Listen in for a freestyle conversation with Stan Broere, studying Applied Physics Masters at Delft University.

Time stamps and some notes:

[Part 1] Journey into Astrophysics

• (0:15) Intro
• (1:09) A prospective zero-gravity experience!
• (1:36) How you became interested in astrophysics
• (2:14) Lots of books, self-study, documentaries and watching Cosmos by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• (2:31) Advice – "just find a book in a library, and just start reading it"
• (2:47) Astrophysics in a Hurry, by Neil DeGrasse Tyson – good beginning
• (3:10) "Instead of watching Netflix, you can find a lot of good educational videos on YouTube"
• (3:30) People tell you what's important, instead of you finding out. But reading the book is also good, to see the complete version.
• (3:48) What's something recent you read that blew your mind?
• (3:57) Rocket science and propulsion!

[Part 1 cont.] Machine Learning with Digital Art (Van Gogh style!)

• (4:58) On the side you do digital art – how's that going?
• (5:09) Machine learning to convert your pictures into Van Gogh style portraits!

[Part 1 cont.]  Internship Experience in Sydney, Australia - cultural observations

• (6:32) Experience abroad in Sydney Australia – full of stories and culture
• (6:50) Differences – more laid back, relaxed instead of 9 to 5
• (7:03) Was it a factor of your role there?
• (7:14) Also in general, people are a little more relaxed
• (7:26) In NL people are on time, but (7:43) it depends on the person
• (7:52) In the NL we're also more direct – right, more frank with what you mean
• (8:29) How was the directness in Sydney?
• (8:38) “Sometimes my directness was a problem,” like when he went out to a bar and got overcharged, and then went back the next day to say something. "Apparently I was a bit too direct, and he was put off guard, so I didn't quite see that coming."
• (9:26) Started vlogging while there – why?
• (9:35) Other friends had done a lot of filming – finally gotten around to editing, and hopefully release in December first episode (travel to Sydney and leading events)
• (10:25) Did you see anyone like, what's he doing? (Not yet, but probably!)

[Part 1 cont.] Cube Satellites!

• (10:42) Main purpose in Sydney: internship
• (10:47) Went there to do another internship at University of Sydney to research possible propulsion fuel for cube satellites "cube sats" (11:44) used as secondary payloads on a rocket
• (11:57) "The fetish for the tiny satellites is that you only need to spend 10,000 euros for the cost of going upstairs, so it's easier for universities to do some experiments."
• (12:28) What happens to the satellites after they break down out there?"
• (12:58) They come back down into the atmosphere and burn on the way in. Metal wire and electric current induced in it by the Earth's magnetic field results in a net force downward.
• (13:55) You want more space up there. Some satellites from 70s are still orbiting – and they're not providing data anymore or operating – so you want them cleared out. Some people are developing mechanisms to pull them down.
• (14:56) GHGSat cool initiative to put out a train of satellites to take high resolution measurements of methane emissions on the ground
• (15:15) You can let a lot of cube satellites orbit around the earth, and take a lot of pictures to track more places at once instead of the big satellites.
• (15:55) Big satellites cost many millions, but tiny satellites cost tens of thousands.
• (16:14) Can track Amazon, or forest fires in CA and Australia.
• (16:26) Juliette Anema's work at SRON: time scale of fires in Australia – got published on various platforms
• (16:58) "It's really nice to see when people are so passionate about something that they just do it... even when it's not required."  –AE

[Part 2] Cultural Reflections and COVID

• (17:15) "How did you experience the Netherlands" – Stan
• (17:34) Main takeaway was how you can make a city so beautiful by investing in the care of your streets and having bike paths, canals, and vegetation (of course, environmentally dependent)
• (18:04) Biking around everywhere, without any worry of the cars – so well structured! clear lanes, clear lights. Can be unsafe otherwise
• (18:44) Simon van Diepen (another officemate) was saying how important it is in Dutch drivers' tests to be aware of bikers
• (19:03) Whole roads painted red that are specifically for biking ... because climate change, but also because a lot of people love to bike from one place to another.
• (19:27) HUGE bike garages – we're basically on a rant at this point, it's great!
• (20:12) Biking to grocery stores... backpack, or basket, or wheelbarrow
• (20:41) How is it now with COVID? Masks? "It changes every minute... but we're currently climbing up in numbers but slowly decreasing, amidst the 2nd wave. Governance is currently promoting wearing masks. Whereas previously they were a bit more skeptical."
• (21:53) Disinfecting shopping carts, etc.
• (22:04) Similar in U.S. with groceries – people are more cautious now
• (22:20) Netherlands initial response was not quite Sweden. Sweden decided to let it run through, but in NL we still had the six feet society. Six feet distancing. "Social distancing." "Ander halder mader sama leving."
• (23:00) Some traveling bans even between neighboring countries, museums and restaurants closed, amusement parks...

[Part 3] Working with Dyslexia and ADHD

• (23:51) Working with having dyslexia and ADHD – it's mostly just about practicing
• (24:30) Easier to consume more audiovisual cues rather than reading
• (24:50) Reading more and more over the years over 20 years of experience
• (25:08) I always thought that dyslexia was about words getting mixed up while reading
• (25:21) Sometimes I think it says something instead of something else, so I think I understand, but "Oh, it didn't say that, ok..." so I'm assuming and jumping to conclusions.
• (25:52) ADHD concentrating and focusing – you excel in what you do, so how do you do it?
• (26:07) Also a learning experience – currently with everything going on in the pandemic, it's been difficult. No one's supervising. So I just try to disconnect from the Internet, lay back, and just read it, and say I'll just do some gaming after I've done this and this, and if I don't then I don't game.
• (27:33) Enjoy what you do, don't force yourself, so you don't have a mental breakdown.

(27:53) Closing Notes

• (27:59) "Love your family, enjoy the new year, and hopefully we have a White Christmas, stay inside with warm choco and listen to your podcast!" – Stan

^^ That! Have a wonderful day :) Thanks for tuning in!

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