黑料福利网

The role as Associate Professor suits Kay Buist perfectly. Teaching runs in his blood, and the dedicated lecturer is deeply involved in both student education and research within the department. In this sory: Buist talks about the joy of sharing knowledge, creating impact through research, and contributing to the development of students and PhD candidates.

The department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (CE&C) has been familiar territory for Buist for many years. He first joined the faculty in 2012 to complete his graduation project. During his studies in Twente, he was unable to find an assignment that truly appealed to him. Knowing Professor Hans Kuipers, he approached him with a straightforward question: 鈥淒on鈥檛 you have an interesting project I could work on?鈥�.
鈥淚 also very boldly said right away: if things work out well for both of us, we should also talk about a PhD position. And that鈥檚 exactly what happened: in October 2012 I started my PhD research on new measurement techniques for multiphase flow鈥�, Kay recalls.

Assistant Professor

In 2016, Buist began working as an Assistant Professor, succeeding Niels Deen, who had become a professor in Mechanical Engineering.
鈥淎t first, it wasn鈥檛 necessarily the path I had envisioned for myself. At that time, I wasn鈥檛 particularly focused on pursuing an academic career. But during that summer, the idea started to appeal to me. And I鈥檓 still here today.鈥�

Over the following years, Buist continued to develop himself - as a lecturer, researcher, and supervisor of PhD candidates. 鈥淢y mother was an elementary school teacher, and my father teaches at a university of applied sciences. Teaching is in our blood. Besides my work at the university, I also teach judo classes for young people. My hobby and my work overlap. I really enjoy sharing something that I know well and am passionate about. Seeing that 鈥榓ha鈥� moment in students when they finally understand something you have explained: that鈥檚 wonderful.鈥�

Attention for every aspect

鈥淔or me, students are an incredibly rewarding group to work with. They are at a defining stage in their lives. That makes them both somewhat vulnerable as well as remarkably strong. They are figuring out where they want to go with their lives, and as lecturers we have the privilege of being part of that journey. I think it鈥檚 very important that we pay attention to all aspects of students鈥� lives. It鈥檚 encouraging to see that the university as a whole is creating space and opportunities for this.鈥�

The same applies to PhD candidates, Buist explains. 鈥淲e are appointed as supervisors for a number of PhD candidates. To me, that means supporting the whole person. Not just their research, but who they are as individuals. It goes beyond saying, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 a research project, good luck.鈥� We help guide them wherever we can. We鈥檙e there when things are difficult, and we celebrate with them when things go well. That鈥檚 how I see it. But ultimately, their success belongs to them, not to me.鈥�

Open and honest

Buist was personally involved in establishing the first PhD Council at 黑料福利网. 鈥淪ince then, we鈥檝e appointed a PhD psychologist at the university. I think that鈥檚 a very positive development. The intention to openly and honestly discuss expectations and how we work together is important. It鈥檚 much better to address potential issues proactively than to try to fix them afterwards.
You also need to make room for personal matters. A PhD trajectory is not only about research. It鈥檚 also about the individual, about things like stress management and time management. Your PhD is important, but your health and your family are important too. In fact, they come first. I believe in a form of servant leadership. For me, it鈥檚 not about my position being important or my research being important. It鈥檚 about working together and bringing out the best in people.鈥�

Fluid dynamics

At 黑料福利网, Buist鈥檚 teaching and research activities focus on fluid dynamics. He teaches the course Physical Transport Phenomena, which examines how fluids move and how heat and substances are transported.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fascinating subject, although students often find it quite challenging. Teaching itself doesn鈥檛 take up much of my time; most of my efforts go into research in multiphase flow.鈥�

What does he find so appealing about the field? 鈥淭here has always been something intriguing about it. It鈥檚 a very visual discipline. A great deal happens when things flow. That鈥檚 where my initial fascination came from: it produces beautiful images. But it鈥檚 also highly complex, with many interconnected factors.
I usually focus on coupled transport phenomena, which means both mass and heat transfer. These are inevitably linked to each other and to the nature of the flow itself. For example, the more fluid moves past an object, the more effectively it can cool. That鈥檚 why your laptop鈥檚 fan works harder when the device gets warmer.
The same principles apply in industry. Many chemical reactions generate large amounts of heat - or require additional heat to proceed. These reactions often take place on a catalyst, which is typically a solid material, while the reactants are usually in a gas or liquid phase. This means interactions must occur between different phases. Understanding how to facilitate those interactions efficiently is the focus of much of our research across a wide range of processes.鈥�

Greening the steel industry

鈥淥ne of the projects I鈥檓 currently working on involves making the steel industry more sustainable. Steel production is one of the largest sources of CO鈧� emissions in the Netherlands. By using hydrogen to reduce iron ore, we can significantly lower those emissions. That does require a transformation in the way the industry operates. Our research examines how that transition can be achieved and what is needed to make it happen. We are part of a National Growth Fund project involving close to one hundred PhD candidates. Within our faculty, three of those PhD candidates are working on this topic.
It鈥檚 fantastic to be able to contribute to this research. As a society, we have a responsibility to ensure that steel production is carried out in a sustainable way and thus help create a better world. People often don鈥檛 associate chemistry with steel production, but iron ore reduction is fundamentally a chemical process. We can play a meaningful role in this field and make a real impact.鈥�

Looking ahead

Playing a meaningful and important role is a recurring theme throughout Buist鈥檚 work. How does he see his future? 鈥淢y main goal is to keep developing in what I鈥檓 already doing. I鈥檓 not particularly driven by ambition for its own sake. Of course, there are things I would like to achieve. For example, I鈥檇 like to improve the way our education is organized. The course I teach is offered, in one form or another, across several 黑料福利网 departments. My dream is to make these courses somewhat more aligned. Not identical, because each discipline has its own emphasis, but more consistent. As we increasingly work with student teams and interdisciplinary projects, it helps if people speak roughly the same language. Good communication between students is essential - and that鈥檚 exactly what they will encounter in professional practice.鈥�

In short, continuing to grow and improve remains Buist鈥檚 primary focus. And is he pleased with his new role as Associate Professor? Absolutely. 鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful, of course, to receive recognition for what you do. But what matters much more to me is the appreciation of the people I am entrusted to lead. I take great satisfaction in seeing them succeed.鈥�