More than 700 participants laced up their running shoes on Friday 11 September for the seventh edition of the Campus Trail. This set a new participation record for the annual fun run across Zernike Campus Groningen. Employees of companies and knowledge institutions, students and other members of the campus community completed the approximately 6.4-kilometre course together. The official opening remarks were given by Hans van der Aa, Chief Technology & Operations Officer at PolyVation, who is once again taking part in the Trail this year together with many of his colleagues.
The Campus Trail is about more than just a sporting challenge. Participants experienced the campus from a completely different perspective than during a regular working or study day. The route took them through and past buildings and locations including those of Hanze and the University of Groningen, ACLO, Van OlstBorg and Van DoorenVeste, as well as Start-up City and Royal Avebe’s Innovation Center, before finishing at Plus Ultra. Music and activities along the route added to the atmosphere.
“Plus Ultra is the centre of the campus today,” says Jasper Schipper, Commercial Manager at Kadans Science Partner and landlord of Plus Ultra Groningen. “As the start and finish venue, we are happy to provide space for an event that brings so many people together. The energy you can feel here today is exactly what makes this campus so special.”
From sporting challenge to campus tradition
In seven years, the Campus Trail has become a regular feature on the campus calendar. This year, no fewer than 30 company teams took part, alongside individual participants. Colleagues from organisations including ACLO, Royal Avebe, the University of Groningen, DNV, Hanze, Lode Holding, MemoryLab, PolyVation, UMCG and Enablemi ran the course together and discovered places where people normally work, study and innovate.
“We work with smart polymers every day at PolyVation, but today it is all about smart kilometres,” says Hans van der Aa. “We are happy to take part in the Campus Trail every year, and of course we joined again this year with several teams, in our 30th anniversary year. It is great to see that on this campus, people not only innovate together, but also get active together.”
After crossing the finish line, participants could unwind at Plus Ultra with drinks and an Italian sharing platter from Contini Zernike, rounding off the afternoon together.
The Campus Trail is an initiative of Campus Groningen in collaboration with Hanze, the University of Groningen, Bedrijvenvereniging WEST, ACLO, Lode Holding, the Sports Centre, Entrance and the Municipality of Groningen. The event is organised by Paul van Put Events.
De Rijksuniversiteit Groningen heeft het ontwerp voor het nieuwe Interfaculty Learning Center op Zernike Campus afgerond. Het gebouw combineert moderne onderwijsruimtes, gespecialiseerde labs en inspirerende studieplekken.
Fermentatieprocessen, van voedselproductie tot andere toepassingen, roepen vragen op die betrouwbare data en testen vereisen. Het bedrijf SG Papertronics, gevestigd op Campus Groningen, ontwikkelt platformtechnologie voor biochemische en analytische testen, met fermentatie als specialisme.
Astronomer Francesca Rizzo of the University of Groningen (RUG) has won the KNAW Early Career Prize. The prize is intended for young scientists with innovative research ideas and consists of a work of art and 15,000 euros to support the further development of their careers. Rizzo is one of twelve researchers to receive the prize.
