Alumni Applied, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Diepenbeek (A²B²D) Diepenbeek, September 29, 2006 NEWSLETTER - NEWSLETTER - NEWSLETTER Dear A²B²D members, dear students, Again a new academic year has started and a lot of new faces will show up in both the Applied- and Biostatistics Master. In addition, a new master program has been founded: Master in Bioinformatics, that s why A²BD turned into A²B²D: atoobeetoodee : Alumni Applied, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Diepenbeek. Becoming a member of A²B²D has become more attractive since membership is free from now on. A simple registration via the website: www.censtat.be will give you a reduction for most activities. With a group of energetic board members, we try to brighten up your life in Belgium. Next to our current students, we also keep contact with former students as well as with the teaching staff. All are kept up-to-date through regular issues of the A²B²D newsletter, with announcements about social activities, statistical meetings and personal matters. The latest events can be found on our renewed website, where you can find all information you need and post your comments, ideas, in our guestbook. Our former president, Herbert Thijs, has left his position as president and is now acting within the board as jack of all trades, while Goele, Dan, John and Tetyana decided to leave the board. I want to take this opportunity to express, in name of the whole board, our thanks to them, for the work they have been doing. I welcome all new members and wish you the best in Belgium and GOOD LUCK for the upcoming academic year. Niel Hens Your president
Did you know That the board now exists of An Creemers (Secretary), Tina Sotto (Scriptor), Dirk Valkenborg (Entertainer), Kaatje Bollaerts and Herbert Thijs (Jacks of al Trades), Liesbeth Bruckers (Treasurer), Kris Callaert (A²B²D s webmaster), Philippe Haldermans (Vice-president) and Niel Hens (President) That we will organize a Christmas Karaoke party in December, an Easter Quiz around April and the annual BBQ with cocktails in June. That we plan to organize another city trip to Amsterdam or Paris That the choice is not final and you can have your say in the destination That we ll go to the genever festival which takes place October 21 in Hasselt. Fun guaranteed That Veerle gave birth to Hannelore That the following pages include some of the activiteits organized in the past 2
The annual Christmas party on December 19, 2005 was celebrated with wine and cheese. The highlight of the program was an international quiz hosted by Boris and Igor, aka Philippe and Dirk. It consisted of some rounds testing general knowledge, knowledge about sport, alcohol, typography, video audio (music and film), and a puzzle that seemed easy. Christmas Party There were in total of 8 teams consisting of our students from different countries. The three surprising prizes were a collection of beers in a small, median or large (a meter long) box. They were given to a most creative team with a best name and two teams with best answers. During the break for quiz, we went out for a walk around campus and came back being served with hot drinks (hot chocolate, gluh wein). I would say this Christmas party was a warm evening for us in Belgium. 3
Ice Skating Give me a hand, please! Is it safe to walk with some help? If you didn t fall, you would never learn to skate! We can stand now! Figure skating is not so difficult! 4
Soccer Match between Students and CenStat Staff Members It has become a tradition that students from Applied and Biostatistics groups play a soccer game every Friday either in Fitlink or the open field. However, on 24 th March 2006, a match with a different flavour took place in Fitlink sports club. On that day, students battled it out against the staff, while their fellow friends cheered for their respective teams on the sidelines. This was a perfect way of marking the end one of the academic calendar terms. The students soccer team from the department is an active group that engages in several matches with other students from other departments within the campus. This is one of the sports and social activities organised by A 2 B 2 D which permits the students to balance their academic studies with recreation. The Censtat team warming up before the big match! Students and staff members alike anxiously watch the game. Some action shots from the games. 5
World Evening On April 19 foreign students of the university gathered together to celebrate the second World Evening. Formerly called Africa evening, the event was expanded by the organizers to feature not only African cultures but other cultures as well. Censtat students were actively involved in this activity since the MS Applied and MS Biostatistics programmes consist of a very international group of students. The evening started with a sampling of typical appetizers from the various participating countries. These delectable bites were prepared by the students themselves, and thus, were as authentic as having them in their country of origin. After dinner, the formal program for the night commenced with some creative workshops. Guests were invited to take part in any of these workshops, in which they could learn about the different world cultures, languages, traditions or customs. There were many choices ranging from workshops on a traditional dance (from Eastern Europe, Belgium or the Philippines) to a workshop on learning the Ethiopian alphabet. There was even a group of African ladies demonstrating and teaching hairbraiding techniques. The highlight of the event was the musical show. Several groups prepared various presentations there were song numbers, dance numbers, slide shows and even a fashion show. Some of the dance numbers also featured guests doing the dances they had previously learned from the workshops. For many of the presentations, the performers dressed up in their native costumes, making the show even more enjoyable. For some groups, the presentation consisted of an interesting narrative and video show about their home country. All in all it was a pleasurable and delightful evening giving insight into the various cultures of the world. Various costumes from different countries during World Evening. 6
Activities Genever Festival On October 21, we ll go for the genever festival in Hasselt. Keep a look at our website for additional information In the last pages of this newsletter you can find a report of the genever festival of last year. Friday Soccer Games On Friday, the students play soccer at 6.00pm. If you re interested you can join in at fitlink. Participating is sponsored by the university. For more information contact John Maringwa. Informal activities Students who would like to organize an activity, such as ice-skating, a movie etc. please feel free to contact Dirk and/or Philippe. They will be happy to arrange the necessary equipment. Ideas for other kinds of events are welcome too. 7
Genever Festival 15/10/2005 Official Mission: Take applied- and biostatistics student to the geneverfestival. Our Goal: Get drunk! Or at least try to get drunk within 3 hours. Meeting point: Provincial library Meeting time: 14h00 CET 14h10: First student arrives. 14h15: Still waiting. 14h20: Hurray we are already with 8 persons. 14h30: Start mission! 14h31: First drink; Somewhere in Hasselt, on our way to the genevermuseum. What: Corngenever with speculoos, the traditional way to drink genever. Conclusion: To strong for some persons, except for inhabitant of the Baltic States, they loved it immediately. Our advice: Try again (and again and again ) or turn to lower alcoholic fruit genevers. 14h40: Visit the genevermuseum; Was it interesting? Well after 5 minutes we found ourselves sniffing a 99.8% methyl-alcoholic fluid. Weird!! 15h00: Gathering at the inner square of the genevermuseum for the presentation of the new museumgenever. Free tastings!!! 15h05: Second drink; What: Corngenever Conclusion: Mmmh I should taste it again. 15h06: Third drink; GOOOOOOD; Elixir of the Gods. 15h07: Making contact with local inhabitants. First victim: Our rector (busted) 8
Second victim: Famous soccer player and important media figure: Jean-Marie Pfaff. 15h15 till 15h30: Uncountable number of drinks, and yes, they all taste excellent. Life is a waste of time, time is a waste of life, so get wasted all of the time and have the time of your life. 15h30: No more free drinks. Dilemma: Start a riot or buy some more in the pub. We choose the second option. 15h35: Mhhh strange music (Frans Bauer?), must dance, must dance, cannot help it. Probably some local ethnical dance? It s easy and harmless; just walking around in a circle holding the shoulders of the person in front of you. Apparently the locals call it polonaise. 9
16h00: We leave the genevermuseum after liberating some guys from the frenzy polonaise and head towards het borrelmanneke where more free tasting awaits us. 16h15: We meet an old friend of Cristina and oh horror they have no shame and start dancing immediately.. 16h30: Finally after separating Cristina and her admirer we arrive at het borrelmanneke where the Bacchanalia already started. It was so crowded and we lacked some err courage to go for the free drinks. So we headed to the colonel Dussart square where the die hards and thirsty ones ordered one more genever. 18h00: The mission was a success and we accomplished all our goals. See you all next year. Same country, same city, same time. Dirk & Philippe (The entertainment crew) 10