About

The winter school is designed for PhD students working in the fields of computational chemistry and spectroscopy in the Netherlands. It is also open to advanced Master's students, as well as PhD students from related research areas and from abroad.

The school typically takes place in the last week of November or the first week of December. Each year, it offers an intensive week of advanced graduate courses covering areas such as theoretical (quantum) chemistry, spectroscopy, statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and high-performance computing. Core lectures, rotating on a three-year cycle, provide a solid foundation in essential theory, while specialized classes from guest lecturers introduce cutting-edge topics such as electronic structure methods, molecular dynamics, excited-state dynamics, machine learning in chemistry, and advanced spectroscopic techniques.

A distinctive feature of the winter school is its strong emphasis on hands-on exercises. Rather than relying solely on lecture-style teaching, the program is designed to actively engage participants and foster a deeper learning experience. In this way, the school provides students over the course of three years with:

  1. a solid foundation in the fundamental theory of theoretical chemistry and spectroscopy
  2. insight into a broad range of current and emerging research topics
  3. exposure to cutting-edge developments presented by leading scientists in the field

Students are encouraged to present and discuss their own research through short presentations. Beyond its academic program, the school offers a valuable opportunity to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and learn about ongoing research in the Netherlands and internationally.

The winter school was founded in 1988 by Wim Briels at the University of Twente. After ten years, he relocated the program to Han-sur-Lesse in the scenic Ardennes region of Belgium, where it continues to be held. Gerrit Groenenboom coordinated the school from 2000 to 2009, followed by Bernd Ensing from 2010 to 2019. Since 2020, the school has been organized by Ivo Filot.


Three of the organizers in one picture: Gerrit Groenenboom (front row, second person from the left; wearing green pullover sweater), Bernd Ensing (front row fourth person from the left; wearing navy pullover sweater) and Ivo Filot (person completely on the left; wearing blue jacket). From the 2014 edition of the Han-sur-Lesse Winterschool.

The winter school is formally endorsed by the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society (KNCV), Division of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry.