Science Faculty PhD Council

Who are in the council?

• Athena Institute

  Shachi Mokashi
  s.s.mokashi@vu.nl
  

  Who am I?
  I’m Shachi, and I am a PhD candidate at the Athena Institute. I have a background in sociology and social anthropology. Before my PhD, I studied at the Central European University in Austria and in Bennington College in the US. 

  What is my research about? 
  As an environmental anthropologist, I conduct research on issues of chemical toxicity and environmental social movements. 

  Why am I a member of the PhD council? 
  I joined the PhD Council because I would like to advocate for the well-being of PhD students both within my department and on the faculty level!

• Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences

  Rosa Randoe
  Room: O2 building 03E53
  r.e.randoe@vu.nl

  Who am I?
  My name is Rosa Randoe, and I am a PhD student at the Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences department at the VU. My background is in molecular (neuro)biology, which I now apply in a more translational way through pharmaceutical research.

  What is my research about?
  My project is focused on the deorphanization of a G-protein coupled receptor (or GPCR) involved in a rare neurological disorder that presents itself mainly in the white matter of the brains of young children. Through finding modulators of this GPCR, I hope to elucidate the cellular pathways it is involved in.

  Why am I a member of a PhD council?
  I believe the VU should be a place where everyone can feel heard and seen, and I want to contribute to that by actively standing up for the PhD students in my department and others.

• Computer Science

  Tom Humbert
  Room: NU:10th floor
  t.humbert@vu.nl

• A-life

  Vacant

• Health Sciences

  Yara Meijer
  Room: MF building J3
  y.m.meijer@vu.nl

  
  Who am I?
  I am Yara Meijer and I am a PhD candidate at the department of Health Sciences at the VU. I have a background in innovation sciences and health economics.

  
  What is my research about?
  I study whether early diagnosis of dementia can improve health and reduce healthcare costs by ensuring people receive the right support at the right time. My research also explores the perspectives of people with dementia and their caregivers to understand what kind of support is perceived as most helpful after a diagnosis.

  
  Why am I a member of the PhD council?
  I joined the Beta PhD council to help support the well-being of PhD candidates and contribute to a more connected department.

• Institute for Environmental Studies

  Michiel Ingels
  room: NU-building 8th floor
  m.w.ingels@vu.nl

  Who am I?
  I am Michiel Ingels, I am doing a PhD at the Environmental Economics department of the Institute for Environmental studies. I have a background in econometrics and climate econometrics in particular.

  What is my research about?
  I focus on the increasing flood risk as the result of climate change and socioeconomic development. In this realm I mainly focus on ways we can adapt and insure against these risks, in order to make society more resilient against the changing climate. I work on a model that simulates insurance uptake and adaptation effort in Europe under different climate change and socioeconomic scenarios. 

  Why am I a member of the PhD council?
  The Beta PhD council is a great way to both improve the well-being of PhD students and foster potential synergies between the various departments in the Beta faculty. 

• Mathematics

  Lies Beers
  Room: NU-building 9th floor
  e.g.m.beers@vu.nl

  Who am I?
  I am Lies Beers, a PhD Student in the mathematics department, where I work on spectral theory of graphs and hypergraphs.

  What is my research about?
  I study graphs, which consist of points, some of which are connected by lines. I study these graphs using linear algebra. More specifically, I try to find connections between properties of a graph and the spectrum of a certain matrix associated with this graph. I also study hypergraphs, which are a generalization of graphs.

  Why am I a member of the PhD council?
  By being part of the Beta PhD council, I hope to positively contribute to the position and well-being of PhD students in our faculty and my department.

• Neurosciences

  Vacant

• Physics and Astronomy

  Bram Hoogland
  WN building
  b.j.hoogland@vu.nl

  I am Bram! I am a first year PhD student in Physics of Life, with my research focussing on understanding collective cell migration, such as in cases of cancer metastasis. I joined the PhD council because I found the VU to be a maze of rules and as a starting PhD it can be difficult to find your way around. I hope that for new people starting it will be less of a hassle!