

economic structure is lost. Moreover, when

culture?”, he wonders. He asked TU

people are relocated to the new estates on

Delft | Global Initiative Research Fellow

the outskirts of town, they are cut off from

Anteneh Tesfaye Tola to join him in this

their earlier means of existence.

investigation.

The challenge is to find a design method Population growth and the accompanying

which maintains the financial and social

rapid urbanisation in Ethiopia have led to

structures, while improving the current living

almost continuous construction in the

conditions.

Partners: • EiABC (Addis Ababa University) • Ministry of Construction and Urban Development (City of Addis Ababa)

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

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Ethiopia Science with global impact

Ralph Lindeboom ENERGY

Electricity from biogas For people living in the rural areas

The lack of oxygen kicks off a process

of developing countries access to

in which anaerobic micro-organisms

electricity is often non-existent or

convert the waste material into biogas.

limited at best. Ralph Lindeboom is

The integration of the digester with high

working on a biogas fuel cell system

temperature fuel cells results in a much

which generates electricity from organic

more efficient way of generating electricity

waste (water).

using biogas and on a much smaller or local scale than we’re seeing at the moment.’

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Lindeboom and his team are studying the application of a biogas fuel cell system

Electricity generated by a biogas fuel cell

for generating electricity in rural settings.

system is currently five to ten times as

Biogas, a byproduct of the decomposition

expensive as solar energy, Lindeboom

of organic matter such as kitchen waste,

estimates. ‘But we think we’ll be able to

animal manure or domestic waste water,

bring the price down significantly in a short

has been used for things like cooking since

period of time.

time immemorial.

Also, our fuel cell will work when there’s no

‘Waste is buried in a hole in the ground, or

sun and it can store energy, so we will need

digester, which is closed off so no oxygen

fewer lithium for batteries.’

can get in.

Partners: • Center for Frugal Innovations in Africa

For the complete story, visit tudelft.nl/global/stories

Science with global impact

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Uganda Rwanda

Kenya Tanzania

Towards Impact with Entrepreneurship The research projects we work on with our partners provide us with new insights, designs, and prototypes for solutions to real-world needs. We should ensure that all the people and organisations that are in need of these solutions, can get access to them. Often, companies play an important role in this, turning technology into 38

a sellable product and distributing it all over the world, creating new jobs along the way.

We have witnessed this happening with existing companies that are often already part of our projects, or with new companies that have been created. More than 15 of these companies were started

by TU Delft alumni, making use of solutions created for our target countries. They have generated hundreds of jobs, of which more than 75% in the countries where their customers live.

In the upcoming years we aim to support even more teams in creating viable companies. Therefore we cooperate with the Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship providing education, both online and in BSc and MSc programmes, the incubator programmes at the YES!Delft incubator, and with the business support from Delft Enterprises. With this growing network of partners, we will work on building an even stronger ecosystem for entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

‘We will work on building an even stronger ecosystem for entrepreneurship in emerging markets.’

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Get Involved

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‘More people involved means a bigger impact.’

Your Call to Action Up to this point we described how

We are always looking for new (startup)

we, as University of Technology, aim

or experienced companies that can

to contribute to addressing Global

use the new technologies to develop

Challenges in Low and Middle Income

internationally competitive products and

Countries. None of these results

services. Working with talented and

or efforts can be realized without

motivated students in growing markets in

support of our partners. We therefore

Asia and Africa is an extra bonus.

invite you to contribute in various ways as well.

As a Dutch University of Technology we need fellow researchers in our target countries and in complementing

Are you a TU Delft student?

disciplines, such as societal, governance,

Then choose these Global Challenges

economics and many others to

as your (graduation) topic. Investigate

understand the context better and

parts of the challenges or design a new

develop true scalable solutions.

solution.

We foster and grow new relations Are you a TU Delft researcher?

continuously with end-users in our

Pivot part of your work to addressing TU

programs within our selected hubs,

Delft | Global Initiative topics.

such as local governments, medical

Enrich your portfolio with these impact

professionals, NGOs, water managers,

driven projects and find motivated,

city builders, maker spaces and many

creative students.

others.

Are you, as a funding organisation looking for effective impact programs? We have experience in making change happen with education, job creation and cocreation of solutions.

CONTACT US on tudelft.nl/global

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Colophon Editor Maaike van Zuilen Contributing writers Annelies de Bakker Claire Hallewas Roel Kamerling Sophie Oostelbos Translation Hanneke Sanou Photography Frank AuperlĂŠ Design Walvis & Mosmans Many thanks to all researchers, students and entrepreneurs for their valuable contribution.

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Contact TU Delft | Global Initiative Stevinweg 1 2628 CN Delft The Netherlands delftglobal@tudelft.nl tudelft.nl/global twitter.com/tudelftglobal facebook.com/tudelftglobal linkedin.com/showcase/tu-delft-global-initiative

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Concrete solutions for worldwide problems