Winnaars UU Docentenprijzen 2022: David Onnekink en Danny Broere

Laudatio David Onnekink

David, as a historian, you are interested in life stories. As a lecturer, you are interested in the stories of your students. In your teaching, you try to focus on these students’ stories and on three goals: to be recognized, to be heard and be to inspired. By adapting your lectures to this, you increase the pleasure of studying, according to your students. 

You have a large international network which you actively use in your work as a teacher. The jury was impressed with the amount of work you do. You are an active teacher and tutor, a variety of dimension and you can make a change for your students. Students see the passion you have for your own field and you are always approachable for students and colleagues. A quote of one of the jury members: this is a lecturer you will still remember the rest of your life.  Teaching has not been easy for the past two years because of the pandemic, but despite the challenge of online teaching, you have been able to adapt your lessons very well. The stable structure of your lessons gave students something to hold on in a time of uncertainty.  

Students told us that they feel heard, the voice of the student is very important to you. Through student participation in the set-up of the courses, you ensure personalized education. Students can make requests about what they find important in the course.

The jury was also impressed how you give social issues a place in your academic education. In these difficult times you manage to connect with the society.

David, the jury was honoured to select you as Utrecht University’s Outstanding Teacher 2022. Congratulations on winning this award.

Laudatio Danny Broere

Danny, the jury was impressed how passionate you are about everything in the chemistry. You would like to highlight that it is a beautiful profession, but there are also many things that haven’t gone well in the field. It’s impressive that you would like to highlight that aspect in education as well.

First of all, you engage your students in the academic field but also make a strong link with the practical part of chemistry. You make a connection between education, research and also the activities at the Utrecht Young Academy. You are inspiring for your students but also for your colleagues.

It was clear to the jury that you are a lecturer who wants to involve students of all levels. You are varying techniques in your education and use modern tools like the ‘dynamic classroom’ and modern apps. You are doing this with great enthusiasm and conviction and you are a young lecturer with a huge strength in innovation. As a teacher, you can motivate your students to go out of them comfort zone.

Secondly, your students say that they would usually describe the subject that you teach as tough. But you fascinate your students and take them into the world of chemical reacties, organic molecules and scientific research. Your students say that your hard work in adapting teaching material into the modern world we live in, make you a fantastic addition for the university

Last but not least, students praise your structure and timemanagement. You gave them the real lecture feeling in the difficult times of the pandemic, even though there was no education at the university.

All in all, you deserve this Teacher Talent Award. Congratulations!