Applied Research - HZ Studio

During this minor, you will work both within your chosen research group and in the HZ Studio, located in the HZ tower in Vlissingen. HZ Studio is an intercultural hub that reflects a real working environment. You will share this space with students from the Design Thinking and Doing minor, allowing you to collaborate, network, and learn from fellow students with diverse interests and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, you will have access to:

• Weekly coaching sessions
  A space to share ideas, discuss progress, and tackle challenges under the guidance of experienced coaches.
  
• Practical workshops
  Hands-on sessions focused on your professional development, emphasizing personal leadership and growth.

You will have two coaches supporting you throughout the minor:

Research Coach

You will be guided by a researcher from your chosen field, who will:

• Support you in your project and provide subject-specific knowledge
• Meet with you regularly (weekly for 30 minutes or biweekly for 1 hour) to discuss your progress, learning points, and next steps.
• Stay in contact with you via Teams as your go-to person for research guidance.

HZ Studio Coach

Your HZ Studio Coach will primarily support your personal development and teamwork by:

• Helping you reflect on your skills, collaboration, and overall performance during the minor.
• Coaching you on your future studies or career path.
• Organizing monthly meetings with you, your team, and your research coach while also offering interim check-ins.

Assessment

Research Coach: Evaluates key project milestones such as your research proposal and final report.

HZ Studio Coach: Assesses your skills, collaboration, and overall performance.

Please note: Not every research project is available each semester. If you are interested in a specific topic, contact the respective contact person to check the project's availability and schedule a meeting with the researcher. If multiple students show interest in the same topic, the researcher may conduct interviews to select the most suitable candidates.

Energy Transition
Learn about the financial, social, technical, and creative aspects of the energy transition. Sustainable solutions are complex, and stakeholders often have conflicting interests. Working in a multidisciplinary team of 3 or 4 students, you will approach solutions from different areas of expertise and perspectives.

More information? Email Marjoleine Dootingh

Water Technology

Develop techniques to use water as efficiently as possible. Examples include desalinating seawater for hydrogen production, post-purifying wastewater for agriculture, purifying industrial water into process water, or treating various water streams using wetlands. The Water Technology research group also focuses on recovering valuable substances from water, assessing the environmental impact of different techniques through Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), and managing and monitoring water treatment plants.

More information? Email Bart Letterie

Biobased Building

At the Biobased Construction research group, students and lecturers from HZ and Avans work together on research for construction and civil engineering. They focus primarily on biobased materials—materials made from natural raw materials. The group investigates how existing biobased building products can be used more effectively and on a larger scale. They also develop and test new ideas and materials. These can help to make construction cheaper, faster, and more sustainable. As a student, you will participate in this research. You can devise new products, test them, or help to prepare innovations for practical use

More information? Email Marianna Coelho

Circular Economy

Contribute to the greening of the HZ campus. Design circular planting, create study and meeting spaces, or work on the food forest. Ensure that materials used are circular and consider how food and materials within HZ can be reused.

More information? Email Ingrid de Vries

Marine Biobased Chemistry

Research marine resources for food transition, protein replacement, and sustainable packaging. Conduct chemical analyses and learn complex research skills. The Marine Biobased Chemistry research group uses chemical knowledge to investigate marine resources, for example, to shape the food transition in Zeeland. You and your project group might explore seaweed applications, study protein transition, or develop food packaging. Chemistry projects such as analysing flavor and fragrance compounds are also available. You will learn how to conduct complex research, design experiments, analyse data, and present findings.

More information? Email Tanja Moerdijk

HZenzor

HZ has two autonomous sensor boats: HZenzor 1 and HZenzor 2. These two-meter-long boats are equipped with measuring instruments. During this project, you will improve navigation and functionality for water quality research, working on mechatronics, programming, and testing adjustments with your team.

More information? Email Willem Haak

Climate Adaptation

The Resilient Deltas research group brings together experts working on solutions for climate change and flood risks. This group brings together knowledge from various disciplines, such as water management, spatial planning, design, risk assessment, and governance. The researchers study how climate change affects cities and regions, now and in the future. For example, they look at how cities can adapt to heat and heavy rainfall, and how flood barriers can be designed to be safer and more attractive.

More information? Email Jasper van den Heuvel

Innovation in Education

The research group Excellence and Innovation in Education focuses on future-proof education. Due to increasing digitalization, aging populations, and globalization, education is continuously seeking innovative solutions. In an interdisciplinary group, you will work on a current issue in the field of education.

More information? Email Hilde Kooiker - den Boer

Food innovation

Dive into the world of food innovation and explore the future of sustainable and innovative food solutions in the Zeeland region. By choosing this research topic, you’ll have the opportunity to work on diverse projects, from discovering new uses for regional ingredients to tackling challenges in food production, processing, and sustainability.

More information? Email Judith van Poppel

• You understand the principles of regeneration and use this knowledge to critically reflect on your personal development based on the Inner Development Goals.

• You learn to conduct systematic research, view a problem from different perspectives, and justify your choices. You research in a structured manner and critically engage with stakeholders, theories, models, and methodologies. Through feedback and reflection, you improve your research plan, making it clear, relevant, and useful.

• You learn to collect and process research data. You critically analyse the results, draw well-founded conclusions, and explain why you use certain methods. You also learn how to check and assess the reliability of your research results. Additionally, you reflect on your research and your way of working, allowing you to further improve yourself as a professional.

During this minor, you will not receive a fixed HZ timetable. All guest lectures, workshops and coaching sessions will be communicated via your Outlook calendar.

The following guidelines apply:

• You must be present at your research group/project (at the office, lab or another workplace) for at least two days per week.
• You will be at HZ Studio in Vlissingen at least one day per week.
• You will plan the remaining hours in consultation with your team and/or coaches online or remotely.

There is no mandatory literature for this minor. Various sources and books are available in the HZ Studio for your project. Additionally, information will be shared via Learn.

The examination of this minor entails a portfolio and a competency-based interview.