How do you know each other?
We had seen each other at the club, of course, but the real connection only developed once we were on the board together. Why the board of SSR Delft? Each of us was approached separately by the previous board. Later, we wondered why they had chosen us, but no one knew.
Why the board of SSR Delft?
Each of us was approached separately by the previous board. Later, we wondered why they had chosen us, but no one knew.
Do you still get together?
There is little contact between the lot of us. We all studied different things and, after that year on the board, our focus was on graduating and working. Only Maarten Schenkeveld and Ab Pasman still see each other regularly.
Favourite student life anecdote?
Once, we were on our way to our sister association’s foundation day in Amsterdam, appropriately toffed up. Near Ypenburg, the car suddenly veered off the road and tumbled down the embankment. Top hats flying around the car. Fortunately, no one was injured. One of us eventually stayed with the car while the rest hitchhiked to Amsterdam.
Where was the picture taken?
The photo was taken at the Koornbeurs club after a members’ meeting. As usual, we were dressed in morning suits. We had put two kinds of chairs on top of each other to have a glass of wine. Which was one of the privileges only allowed to senior members.
Maarten Schenkeveld (83, Civil Engineering 1967)
“I wanted to work abroad and was sent to Uganda and Crete by the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, ed.). I later joined engineering firm DHV and worked in over 40 countries in the fields of drinking water supply, flood control and area development. The beauty of working abroad is that you get to interact with people from other cultures and learn from each other. I was the first in my family to choose to study engineering. Now my son and daughter have both graduated from Delft and my grandson is studying industrial design engineering.”
Hans van der Meulen (84, Civil Engineering 1966)
“After my studies, I had to do military service. After this, I worked at Provincial Public Works and Water Management Department of Utrecht until my retirement. I have always felt socially involved and preferred to work in hydraulic engineering. I worked on all kinds of projects in the field of water and traffic management. My son qualified as a mechanical engineer, and my grandson is studying the same thing I did. I find it interesting to see how the programme has changed.”
Ab Pasman (82, Applied Physics 1968)
“For the first 20 months after my studies, I was a conscript. I wanted to work at a big company because then I could do something new every five years. At Philips, the chief executive said: “It will be more like every seven years. The work is technical, you need time to acquire more expert knowledge.” I ended up working seven different jobs in 35 years, mostly in managerial positions. I worked on the technical developments of medical diagnostic equipment. This year, one of my granddaughters started studying clinical technology in Delft.”
Pieter Kapteijn (82, Aeronautical Engineering 1968)
“During my studies I had become a pacifist, so I did not want to be involved in the construction of war planes at Fokker. When the faculty asked me to stay on as an academic assistant, I seized the opportunity. Subsequently, I worked in the Central Administration, Education and Research and Finance and Planning departments. This allowed me to get away from the aviation sector. Because I realised early on how environmentally damaging flying is; during the course of my life, I have hardly ever flown.”
Krijn van der Lee (84, Applied Physics 1967)
“I’m from the Westland area, so working in horticulture felt like a logical step for me. I investigated physical transport phenomena in drying and cooling vegetables, fruit and flower bulbs in Wageningen. But I missed the Delft engineers, so after four years I returned as a member of academic staff at Metallurgy. I worked there for 18 years until I transferred to VU as an administrator at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy. In addition, I worked as a tour guide at Teylers Museum. I did that for thirty years.”