Joris, Selena, Bob and Bert are a couple of the students who are working together with the GUM (Ghent University Museum). Discover why these four 'MuST’ers' are so excited about the brand-new science museum.
WTF is a MuST’er?
Joris De Clercq, biology student: "MuST stands for Museum Student Team. There are 30 MuST’ers in total, and we are a group of dedicated students who have volunteered to help in opening and running the museum. We have been involved ever since 2018. Our role is to be the students’ voice so that school children and students are also attracted to visit the GUM. Once the museum is open, I will also work as a tour guide and give workshops. I’m really looking forward to it!"
What do you like about the GUM?
Selena Vandecaveye, psychology student: "I have very few courses in my programme that touch upon the exact sciences. I therefore see and learn things here that I would otherwise miss out on. This was how I discovered the links that lie between the different disciplines and learned how to appreciate the aesthetic aspect of the different objects. It’s fun to expand your field of interest in this way. The underlying stories make it even more interesting. When you see how a chance discovery can lead to an important object, it changes your entire perception."
The swarm robots
Bert Van Hecke, biology student: "I am in my first year of biodiversity and evolution. I am really interested in birds and the interaction between nature and technology. Indeed, you can get tons of inspiration from how animals move around in swarms. Swarm robots are their artificial equivalent. They are used to develop collective behaviour. In the "
Fauna of the dead
Bob Oeyen, doctorate student in experimental particle physics: "The insects in this cabinet were used by forensic experts to determine the time of somebody’s death. The cabinet can be found in the Chaos section, as one of seven themes that guide you through the scientific thought process. In this section, the focus lies on searching for patterns. The desire to organise the chaos is what initially drove people towards science. A total of 800 objects are displayed under the seven themes. I think my favourite is likely to keep on changing as I get to know the museum better (laughs)."
Starting from October 3rd, the GUM is finally opening its doors. Come by for a visit and be the first to discover all the objects.
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