Projects
Topological insulators and their proximity effects with superconducting and magnetic materials KU Leuven
In condensed matter physics, major breakthroughs are realized with the discoveries of new states of matter. Recently, an entirely new state of matter has been predicted and observed in the so-called 2D and 3D topological insulators (TI) which are isolating in their interior but have metallic conducting surfaces with unique properties that are unknown in any other material. Beside their huge fundamental interest, these materials are considered ...
Graphene as a sensor for cluster-surface interactions: charge transfer, spin scattering, and proximity induced superconductivity KU Leuven
Quantum size effects dominate the electric and magnetic properties of few-atom clusters, resulting in strong size dependences and new phenomena, different from bulk behaviour. To exploit the full potential of these atomic size building blocks in functional nanostructured materials one needs to establish a connection between the clusters and the macroscopic world. We propose an innovative approach to interact with the clusters without ...
Numerical and experimental analysis of smart urban wind turbines KU Leuven
The EU’s climate goals necessitate all the EU countries to have at least a 32% share of renewable energy consumption by 2030. Achieving this requires energy harvesting from all the renewables in potential locations. Wind energy is the largest contributor among the renewables throughout the EU with a share of 44.2%. Among the potential locations for wind energy harvesting, urban areas, although very promising in terms of providing a local ...
Role of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in nephrotic syndrome. KU Leuven
An elevated risk for thromboembolic disease, including both deep venous and arterial thrombosis, leads to an increase in morbidity and mortality rates in nephrotic syndrome (NS) patients. Platelet alterations have repeatedly been observed in patients with NS. However, the mechanisms underlying these platelet alterations in NS remained unclear. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) was recently identified as an inhibitor ...
Metal Pollution and Oxidative Stress: Exploring effects on aging rate, behavior and fitness. University of Antwerp
Local probing of interfacial coupling in correlated electron systems. KU Leuven
Understanding the association between adolescents’ media use and their mental wellbeing: introduction of a proximate vs. remote moderators structure KU Leuven
The literature is unclear about the direction of relationships between media use and adolescents’ mental wellbeing. In some studies, media relate to decreased depressive symptoms, while in others it relates to a lower well-being or even seems to prevent the development of a healthy well-being. This project introduces a dual-conditional model explaining the positive as well as negative role of levels of media use in depressive symptoms. The ...
Quality of the Vote Choice. Accountability and Congruence in Electoral Democracies. KU Leuven
Electoral volatility is an increasingly important component of electoral behaviour. From a normative point of view, voting entails at least two components. On the one hand, voters need to express their political preference through their vote. Therefore, they need to cast a vote that corresponds with their point of view (proximity voting). On the other hand, for the political system to be responsive, voters need to hold the government ...