Meet our pioneer: Brigitte van der Lugt

Who are you? 

My name is Brigitte van der Lugt and I am 24 years old. I live in a student house in Eindhoven. 

What do you study? 

I’m currently doing the double master of Industrial Design and Innovation Sciences at TU/e. Before I did the bachelor’s Industrial Design, also at the TU/e. This combined master fits in nicely with my bachelor. In Industrial Design projects I mainly focus on what users need and how you can shape an innovation. In Innovation Sciences projects, I look at the effect of innovation on society. In short, with Industrial Design you design the innovation and with Innovation Sciences you validate the innovation. 

Is it doable to do two masters at the same time? 

I spread it out over three years. That’s how I still spend an average of 40 hours a week on my studies, just like many other students. 

Why did you choose this double master? 

I’m interested in sustainable alternatives and the associated socio-technical relationships. I think it’s important to be able to validate the social aspects related to innovation and design and I missed that with Industrial Design. I enjoy being able to use statistics to demonstrate the effect of innovation and you learn this at Innovation Sciences. The combination of both masters allows me to use my knowledge of sustainable technological alternatives to design solutions for socio-technical challenges. 

And why did you choose the Industrial Design bachelor? 

During my high school, I took Technasium classes and did projects with different science themes, so I knew I wanted to study at a technical university. I have always been interested in making things, being creative, helping others and working towards a goal. I looked at various studies and Industrial Design in Eindhoven was a good fit. 

Why did you choose TU/e? 

I purposefully chose Eindhoven, because the TU/e ​​has a broad Industrial Design program that’s a bit more technical and has room for electives. 

What student team are you in? 

I have been a member of Team HART since February 2021. HART stands for Human Augmentation Research & Technology. 

Why did you join Team HART? 

I saw that they were looking for new people in an article on Cursor. It appealed to me how they wanted to shape the team, looking for students from different backgrounds and the plans they had for the team. I already knew some people from the Honors Academy, so I knew they were fun people to work with. I liked that we are going to do something new, with which we contribute to human augmentation research and at the same time develop our technology. That it was so broad made me decide to apply. 

It’s of course quite intense to work with so many people. In the meantime, I have learned a lot more than I had previously thought. What I especially like is that you work together with students from different studies, with different competencies and that you get so much more of what is happening throughout the university. 

What did you learn from the student team? 

How to organize something with so many people. The organization is very good. Especially because we had to work online, we have many systems to keep track of and find everything. We have also purposefully opted for a flat organization, so everyone can access everything. In my studies, you work with a maximum of five people in a project group. But if you have to work with 15 people and you don't attend all meetings, you have to make sure that everyone is on the same page. 

Why did you enter the Honors Academy? 

I had passed all my courses in the first year, so I got an invitation from the Honors Academy. I didn't even know it existed, so that was surprising. Then I went to the information market and I liked it. You meet students from outside your studies and I like to do extra projects in addition to my studies. So I thought, I'll just go for it. 

Do you do more besides your studies? 

I’m also a student assistant. I've been doing that for a year and a half now and on average 4 hours a week. It’s very flexible to schedule. I’m helping a professor with her research and we are currently preparing for the Dutch Design Week. The research is about the innovation of household appliances and mainly focused on the increasingly hot summers. In this way, I can see what it’s like when you work for the university, which makes it easier to decide whether I want to go into business or more into research after my studies. 

What do you want to do next? 

I would like a role in which I can bring people with different expertise together. Preferably aimed at implementing a sustainable innovation, which involves a behavioural or cultural change. I find the energy transition very interesting. As an Industrial Designer, you could shape the best way to approach these transitions. I may want to do a PhD later, but I also like to work for a company because then you are closer to the implementation of the knowledge. 

What do you want to do next? 

I would like a role in which I can bring people with different expertise together. Preferably aimed at implementing a sustainable innovation, which involves a behavioural or cultural change. I find the energy transition very interesting. As an Industrial Designer, you could shape the best way to approach these transitions. I may want to do a PhD later, but I also like to work for a company because then you are closer to the implementation of the knowledge. 

What do you think about studying and living in Brainport Eindhoven? 

What I mainly noticed is that people here are a lot more relaxed and sociable. Maybe it’s a bit typical for Brabant. People are very professional and you are quickly taken seriously. If you want to do something, there are always people who want to help you achieve your goal. I also feel that anything is possible here. If you want something yourself, you can do a lot of things. That helped me a lot to do that. 

What else would you like to tell other students in Brainport Eindhoven? 

Every experience is one you can learn from. That may be very different from what you had previously thought. I would like to invite people to just try things out. It doesn't have to be right or perfect all at once. You might find out it's not for you at all, but at least you know that.