This book treats optics at the level of students in the later stage of their bachelor or the beginning of their master. It is assumed that the student is familiar with Maxwell’s equations. Although the book takes account of the fact that optics is part of electromagnetism, special emphasis is put on the usefulness of approximate models of optics, their hierarchy and limits of validity. Approximate models such as geometrical optics and paraxial geometrical optics are treated extensively and applied to image formation by the human eye, the microscope and the telescope.

Polarisation states and how to manipulate them are studied using Jones vectors and Jones matrices. In the context of interference, the coherence of light is explained thoroughly. To understand fundamental limits of resolution which cannot be explained by geometrical optics, diffraction theory is applied to imaging. The angular spectrum method and evanescent waves are used to understand the inherent loss of information about subwavelength features during the propagation of light. The book ends with a study of the working principle of the laser.

Have you ever wondered why ventilation helps to cool down your hot chocolate? Do you know why a surfing suit keeps you warm? Why iron feels cold, while wood feels warm at room temperature? Or how air is transferred into aqueous liquids in a water treatment plant? How can we sterilize milk with the least amount of energy? Or how do we design a new cooling tower of a power plant?

Transport Phenomena addresses questions like these and many more, exploring a wide variety of applications ranging from industrial processes to daily life problems and even to bioprocesses in our own body.

In Transport Phenomena, the transport and transfer of momentum, heat and mass are studied. To understand these processes which often take place simultaneously, the underlying concepts will be covered in this course.

Design of shoreline protection along rivers, canals and the sea; load on bed and shoreline by currents, wind waves and ship motion; stability of elements under current and wave conditions; stability of shore protection elements; design methods, construction methods. Flow: recapitulation of basics from fluid mechanics (flow, turbulence), stability of individual grains (sand, but also rock) in different type of flow conditions (weirs, jets), scour and erosion. Porous Media: basic equation, pressures and velocities on the stability on the boundary layer; groundwater flow with impermeable and semi-impermeable structures; granular filters and geotextiles. Waves: recapitulation of the basics of waves, focus on wave forces on the land-water boundary, specific aspects of ship induced waves, stability of elements under wave action (loose rock, placed blocks, impermeable layers) Design: overview of the various types of protections, construction and maintenance; design requirements, deterministic and probabilistic design; case studies, examples Materials and environment: overview of materials to be used, interaction with the aquatic environment, role of the land-water boundary as part of the ecosystem; environmentally sound shoreline design.

If you’re a coastal engineer, ecologist or planner, then this is the course for you. You already know that engineering and ecological principles are not enough to realize nature-friendly solutions in practice. You need people on your side!

In this course you will learn how to build a relevant coalition of stakeholders to support the design and implementation of ecosystem-based hydraulic infrastructures. After learning basic stakeholder mapping and game theory techniques, you will apply Social Design Principles to a Building with Nature ecosystem-based design case. This will equip you to identify promising collaborative arrangements for your engineering or planning practice.

The course builds on the previous Building with Nature MOOC, which explored the use of natural materials and ecological processes in achieving effective and sustainable hydraulic infrastructure designs, distilling Engineering and Ecological Design Principles. In this course, the missing element of Social Design Principles are developed and taught.

You’ll learn from renowned Dutch engineers and international environmental scientists, who work at the technical- governance interface. Iconic examples such as the Maasvlakte II expansion to Rotterdam Harbor and the Delfland Sand Engine Mega-nourishment serve as study material. The challenges in designing and implementing these nature-friendly hydraulic infrastructures are explored by the eminent professors who were responsible for their genesis.

Join us in becoming one of the new generation of engineers, ecologists and planners who see the Building with Nature integrated design approach as critical to hydraulic engineering, nature and society.

While big data infiltrates all walks of life, most firms have not changed sufficiently to meet the challenges that come with it. In this course, you will learn how to develop a big data strategy, transform your business model and your organization.

This course will enable professionals to take their organization and their own career to the next level, regardless of their background and position.

Professionals will learn how to be in charge of big data instead of being subject to it. In particular, they will become familiar with tools to:

assess their current situation regarding potential big data-induced changes of a disruptive nature,
identify their options for successfully integrating big data in their strategy, business model and organization, or if not possible, how to exit quickly with as little loss as possible, and
strengthen their own position and that of their organization in our digitalized knowledge economy
The course will build on the concepts of product life cycles, the business model canvas, organizational theory and digitalized management jobs (such as Chief Digital Officer or Chief Informatics Officer) to help you find the best way to deal with and benefit from big data induced changes.

The course Bio-Inspired Design gives an overview of non-conventional mechanical approaches in nature and shows how this knowledge can lead to more creativity in mechanical design and to better (simpler, smaller, more robust) solutions than with conventional technology. The course discusses a large number of biological organisms with smart constructions, unusual mechanisms or clever sensing and processing methods and presents a number of technical examples and designs of bio-inspired instruments and machines.

Biomechatronics is a contraction of biomechanics and mechatronics. In this course the function and coordination of the human motion apparatus is the central focus, and the design of assistive devices for the support of the function of the motion apparatus.

Have you ever asked what “biobased” means or wondered about the key aspects in developing and commercializing biobased products? This course will answer those questions and more; highlighting the opportunities, hurdles, and driving forces of the bioeconomy.

Today’s industries face enormous global challenges when it comes to the fossil-based economy. Fossil resources are no longer a desirable feedstock for many products and governments’ climate goals put various limitations to its usage. Moreover, consumer perception has become an increasingly important factor. With biobased products as an alternative to the fossil-based economy, the bioeconomy can provide viable solutions to these challenges.

The course describes the different types of biomass, the methods of refinery and typical conversion technologies used for biobased products. You’ll also engage in a study of the practical and real-life examples emerging in the market: biopolymers, bioenergy, bioflavours, and biosurfactants.

The course has been developed by a team of experts from seven different institutions and universities in three different countries, all sharing their personal perspectives on the opportunities and challenges faced by the biobased industry. The three top-ranked institutions Delft University of Technology, RWTH Aachen University, and Wageningen University & Research offer additional, more advanced courses to continue your learning journey:

Industrial Biotechnology: a more advanced course that digs deeper into engineering aspects of bio-based products.
MicroMasters Chemistry and Technology for Sustainability: Help drive the transition from fossil sources to renewable energy ones and engineer a biobased future.
Sustainable Development: The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Introduction to sustainable development and its relation to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus.

This course presents a design philosophy and a design approach, dedicated to rehabilitation technology. This field was selected because of human-machine interaction is inherent and vital. Illustrative examples will be discussed by their entire design process

Design and construction of breakwaters and closure dams in estuaries and rivers. Functional requirements, determination of boundary conditions, spatial and constructional design and construction aspects of breakwaters and dams consisting of rock, sand and caissons.

The course is concerned with the concept of structural stability. This concept is applied to discrete and continuous basic structural elements (beams, frames, plates and shells). The fundamental concepts are introduced on the basis of the governing differential equations. The course includes the following topics:

*Equations of motion, nonlinear equilibrium equations, stationary potential energy criterion.
*Stability analysis for the basic structural elements.
*Design methods for stability of basic structural elements.

There is no doubt that the quantum computer and the quantum internet have many profound applications, they may change the way we think about information, and they could completely change our daily life.

But how do a quantum computer and a quantum internet work? What scientific principles are behind it? What kind of software and protocols do we need for that? How can we operate a quantum computer and a quantum internet? And which disciplines of science and engineering are needed to develop a fully working system?

In a series of two MOOCs, we will take you through all layers of a quantum computer and a quantum internet. The first course will provide you with the scientific basis by explaining the first layer: the qubits. We will discuss the four types of qubits that QuTech research center at Delft University of Technology focuses on: topological qubits, Spin qubits, Trans qubits and NV Centre qubits. We will teach you the working principles of qubits and, at the same time, the working principles of a computer made of these qubits.

In the upcoming second course, we will introduce the other layers needed to build a quantum computer and a quantum internet, such as the micro-architecture, compilers, quantum error correction, repeaters and quantum algorithms.

These two courses offer you an opportunity to deepen your knowledge by continuing the journey started in our first MOOC, which focused on the applications of a quantum computer and a quantum internet.

Note that these courses offer a full overview of the layers of a quantum computer and a quantum internet, and therefore they will not go into too much detail per layer. For learners seeking to fully understand one specific topic we can recommend other courses authored by QuTech:

There is no doubt that the quantum computer and the quantum internet have many profound applications, they may change the way we think about information, and they could completely change our daily life.

But how do a quantum computer and a quantum internet work? What scientific principles are behind it? What kind of software and protocols do we need for a quantum computer and a quantum internet? Which disciplines of science and engineering are needed to develop these? And how can we operate a fully working system?

In this series of two courses, we take you through all layers of a quantum computer and a quantum internet. In part 1 we explained the first layer: the qubits. We introduced the most promising quantum platforms and discussed how to do quantum operations on the physical qubits. In part 2 we will introduce the other layers needed to build and operate a quantum computer and a quantum internet, such as the quantum classical interface, micro-architecture, compilers, quantum error correction, networks and protocols and quantum algorithms.

These two courses offer you an opportunity to deepen your knowledge by continuing the journey started in our first course, which focused on the applications of a quantum computer and a quantum internet.

Note that these courses offer a full overview of the layers of a quantum computer and a quantum internet, and therefore they will not go into too much detail per layer. For learners seeking to fully understand one specific topic we can recommend other courses authored by QuTech:

In the field of Quantum Internet: Quantum Cryptography
In the field of topological phenomena: Topology in Condensed Matter
This course is authored by experts from the QuTech research center at Delft University of Technology. In the center, scientists and engineers work together to enhance research and development in quantum technology. QuTech Academy’s aim is to inspire, share and disseminate knowledge about the latest developments in quantum technology.

Urban design, inequality and segregation are strongly connected.

Cities around the world, from the Global South to the Global North, are facing a rise in inequality and socio-economic segregation. The wealthy are increasingly concentrating in the most attractive urban areas and poverty is spreading to the suburbs. Rising levels of segregation have major consequences for the social sustainability of cities and leads to unequal life opportunities depending on where in the city you live.

In this course, aimed at a broad range of professionals, from urban planners and architects to geographers, you will learn what the main drivers and indicators of urban inequality and segregation are, using examples from cities from all over the world. You will learn how segregation is measured, how to interpret the results of the analyses of segregation and how to relate these insights to urban design. With this knowledge, you will be able to analyze how these issues may be affecting your local environment.

Additionally, we will present some historical examples of how urban design has played a role shaping spatial inequality and segregation in a selection of case study cities. This will help you to get a better understanding of how urban design can reduce spatial inequality and segregation.

The course is taught by the editors of the new SpringerOpen book “Urban socio-economic segregation and income inequality. A global perspective” and senior experts from the Urban Design section of TU Delft, which is ranked number 2 in the QS World University Rankings in the field of Architecture.

The book presents a coherent theory of building information, focusing on its representation and management in the digital era. It addresses issues such as the information explosion and the structure of analogue building representations to propose a parsimonious approach to the deployment and utilization of symbolic digital technologies like BIM.

The book presents a coherent theory of building information, focusing on its representation and management in the digital era. It addresses issues such as the information explosion and the structure of analogue building representations to propose a parsimonious approach to the deployment and utilization of symbolic digital technologies like BIM. It also considers the matching representation of AECO processes in terms of tasks, so as to connect to information processing and support both information management and decision taking.

This book is based upon the edX MOOCs Engineering: Building with Nature and Beyond Engineering: Building with Nature. The Engineering: Building with Nature MOOC, explores the use of natural materials and ecological processes in achieving effective and sustainable hydraulic infrastructure designs, distilling Engineering and Ecological Design Principles. In the Beyond Engineering: Building with Nature course, the missing element of Social Design Principles is developed and taught.

Join us in exploring the interface between hydraulic engineering, nature and society!

Designing a new business model is one thing, but how do you actually put it into practice? How do you move from your current model to a new business model?

In this business and management course, you will learn how to make a practical action plan to implement your new business model.

You will create a business model roadmap that will include practical activities that take into consideration the possible risks associated with moving to a new business model.

You will also learn about the practical factors that need to be taken into consideration during the transition process, i.e. the competency of your people and your IT, in order to successfully implement a new business model.

Do you want to enhance your business model by creating a clear focus or implement your new business model innovation into your IT?

In this business and management course, we will discuss business model agility and how specific business model metrics will help you focus on the overall goals of our business.

You will also learn about advanced tools to help support the bridge between business model thinking and IT implementation.

The world is changing rapidly and full of uncertainties. The future success of a business model depends on how well it is adapted to changing circumstances. Do you want to become aware of the relevant developments in technology, markets and society? And understand how this affects your business?

This business and management course will teach you how to stress test your business model. You will learn how to identify the relevant trends and uncertainties and how they impact your business model. You will analyse the strong and weak parts of your business model and look for opportunities to make your business model more robust and future proof.

You will learn through real-world examples from well-known companies and interact with fellow entrepreneurs. By the end of this course, you will be able to stress test your own business model to analyse its future success.