Ever wondered how pesticides truly affect our rivers, lakes, and the rich life they sustain? Join us at our upcoming Wageningen Science Café, where experts (and brothers!), Paul and Nico van den Brink, will guide you through the hidden world of pesticides and environmental risks. Discover how these chemicals impact aquatic ecosystems, how climate change might amplify their effects, and the state of Dutch biodiversity today. Have your questions answered about how pesticides might be impacting you, and the future of these chemicals in the Netherlands. Join us from 7:45pm on Wednesday 16 April for live music, with the speakers beginning their presentations at 8:15pm. Don’t miss out on your chance to learn more about pesticides in the Netherlands.

During his presentation, Paul will outline the background on how pesticides impact the ecology of aquatic ecosystems and how these effects will be influenced by climate change. Paul will present the current poor state of aquatic ecosystems in the Netherlands and the role of pesticides in this. Nico will address current risk assessment procedures with respect to pesticides in a complex world. There is an ongoing debate about how to address mixtures of pesticides for instance in crops with high application rates, and whether biodiversity is sufficiently protected.

Prof. dr. Paul J. Van den Brink is a full, personal professor at the Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group of Wageningen University. He chairs the chemical stress ecology sub-group. He is amongst others involved in international projects on assessing the ecological effects of contaminants like pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal and home care products as well as those of multiple stressors, including climate change.

Prof. dr. Nico W. van den Brink is the new chair holder of the laboratory of Toxicology at Wageningen University. His background is in environmental toxicology, with a focus on wildlife toxicology and emphasis on immunomodulatory as well as behavioral effects of chemicals (PPPs, pharma, trace metals) on animals. His research spans from in vitro to in vivo and in field and is aimed to identify mechanisms to establish causality of dose-response relationships, also under field conditions.

About the band

Downtime is a trio born from the Jazz in Wageningen jam sessions that loves to fuse different music styles. A jazz standard with a hiphop groove? Or a Drum and bass beat with jazz chords? Anything is possible with Downtime!

Keys: Eric de Zeeuw

Bass: Dani Nooijen

Drums: Thijmen van loon

Are you curious about how we can keep our cities comfortable, even in the face of rising temperatures and ever-changing wind patterns? Join us for a compelling presentation on the newly revised Weather in the City, where landscape architect and urban planner Sanda Lenzholzer reveals how modern techniques and smart design choices can improve the urban climate. Discover how physical factors and environmental psychology shape our comfort in public spaces and learn practical ways to tackle urban heat stress and wind challenges. Don’t miss this chance to explore innovative strategies that help make our urban environments thrive in the face of climate change.

Join us to learn more about this spectacular topic on March 19^th, at Science Café Wageningen. We are expecting you from 19:45 onward in Café Loburg, for good talks, music, and discussions.

Prof. Sanda Lenzholzer studied landscape architecture at the Leibniz University Hannover (Dipl. Ing.) and Housing and Urbanism at the Architectural Association School in London (MA). After that she was a designer associated with various agencies in the Netherlands and Germany (e.g. Sant & Co, Mecanoo, ST Freiraum). Since 2004 she has been working at Wageningen University and specialized in the relationship between research and design and especially climate-oriented urban and landscape design. Through her research projects (e.g. Climate Proof Cities, Climadaptool, REALCOOL, SOLOCLIM) she contributes to improving the knowledge base of climate-oriented urban design. Since 2020 she leads the landscape architecture group of Wageningen University. In the recent past her focus shifted towards a broader approach that integrates different fields into the design of public spaces. She publishes widely, advises design agencies, municipalities, and provinces, and gives guest lectures and master classes in many countries.

About the music

Downtown Grooves is a jazz/funk/blues trio that will take you on a musical journey of infectious rhythms, soulful melodies, and electrifying improvisations.

The trio is comprised by: Eric van de Bovenkamp on piano; Javier Garcia Vicente on guitar, bass and vocals; Erik Dekker on drums and percussion.

Their chemistry on stage is palpable, and their improvisational dialogues are a testament to their deep musical connection. When they perform, you can expect to be taken on a sonic adventure, as they effortlessly blend jazz standards, funky grooves, Spanish and Latin songs with soulful blues numbers. A relaxed and groovy musical experience.