The first UfD-Strukton Master Awards were awarded to master students of the TU Delft on 12 November 2009 at the Strukton head office in Utrecht. Robin van Abeelen won first prize for his research on the Noord/Zuidlijn (North-South metro line Amsterdam). He took home a voucher to the value of € 5,000.

In his research, Van Abeelen examined the risks of building below ground and he evaluates the various methods for risk analysis. “The customer needs a reliable judgement, based on skills and experience from the past. Therefore, the various methods should be evaluated and tested on their feasibility”, according to the winner. Chairman of the selection committee Prof. A.A.A. Molenaar motivated the jury’s selection of the winner by saying that (t)his vision is evidence of a strong ability to empathise, which Van Abeelen combines with an understanding of a current social problem and a sound approach.

The second and third prizes of € 2,500 each were awarded to Jan Wouter Langenberg and Benjamin ter Kuile. Langenberg was rewarded for his report on congestion in electricity networks and Ter Kuile was rewarded for his report on simulating air pollution.

The entries were judged by a qualified judging panel, consisting of:

• Prof. K. van der Werff of the Delft University of Technology
• Prof. A.A.A. Molenaar of the Delft University of Technology
• J.A. Bronsing of the Delft University Fund
• Prof. F.M. Sanders of the Delft University of Technology
• M. Smitt from Strukton Civiel

The awards are aimed at stimulating students to think more deeply about tackling bottlenecks in society and providing building and infrastructure solutions that are ready for the future. More information can be found on www.strukton-studenten.nl.