How well do the Master's intro participants know TU/e? It varies hugely. Goos Wetzer, for example, has spent no fewer than five years here. “I did a Bachelor's in Psychology & Technology, then followed that up with a custom-made pre-Master's,” says Goos, who in the past has even  been an 'intro dad'. “Now I'm taking part in the Master's Kick-off to get to know people and companies. That'll happen through presentations and tomorrow's tour of the High Tech Campus. It's time I built a serious network to help with my internship and for when I graduate.”

The Master's Kick-off doesn't use a system of intro moms and dads, but Mechanical Engineering's own intro committee has arranged buddies for the Tuesday afternoon. The members of buddy Yorick Broens's group are all newcomers; he needs to lead the way to show where the photos of the bar, Simon Stevin's board room, the workshop, and the soccer pitch were taken. He is pleased with his little group. “They are motivated and are asking scientific questions, but they also want to know how to join Tech United.”

Stella

“How much power does this solar car have?” Natasha Jovanove wants to know, for example. This student of Sustainable Energy Technology is a member of a different group. She has been in Eindhoven for only three days, but already knows about Cursor. “Oh, the news magazine,” she responds when I introduce myself. Natasha was already familiar with Stella too; to find a university where she could follow up her Bachelor's of Electrical Engineering, which she did in Macedonia, she's done some thorough research. “I am here to gather information so I can improve the world and increase sustainability. I want to make an impact.”